Credit Cards

[MsQueenB]

Hi to all you "credit happy" folks!  I haven't been on in a while so PLEASE forgive me for asking this because I know it's been answered before.  Just be patient with me and no rude replies.

What, exactly, is the diff between a "soft" pull and a "hard" one?  I want to apply for the Costco AMEX card to go along with my Blue, but if it means another inquiry, I don't think so.

Thank you!

[Creditaddict]

soft only you see and hard everyone else that pulls your credit sees.

amex softs for cli and stuff like that but I THINK for new account they will need to hard.

[MsQueenB]

Thank you, creditaddict.  So, I guess it's safe to proceed.  I alwyas see an offer to apply for another AMEX above my Account Summary.  I remember someone saying a while back that was a "pre-approval" offer.  I'll try it and let everyone know.

[cheddar]

Also, the most important difference is that hard pulls count against your score for a year, while soft pulls don't count against you at all.