Do Cell HPs affect CC approvals?

[lhcole77]

I'm considering getting an iPhone through T-Mobile. I'm a current customer but in order to upgrade they will have to run my credit.

Do these types of INQs factor in when CCCs look at whether or not someone has "too many inquiries"?

P.S. Does anyone know who T-Mobile pulls?

[tcbofade]

Yes, unfortunately, they do.  When dealing with a computer, a hard inquiry is a hard inquiry...whether you are applying for a new credit card, a car loan, a rental home, or a new cell phone, it will count has a hard pull.

T Mobile pulled Trans Union for me...I live in Kansas, and it's been quite a while...ymmv.

[lhcole77]

Thanks for the heads up. There's no way around it so I'll have to take the HP. Luckily I only have a couple inquiries.

[austinguy907]

There shouldn't be a credit inquiry now that they no longer put you under contract to subsidize your phone purchase.  If you pay in full up front or you can go under a payment plan as well.

Any inquiry from a "utility" elec / gas / phone / etc. should only be a soft inquiry and can be disputed as so.

[BearsAndTurtlesRtheBest]

It affects since it reports to CB which lowers your score by a little.

[navigatethis12]

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@austinguy907 wrote:

There shouldn't be a credit inquiry now that they no longer put you under contract to subsidize your phone purchase.  If you pay in full up front or you can go under a payment plan as well.

Any inquiry from a "utility" elec / gas / phone / etc. should only be a soft inquiry and can be disputed as so.

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It won't show as soft depending on the person and there is no basis for a dispute. All of the things you listed provide you service before you pay, so in a sense, it is credit they are extending.

[lhcole77]

Well, I got the phone and it was a HP.

I only had to pay 149 up front and the rest is billed over 2 years. I imagine that's why it was a HP.

[CBTS]

Even if you paid all of it up front, they would still've ran your credit, if you wanted the post-paid service. They charge $50 more than the regular price for getting the pre-paid service and no credit check. I negotiated with the representative and made him knock off that $50 when I got my phone and pre-paid service with T-mo.

[scenery_guy]

HP like this are easily explained during a recon call. I have yet to talk to an analyst who took issue with utility/phone/cable HP as being excessive. Same with multiple auto loan pulls when shopping for a car. Sure, they are real HP and degrade your score a bit but credit card issuers are more concerned with multiple HP for credit cards. 

[lhcole77]

Thanks for all the replies. I feel more enlightened!