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AMEX - apps are hard pulls for members?

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TeeandDee
Frequent Contributor

AMEX - apps are hard pulls for members?

I 've constantly read on here that as an AMEX carholder, that if you were to apply for another AMEX card and get denied it would only be a soft pull, and if you were approved, it would be a hard pull.  Well, I called in to American Express about a transaction, and while I had him on the phone, I inquired about this since I am about to hit the six month mark with my Zync and I was going back and forth as to whether I would apply for another card or wait etc.... The Customer Service Rep told me that all new application whether you are a cardholder or not is a hard pull.  I asked him was he sure about this...he said yes "All applications are always hard pulls".  

 

if anything, this news has made the decision for me about not trying at the six month mark when my chances of approval are still iffy.  I'm gonna wait it out to better my chances since he claimed it would be a hard pull. 

 

Do you think he had the right info or have I misread on here? So puzzled....Smiley Indifferent

Slowly building....
Message 1 of 16
15 REPLIES 15
LS2982
Mega Contributor

Re: AMEX - apps are hard pulls for members?


@TeeandDee wrote:

I 've constantly read on here that as an AMEX carholder, that if you were to apply for another AMEX card and get denied it would only be a soft pull, and if you were approved, it would be a hard pull.  Well, I called in to American Express about a transaction, and while I had him on the phone, I inquired about this since I am about to hit the six month mark with my Zync and I was going back and forth as to whether I would apply for another card or wait etc.... The Customer Service Rep told me that all new application whether you are a cardholder or not is a hard pull.  I asked him was he sure about this...he said yes "All applications are always hard pulls".  

 

if anything, this news has made the decision for me about not trying at the six month mark when my chances of approval are still iffy.  I'm gonna wait it out to better my chances since he claimed it would be a hard pull. 

 

Do you think he had the right info or have I misread on here? So puzzled....Smiley Indifferent


Yes, it will be a HP if your approved, not if your declined. CSR's commonly do not know about this 100%, it's well documented here.

 




EQ FICO 548 3/3/16
Message 2 of 16
jsucool76
Super Contributor

Re: AMEX - apps are hard pulls for members?


@LS2982 wrote:

@TeeandDee wrote:

I 've constantly read on here that as an AMEX carholder, that if you were to apply for another AMEX card and get denied it would only be a soft pull, and if you were approved, it would be a hard pull.  Well, I called in to American Express about a transaction, and while I had him on the phone, I inquired about this since I am about to hit the six month mark with my Zync and I was going back and forth as to whether I would apply for another card or wait etc.... The Customer Service Rep told me that all new application whether you are a cardholder or not is a hard pull.  I asked him was he sure about this...he said yes "All applications are always hard pulls".  

 

if anything, this news has made the decision for me about not trying at the six month mark when my chances of approval are still iffy.  I'm gonna wait it out to better my chances since he claimed it would be a hard pull. 

 

Do you think he had the right info or have I misread on here? So puzzled....Smiley Indifferent


Yes, it will be a HP if your approved, not if your declined. CSR's commonly do not know about this 100%, it's well documented here.

 


+1 especially to bolded part!

 

If you do recon a denial though they will almost always HP you, so be careful! 

Message 3 of 16
OptimasPrime
Frequent Contributor

Re: AMEX - apps are hard pulls for members?

I think the csr is just misinformed about Amex policy, sp denials using the most recent account review has been amex policy for quite awhile afaik.

 

A possible explanation might be that amex Zync has its own separate customer service dept. Since zync is technically the lowest tier charge card, it stands to reason that the csrs are the least experienced/knowledgeable that amex employs.

 

 

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Message 4 of 16
TeeandDee
Frequent Contributor

Re: AMEX - apps are hard pulls for members?


@LS2982 wrote:

@TeeandDee wrote:

I 've constantly read on here that as an AMEX carholder, that if you were to apply for another AMEX card and get denied it would only be a soft pull, and if you were approved, it would be a hard pull.  Well, I called in to American Express about a transaction, and while I had him on the phone, I inquired about this since I am about to hit the six month mark with my Zync and I was going back and forth as to whether I would apply for another card or wait etc.... The Customer Service Rep told me that all new application whether you are a cardholder or not is a hard pull.  I asked him was he sure about this...he said yes "All applications are always hard pulls".  

 

if anything, this news has made the decision for me about not trying at the six month mark when my chances of approval are still iffy.  I'm gonna wait it out to better my chances since he claimed it would be a hard pull. 

 

Do you think he had the right info or have I misread on here? So puzzled....Smiley Indifferent


Yes, it will be a HP if your approved, not if your declined. CSR's commonly do not know about this 100%, it's well documented here.

 


That's what I was thinking LS because waaaaayy to many people on here have reported that it's soft if denied.  It was also my first time having to call into AMEX about anything, and he was not very helpful.  The reason I called in was because I used my Zync at a restaurant for $68, the transaction was "Pending" for two weeks and eventually disappeared all together. It did not "Post".  He could not tell me what happened.  It's as if it was never there, but I know I ate there and I know I used by card! So I'm not sure what the heck is going on.

Slowly building....
Message 5 of 16
jsucool76
Super Contributor

Re: AMEX - apps are hard pulls for members?


@TeeandDee wrote:

@LS2982 wrote:

@TeeandDee wrote:

I 've constantly read on here that as an AMEX carholder, that if you were to apply for another AMEX card and get denied it would only be a soft pull, and if you were approved, it would be a hard pull.  Well, I called in to American Express about a transaction, and while I had him on the phone, I inquired about this since I am about to hit the six month mark with my Zync and I was going back and forth as to whether I would apply for another card or wait etc.... The Customer Service Rep told me that all new application whether you are a cardholder or not is a hard pull.  I asked him was he sure about this...he said yes "All applications are always hard pulls".  

 

if anything, this news has made the decision for me about not trying at the six month mark when my chances of approval are still iffy.  I'm gonna wait it out to better my chances since he claimed it would be a hard pull. 

 

Do you think he had the right info or have I misread on here? So puzzled....Smiley Indifferent


Yes, it will be a HP if your approved, not if your declined. CSR's commonly do not know about this 100%, it's well documented here.

 


That's what I was thinking LS because waaaaayy to many people on here have reported that it's soft if denied.  It was also my first time having to call into AMEX about anything, and he was not very helpful.  The reason I called in was because I used my Zync at a restaurant for $68, the transaction was "Pending" for two weeks and eventually disappeared all together. It did not "Post".  He could not tell me what happened.  It's as if it was never there, but I know I ate there and I know I used by card! So I'm not sure what the heck is going on.


You got free dinner is what is going on. 

 

Smiley Tongue

Message 6 of 16
TeeandDee
Frequent Contributor

Re: AMEX - apps are hard pulls for members?


@jsucool76 wrote:

@TeeandDee wrote:

@LS2982 wrote:

@TeeandDee wrote:

I 've constantly read on here that as an AMEX carholder, that if you were to apply for another AMEX card and get denied it would only be a soft pull, and if you were approved, it would be a hard pull.  Well, I called in to American Express about a transaction, and while I had him on the phone, I inquired about this since I am about to hit the six month mark with my Zync and I was going back and forth as to whether I would apply for another card or wait etc.... The Customer Service Rep told me that all new application whether you are a cardholder or not is a hard pull.  I asked him was he sure about this...he said yes "All applications are always hard pulls".  

 

if anything, this news has made the decision for me about not trying at the six month mark when my chances of approval are still iffy.  I'm gonna wait it out to better my chances since he claimed it would be a hard pull. 

 

Do you think he had the right info or have I misread on here? So puzzled....Smiley Indifferent


Yes, it will be a HP if your approved, not if your declined. CSR's commonly do not know about this 100%, it's well documented here.

 


That's what I was thinking LS because waaaaayy to many people on here have reported that it's soft if denied.  It was also my first time having to call into AMEX about anything, and he was not very helpful.  The reason I called in was because I used my Zync at a restaurant for $68, the transaction was "Pending" for two weeks and eventually disappeared all together. It did not "Post".  He could not tell me what happened.  It's as if it was never there, but I know I ate there and I know I used by card! So I'm not sure what the heck is going on.


You got free dinner is what is going on. 

 

Smiley Tongue


LOL! Ha, wouldn't that be something??! But somehow it's gonna pop back up because how can that happen??  It was clearly used it to pay, I signed the receipt, and it was Pending...granted for two weeks, but then fell off. Strange...haven't had this happen to me before, but then again....I've only been back in the "credit" world two years...LOL!

Slowly building....
Message 7 of 16
gettnthere
Established Contributor

Re: AMEX - apps are hard pulls for members?


@jsucool76 wrote:

@TeeandDee wrote:

@LS2982 wrote:

@TeeandDee wrote:

I 've constantly read on here that as an AMEX carholder, that if you were to apply for another AMEX card and get denied it would only be a soft pull, and if you were approved, it would be a hard pull.  Well, I called in to American Express about a transaction, and while I had him on the phone, I inquired about this since I am about to hit the six month mark with my Zync and I was going back and forth as to whether I would apply for another card or wait etc.... The Customer Service Rep told me that all new application whether you are a cardholder or not is a hard pull.  I asked him was he sure about this...he said yes "All applications are always hard pulls".  

 

if anything, this news has made the decision for me about not trying at the six month mark when my chances of approval are still iffy.  I'm gonna wait it out to better my chances since he claimed it would be a hard pull. 

 

Do you think he had the right info or have I misread on here? So puzzled....Smiley Indifferent


Yes, it will be a HP if your approved, not if your declined. CSR's commonly do not know about this 100%, it's well documented here.

 


That's what I was thinking LS because waaaaayy to many people on here have reported that it's soft if denied.  It was also my first time having to call into AMEX about anything, and he was not very helpful.  The reason I called in was because I used my Zync at a restaurant for $68, the transaction was "Pending" for two weeks and eventually disappeared all together. It did not "Post".  He could not tell me what happened.  It's as if it was never there, but I know I ate there and I know I used by card! So I'm not sure what the heck is going on.


You got free dinner is what is going on

 

Smiley Tongue


+1, 1 free dinner coming right up lol



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Message 8 of 16
jsucool76
Super Contributor

Re: AMEX - apps are hard pulls for members?


@TeeandDee wrote:

@jsucool76 wrote:

@TeeandDee wrote:

@LS2982 wrote:

@TeeandDee wrote:

I 've constantly read on here that as an AMEX carholder, that if you were to apply for another AMEX card and get denied it would only be a soft pull, and if you were approved, it would be a hard pull.  Well, I called in to American Express about a transaction, and while I had him on the phone, I inquired about this since I am about to hit the six month mark with my Zync and I was going back and forth as to whether I would apply for another card or wait etc.... The Customer Service Rep told me that all new application whether you are a cardholder or not is a hard pull.  I asked him was he sure about this...he said yes "All applications are always hard pulls".  

 

if anything, this news has made the decision for me about not trying at the six month mark when my chances of approval are still iffy.  I'm gonna wait it out to better my chances since he claimed it would be a hard pull. 

 

Do you think he had the right info or have I misread on here? So puzzled....Smiley Indifferent


Yes, it will be a HP if your approved, not if your declined. CSR's commonly do not know about this 100%, it's well documented here.

 


That's what I was thinking LS because waaaaayy to many people on here have reported that it's soft if denied.  It was also my first time having to call into AMEX about anything, and he was not very helpful.  The reason I called in was because I used my Zync at a restaurant for $68, the transaction was "Pending" for two weeks and eventually disappeared all together. It did not "Post".  He could not tell me what happened.  It's as if it was never there, but I know I ate there and I know I used by card! So I'm not sure what the heck is going on.


You got free dinner is what is going on. 

 

Smiley Tongue


LOL! Ha, wouldn't that be something??! But somehow it's gonna pop back up because how can that happen??  It was clearly used it to pay, I signed the receipt, and it was Pending...granted for two weeks, but then fell off. Strange...haven't had this happen to me before, but then again....I've only been back in the "credit" world two years...LOL!


manager or whoever does their accounts might have lost the receipt. You may just get lucky Smiley Very Happy 

Message 9 of 16
trumpet-205
Valued Contributor

Re: AMEX - apps are hard pulls for members?

It is SP because AMEX is using a month old/two months old CR to evaluate you, and pull your real time CR if approved.

Message 10 of 16
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