Felt compelled to share my story since this forum has helped me so much in my endeavors to rebuld my credit. I'll keep it short, I promise
2010- Enrolled DMP to lower my bills and make it one sum amount
March 2013- Completed DMP program
March 2013- Applied and approved for Citi Home Depot CL $1250, Chase Freedom $3500 and Credit Union CL $500 offered to me with auto loan for $44,000
June 2013- Start considering mortgage app, happened on this forum through google and signed up for Equifax Score Watch. Score at time was 667 FICO and learnt alot about credit rebuilding and was able to improve my score to 681 by August! Just by following the advice ppl had given on the site.
August 2013-My birthday month and was feeling lucky so decided to bite the bullet and apply for some cards I thought I will never qualify for.
Applied on same day for, Chase Sapphire Preferred online, app went into review status, called the application status line and automated system said I was approved for $5,900 CL, Applied for AMEX BCE online and got an instant denial. Applied for Discover IT card online app asked for identity verification, so called the number, app approved by credit analyst but not for the advertised terms, he countered at NO INTRODUCTORY O% APR for 12months, higher APR 19.9% and only $2,000 CL, reason being my credit card accounts were opened less than 6 months ago. I took it. I felt I had my foot in the door at least and cld work on getting CLI later.
Felt defeated by AMEX BCE, the reason for the denial was that I had used a credit counselling service in the past. so called the backdoor Executive Office number listed on here the next day, first attempt, I got a lady who transferred me to a rep who said to me they could not approve me because, it was their internal policy not to extend credit to anyone who had ever been enrolled in Debt Counselling Service or bankruptcy, explained to him that I hadd completed the program and had paid all my balances in full, he said NO WAY we're giving you anything! I got mad and hung up. Called a second time after 5 mins. Got a female rep who said it cld be sent to review with another HP on my credit file. or contact Equifax and let them take the Debt Counselling Statement off my credit fail, was unable to get to a live person at equifax so gave up on that route and though what the heck let me call again, so again I called the Executive Office number and this time I got JAMES. I explained to James that I wanted my app recon because I had since rebuilt my credit since enrolling in the counselling service and had been approved for CSP with no issues. He told me he'll send my application for manual review, gave me his direct access number and said to call him back tomorrow to check on the status. I signed up to the app status site 3 times and this time my app had gone from decline to in review!!! Anyway at about 3 pm same day he calls and said YOU'VE BEEN APPROVED!!! He didnt know the terms or the CL but I was so excited that I finally got my feet into AMEX!!! So in a day and half of app spree and persistence I was able to increase my revolving CL from $5250 to $13,150 + (Stil waiting for AMEX limit). I want to thank everyone on this site, Prior to finding this forum, I didnt know how much control I had on my credit profile and the power to make it happen. Before I would have taken any CC app rejection as a stamp that I was not eligible for it and walked away with my tail between my legs. At this point i'm going to garden for the next year or so and focus on optimizing my utilization to increase my score in preparing for a mortgage app in a year or so while I save for a down payment. And the bonus I got a Equifax SW alert that my FICO score had increased from 681-684!
Congratulations! Your perseverance surely was well deserved. Welcome to the Amex Family!
@Akosua wrote:Felt compelled to share my story since this forum has helped me so much in my endeavors to rebuld my credit. I'll keep it short, I promise
2010- Enrolled DMP to lower my bills and make it one sum amount
March 2013- Completed DMP program
March 2013- Applied and approved for Citi Home Depot CL $1250, Chase Freedom $3500 and Credit Union CL $500 offered to me with auto loan for $44,000
June 2013- Start considering mortgage app, happened on this forum through google and signed up for Equifax Score Watch. Score at time was 667 FICO and learnt alot about credit rebuilding and was able to improve my score to 681 by August! Just by following the advice ppl had given on the site.
August 2013-My birthday month and was feeling lucky so decided to bite the bullet and apply for some cards I thought I will never qualify for.
Applied on same day for, Chase Sapphire Preferred online, app went into review status, called the application status line and automated system said I was approved for $5,900 CL, Applied for AMEX BCE online and got an instant denial. Applied for Discover IT card online app asked for identity verification, so called the number, app approved by credit analyst but not for the advertised terms, he countered at NO INTRODUCTORY O% APR for 12months, higher APR 19.9% and only $2,000 CL, reason being my credit card accounts were opened less than 6 months ago. I took it. I felt I had my foot in the door at least and cld work on getting CLI later.
Felt defeated by AMEX BCE, the reason for the denial was that I had used a credit counselling service in the past. so called the backdoor Executive Office number listed on here the next day, first attempt, I got a lady who transferred me to a rep who said to me they could not approve me because, it was their internal policy not to extend credit to anyone who had ever been enrolled in Debt Counselling Service or bankruptcy, explained to him that I hadd completed the program and had paid all my balances in full, he said NO WAY we're giving you anything! I got mad and hung up. Called a second time after 5 mins. Got a female rep who said it cld be sent to review with another HP on my credit file. or contact Equifax and let them take the Debt Counselling Statement off my credit fail, was unable to get to a live person at equifax so gave up on that route and though what the heck let me call again, so again I called the Executive Office number and this time I got JAMES. I explained to James that I wanted my app recon because I had since rebuilt my credit since enrolling in the counselling service and had been approved for CSP with no issues. He told me he'll send my application for manual review, gave me his direct access number and said to call him back tomorrow to check on the status. I signed up to the app status site 3 times and this time my app had gone from decline to in review!!! Anyway at about 3 pm same day he calls and said YOU'VE BEEN APPROVED!!! He didnt know the terms or the CL but I was so excited that I finally got my feet into AMEX!!! So in a day and half of app spree and persistence I was able to increase my revolving CL from $5250 to $13,150 + (Stil waiting for AMEX limit). I want to thank everyone on this site, Prior to finding this forum, I didnt know how much control I had on my credit profile and the power to make it happen. Before I would have taken any CC app rejection as a stamp that I was not eligible for it and walked away with my tail between my legs. At this point i'm going to garden for the next year or so and focus on optimizing my utilization to increase my score in preparing for a mortgage app in a year or so while I save for a down payment. And the bonus I got a Equifax SW alert that my FICO score had increased from 681-684!
Welcome to the forum
Short Lol
Congrats you have done a wonderful job
Use the cards and the knowledge to your advantage
Welcome to the family! 
Glad you could make it!
CL $408,200
congrats! thanks for your story great perseverance! wtg!
Congrats!
~kn
congrats... this is my birthday month too......I wonder if I should go for the CSP!!!!...lol
U shd!!!' The stars are aligned I'm your favor!
OP - a very inspiring story for others who definitely welcome your successful AMEX outcome. Nicely done! Bday month for me as well 