Credit Cards

[diva0969]

I received my Orchard card last week with my name misspelled.  I called in and asked them to fix it and  they sent me a new card which I got yesterday.  Since I hadn't used the card, I decided to call in and tell them I didn't want it because of the paltry $300 credit line.  Lo' and behold, they increased it to $500.  It's still low, but at least now I can buy a tank of gas without killing my util!

If it weren't for the info I've gleaned from this forum I never would have thought to call! 

My scores have increased 82 points across the board in the past three weeks.  It's killing me not to check them again before the end of the month!

Thanks guys!!!

Message Edited by diva0969 on 05-25-2008 02:44 PM

[Changingmantra]

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diva0969 wrote:

  Since I hadn't used the card, I decided to call in and tell them I didn't want it because of the paltry $300 credit line.  Lo' and behold, they increased it to $500.

My scores have increased 82 points across the board in the past three weeks. 

Message Edited by diva0969 on 05-25-2008 02:44 PM

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Way to go Diva..... and love the nick!:

Message Edited by Changingmantra on 05-25-2008 12:21 PM

[ccats704]

Diva congrats to you for the score jump! Do you know what CRA they pulled from and what your score was when they pulled? Oh yea just by having this card did your numbers go up around the board or was it for another reason? 

[ferferhess]

I just called the backdoor number and got on of my Orchard cards increased by $500!!! The other one would only give my a $100 increase.:smileysad  I am working on trying to combine them into one.  Maybe then I'll have a somewhat decent cl!!!  That would make it $1200 total.

[creditreformer]

what are you guys saying to get orchard to increase the CLs?  have had 2 (300 CLs whoopee) since 3/07 and no auto increases.  no lates, no overlimits, etc...perfect history since 3/07 w/them.  do you just call and say hi, i want a cli or do you threaten to close?

[diva0969]

I don't remember what CRA they pulled from originally but my scores were pretty low (546-588).  I got the card after they jumped and had received a couple of other cards since intially applying for the card.  I threatened to close it and they gave me a 200 CLI.  I'll keep my util low and do the same thing again in a few months if I don't see one.  By then my B of A will have increased (I hope!) and I won't need them as much.

[Tovya]

Okay, I tried this as well. I found myself in a foreign call center with a rep who neither spoke (nor understood) very much English.

I tried to ask her why I was denied a CLI (current is $500.00) and she told me "account utilization" and I asked her if that meant that I had too high of a balance and she told me yes.

I then told her, my account balance is NEGATIVE $66.00 so how can I be over utilizing credit when they owe me money?

So she told me, "don't worry, the $66.00 is your money and we know this, we will not take your money".

I told her that I know that it is my money, but I am not calling about that... I was calling to see how I could have possibly over-utilized my credit if I have a $66.00 credit balance... and she told me, "we know it's your money sir, we are not claiming that you owe us a balance".

Obviously she was not getting anything I was saying, and I told her I just wanted to cancel (and then she offered me 2% cash back, and reassured me that the $66.00 was mine and that they knew it.)

Anyway, I was then transferred to a rep who appeared to speak English as their native language, and was informed that I was denied a CLI because of UNDER utilization, and that I had only spent $1000.00 on the card since inception (about 6 months).

I then told this rep that I don't use the card because I can hardly get a tank of gas on it without going over the 20-30% utilization ratio which is not good for my credit, and that if they would give me an increase then I would use it so they could make some money off of me. And she told me that unless I agree to a hard pull that they wouldn't even consider a $100.00 raise.

My last plan was the cancellation threat (but very politely of course) and she said, "if that's what you want". And then the call ended like that... they are sending me a check for the credit balance and they are cancelling the card.

So... long story short, it didn't got quite as well as I planned, and I have 2 much larger cards that are actually usable for buying more than a 12-pack of Dr. Peppers.

Right choice or wrong choice? I guess I'll find out when my CR are re-scored by FICO next month.

[ferferhess]

O.K., all you do is call the BACKDOOR number. (If you don't know what that is, just do a search for "backdoor".)  When they answer, you say  "Hello, my name is...  I have had this account for xxx amount of time.  I have had a perfect payment history and I'm not sure why I've never recieved a credit limit increase."   They should take it from there.  Keep in mind that they will only give you a cli IF you've had a good payment history.  Hence, the reason for only $100 an one of my cards.  I had one late pay by 3 days on that account.  Just be real nice!  DO NOT YELL AT THEM!!!!  They'll end up saying NO!!!!

Message Edited by ferferhess on 05-28-2008 03:51 PM

[mrsanderson]

Hey I just read this thread so I called in Ive had my acct. Since March of 2008 and ive never missed a payment basically I use it then PIF or half of it before statement and i called to day bc i was over limit well i had credit keeper charge me 9.99 plus i got like 25 gas then old navy yadayada well anywhoooooo Im basically maxed so I called the1-800-477-1024 and a Gentlemen answered I said why?am i over limit? Ive paid this acct on time every month always PIF or half of my balance so Ive gotten better offers since then with better CL. also I asked in the begining for an increase and I was denied I dont knw if i want to continue to keep this card! he said mam let me increase you to 500CL i said ok he said its avail. now and thank you for not cancelling!!!!!!! Im happy Thank you for the forum thats why I stay online to find out whats going on! LOL......... Im a happy woman while waiting on my Chase BP Gas card!

[creditreformer]

Well orchard gave me a line about no auto CLI w/o a hard pull…’we constantly review blah blah..BUT if you want one NOW, hard pull’ ugh.  gave me a story about 'we want u to love us- make us happy blah blah'...i said CLI would make me happy LOL.  no can do soft pull.  So I asked them to combine.  Oh well, 600 CL on 1 cc v. 2 300 CL ccs.