cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

CapOne "starter acct" CL loophole found w/$6k CLI!

tag
Anonymous
Not applicable

CapOne "starter acct" CL loophole found w/$6k CLI!

As I've posted a million times on this forum and many of you are aware having experienced it, if you "barely get in" with Capital One more often than not your account will reach it's maximum credit limit pretty quickly and seemingly hit a plateau that it will never cross.  I'm talking scores in the 500's up to the low 600's where you're given a relatively small limit, usually their Platinum (entry level) card.  For most of us at the time, we're just happy to get an unsecured card.

 

Fast forward a year or more, many of us improve our credit files considerably and bring our scores up to the "excellent" range.  Where other CCCs often will consider your improved profile and allow you to grow your card, Capital One seems to always view your account if it started on less than favorable terms as a "starter account" and will not allow you to grow it.  The typical denial reason will be, "insufficient use of current credit limit" or something similar. If you are to apply for a new Capital One product, however, they're more than willing to extend you a new credit line many times in excess of the limit you've stalled out on with their original product.

 

What I've illustrated above has been the story that MANY on this forum have reported.  There may have been a few exceptions to his along the way, but not many at all.  My purpose of this post is that I did indeed find a loophole and possible work around to this, thus allowing a "starter account" to break through the plateau that you've been at.

 

I was able to take my CL that had stalled out at $4k to $10k earlier this week on my account that started at $3k with a credit score of 619 at the time.

 

Long story short, even though this will still be long, is that you need to get Capital One to do a "Manual Review" of your account for the CLI request.  Simply put, this means requesting your CLI with the Executive Office and a human being over the phone rather than using their onine CLI request method or their automated over the phone method.

 

For reasons unknown, the online and phone methods for CLI requests were not working for me.  I believe the reason has to do with the suffix on my name, so for whatever reason the online and automated phone methods return errors when I've used them. 

 

The online method says, "This feature is currently unavailable, try again later."

 

The automated phone system says, "Thre was an error processing your request, try again later."

 

Upon informing Capital One if my inability to request a CLI via their two non-human involved methods, they were very quick to agree to do a "Manual Review" for my CLI request.  This involved speaking to someone from the Executive Office who asks an identical set of questions that you are normally asked when doing a CLI request, only with 2 additional questions:  "One, what is your reason for requesting this increase today?"  Two, "What is the total credit limit you are requesting today and would you except a lesser amount than what you're requesting?"  After completing that, they thank you and let you know that you'll receive a letter in 7-10 business days with their decision.  In about 36 hours noticed from logging into my account that my credit limit had been increased.

 

Data points here:  Account opened in March 2015 with a credit score of 619 and a $3000 limit given.  The limit was much better than many as I had a reasonably thick/aged file (AAoA about 6 years) and my score had dropped due to a few recent negative items on several accounts.  Had I had a much younger/thinner file, no doubt my SL would have been more like $1000.

 

My first 2 CLI requests resulted in $500 CLIs, bringing me to $3500 and then $4000.  From that point, CLI requests resulted in "insufficient use of current credit limit" denials.  I had reached a $4000 ceiling on my starter account. 

 

This week when doing the Manual Review CLI request, I requested $10,000 as my limit and got what I asked for.  Proof that going through a human being makes a big difference here is that my card usage has been almost nothing since my last CLI denial.  Back when I was getting those $500 CLIs, their card was my daily driver so I was putting $1000-$2000 per cycle on it.  Once I applied for and got better cards, I started using my Capital One less and after my last CLI denial I actually had the card in the SD for 6 months.  I did take it out twice for two purchases of about $5.00 each, so let's say it saw ~$10 of usage over 6 months prior to my CLI from $4k to $10k.  If that isn't the definition of insufficient use of current credit limit, I don't know what is.  This to me proves that going through a human being indeed bypasses a lot of what you'd get from their automated methods. 

 

Bottom line here, if anyone is stuck at a plateau on their Capital One starter account and would like an improved shot at a CLI, assuming your credit profile has improved significantly, getting them to do a manual review could be the answer you're looking for.

Message 1 of 24
23 REPLIES 23
VipreArmed
Contributor

Re: CapOne "starter acct" CL loophole found w/$6k CLI!

Thanks for your tips.  I started low with Capital One and so far have only received a small increase ($300) on my card which was 9 months ago.  Problem with me is my credit file hasn't aged much AAoA = 7 mos so I need to keep it just for the aging and I use it sparingly and PIF.  But I'll keep this in mind when I do request a CLI.  

AMEX Blue Cash | Capital One Platinum | OverStock CC | Quiksilver | Walmart | VS Angel Card | 24k Student Loans |

Starting Scores: 4/1/2017 EQ: 623 TU: 644 EX: 661
10/30/2017 EQ: 641 TU: 681 EX: 695
Goal: 720 EQ-TU-EX

Gardening till April 2018!


Message 2 of 24
Khalifa_Jayy
Regular Contributor

Re: CapOne "starter acct" CL loophole found w/$6k CLI!

This is pretty much word for word, action for action what happened for me with BofA earlier this week. Interesting findings!

 



AmEx FICO 8: EX [714] | Discover Scorecard FICO: EX [719]

  
CENTURY CLUB MEMBER

TOTAL CREDIT LIMIT:
FICO:
CREDIT AGE:

Message 3 of 24
AverageJoesCredit
Legendary Contributor

Re: CapOne "starter acct" CL loophole found w/$6k CLI!

Nice job Brutal, proof that if you stick with it eventually youll get through to someone. Lot of effort for a card you dont use but i do understand the why lol.
Message 4 of 24
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: CapOne "starter acct" CL loophole found w/$6k CLI!

Could you share the number you called? I've been stuck at 750 going on two years in November.
Message 5 of 24
K-in-Boston
Credit Mentor

Re: CapOne "starter acct" CL loophole found w/$6k CLI!

Glad it worked out for you and congrats!  You should now make two purchases of ten dollars each and recon, pointing out that you are now utilizing the card much more than previously.  Smiley Tongue

They had 18 years of chances, and I can't say that I would/will put the effort in.

Message 6 of 24
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: CapOne "starter acct" CL loophole found w/$6k CLI!


@Anonymous wrote:
Could you share the number you called? I've been stuck at 750 going on two years in November.

Just the regular CS number on the back of your card.  They'll transfer you to the EO eventually.  Then you'd have to explain again to the EO that you need a MR because you aren't able to do a CLI request with either of their other 2 automated methods.

Message 7 of 24
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: CapOne "starter acct" CL loophole found w/$6k CLI!


@VipreArmed wrote:

Thanks for your tips.  I started low with Capital One and so far have only received a small increase ($300) on my card which was 9 months ago.  Problem with me is my credit file hasn't aged much AAoA = 7 mos so I need to keep it just for the aging and I use it sparingly and PIF.  But I'll keep this in mind when I do request a CLI.  


I wouldn't suggest what I did in my original post for a very new CO account, as there's still a chance of receiving CLIs via the usual automated means.  I'd suggest this method more for the person that's had their account for 2+ years that has clearly seen that it has plateaued and that the reason/constraint for the plateau is that it was a starter account where you were approved with a low starting score.

Message 8 of 24
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: CapOne "starter acct" CL loophole found w/$6k CLI!

True that I will never use the limit I was given and that it was completely unnecessary.  I wouldn't say it was much effrort, though, as the entire process took me probably 10 minutes... CLI error from online request, CLI error from automated phone request, call to CS, speaking with EO for MR.  It actually took me more time to create this post, which hopefully will help out others when they get "stuck" with their CO starter account.

 

I have a tendency to request CLIs on my cards even if I'm not using them often so long as the request is a SP.  I usually expect denials, especially if I'm not using the card.  This Capital One card though was my first card from the start of my rebuild and it had my lowest limit, so I more or less always do a request every 6 months just for the heck of it as to try and improve that limit so it doesn't appear as such a beginner account.  Since it's my oldest, I don't want to close it, so I'd at least like its limit to appear to be "in the mix" when my other creditors are looking over my report.  That's really the only reason and it's probably not a very good one at that.  Smiley Wink

Message 9 of 24
pip3man
Valued Contributor

Re: CapOne "starter acct" CL loophole found w/$6k CLI!

But didn't the Executive Office shut down the CLI request through their channel a long time ago? I know for a fact they tell folks they no longer take limit increase request so has that changed lately? And how did u get through with them cos I also know they also provide a PIN in order to get access to their team.

Message 10 of 24
Advertiser Disclosure: The offers that appear on this site are from third party advertisers from whom FICO receives compensation.