Just noticed some mad EX softing going on!

[Anonymous]

Hi Credit

The only Credit reporting agency that I notice that is Experian.  TU and Equifax doesn't have any of these soft inquiries from AMEX or other places.  I looked in detail last night and for example AMEX checks once or twice a month.  It says "AMEX Account Review" out of El Paso.  The strange thing is some months have like 5 soft pulls. 6/1/09, 6/12/09, 6/13/09, 6/28/09, 6/30/09  This is 5 in one month!  What earthly reason would they need to do 5 checks in a month?

Then another AMEX office in Phoenix is doing the exact same thing on different dates but monthly.  The rest are some banks she had charge offs on but several others are banks she never heard of like Century Bank of Kentucky which also did a soft inquiry.  

It says it isn't affecting the credit score at all but why on earth would AMEX be doing up to 5 checks per month out of different offices.  She is out of SOL and they are dropping off her report next year.   Also, how are these banks like the one in Kentucky getting her information?

[creditwherecreditisdue]

Does the person whose CBR the multitude of softs appear on have a bad Amex account? This account could even be so old that the account itself is no longer reported.

[Anonymous]

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@creditwherecreditisdue wrote:
Does the person whose CBR the multitude of softs appear on have a bad Amex account? This account could even be so old that the account itself is no longer reported.

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If derogatory AmEx account is over 7 years old and past SOL, AmEx recognizes they have no PP for an AR and their internal policy is not to AR. 

In order to have them stop pulling your CR there is a 4-step process to follow:

1.  Call AmEx's credit bureau operations at (800) 874-2717 (Option #1).

-- They will then tell you to call AmEx new accounts to verify you are not anybody's AU or on a corporate AmEx account.

2.  Call new accounts at (800).641-2400 to confirm your status and when your old accounts were CO'd.

--  They will then give you a fax number to which you can fax your letter.

3.  Fax to (801) 945.2884.  Mark your fax for "Attention: Media"

4.  To be removed from AmEx inquiries for PRM, call (877) 352-6747.

The above should cover all AmEx inquiries showing the following AmEx entities:

a.  20022 N 31ST AVE # MC080403
     PHOENIX AZ 85027

b.  19640 N 31ST ST. AVE
     PHOENIX AZ 85027

c.  PO BOX 981537
     EL PASO TX 79998

If you are getting inquiries marked AmEx from 7171 Mercy Rd., Omaha NE 68106, you need to call (866) 462-5235.  This is AmEx's dedicated outsourced collections focal point.

[Anonymous]

Fullbird:

Thanks. That must explain it.  I do think it was more than 7 years ago for the AMEX charge off. The AMEX isn't on her credit report so I assume it dropped off a while back.  She doesn't mind the soft inquiries as it doesn't seem to be affecting her score at all but I was just curious why they were doing it so often.  Still seems strange to do a soft inquiry 5 times in a month!  Thanks.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Fullbird:

Thanks. That must explain it.  I do think it was more than 7 years ago for the AMEX charge off. The AMEX isn't on her credit report so I assume it dropped off a while back.  She doesn't mind the soft inquiries as it doesn't seem to be affecting her score at all but I was just curious why they were doing it so often.  Still seems strange to do a soft inquiry 5 times in a month!  Thanks.

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Don't feel like the Lone Ranger.  I have seen Marines come into SJA (base legal) with the same issue and there have been several recently with far more inquiries than you.  One individual had 37 in a 5 week period based on an account discharged in BK 15 years ago.  The people at AmEx were actually quite nice to deal with and one lady stated, "If we're paying that much money to pull his CR every month, we must really want him back as a customer!" 

[Anonymous]

Good point Fullbird!  I guess I didn't look at it that way.  I figured AMEX had to pay for these so I couldn't figure out why they had so many.  But I don't think she got any pre-approved offers from them in the mail. Maybe they can see we are related. I have a Platinum AMEX and been with them for years.   Maybe I'll tell her to apply again next year when the last of her baddies drop off. 

[Anonymous]

You would think so, but AmEx has a very long memory and blacklists those who included them in Bk who had their accounts closed for nonpayment. I even heard the blacklist extends to getting added as an AU, but I don't think it extends to being added by your employer on their corporate account.

I wonder if AmEx will ever end that policy. It would be interesting to see someone crunch all the numbers -- demographics vs. # of people on blacklist -- to see what the affect would be on their potential membership pool down the road.

[Anonymous]

CWCID - arent those Chase softs the same dates (or around the dates) of the Chase CC closures?` 

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@creditwherecreditisdue wrote:

I just pulled my full EX reported and noticed some heavy softing going on by two players:

1) Chase - I have two Providian -> WaMu -> Chase accounts, one open, the other closed by me some time ago:

07/18/2009  Chase Bank, Westerville, OH

07/21/2009  First USA, NA, Westerville OH  (This is Chase related,)

Last time Chase looked at something it was First USA on EX in May 2009 and that INQ has disappeared. Chase looked at TU before that (in Feb) and I have not looked at that full report since May.

2) Amex - I have several long ago gone bad (and past SOL) Amex accounts:

07/18/2009  Amex Account Review, El Paso, TX

07/18/2009  American Express, Phoenix, AZ

07/30/2009  American Express Co, El Paso, TX

08/10/2009  Amex Account Review, El Paso, TX

The only other time I have on record for Amex was 02/09/2009 out of El Paso, TX. There were others in the last two years that have also disappeared.

eta: I just pulled TU and see Amex out of El Paso softed there as AR in 04/2009.

I wonder what these two are up to. They sure are looking a lot. Of course the way EX works it the AR and PRM inquiries are tossed in together so who knows.

Message Edited by creditwherecreditisdue on 08-19-2009 01:23 AM

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[creditwherecreditisdue]

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@Anonymous wrote:

CWCID - arent those Chase softs the same dates (or around the dates) of the Chase CC closures?` 

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@creditwherecreditisdue wrote:

I just pulled my full EX reported and noticed some heavy softing going on by two players:

1) Chase - I have two Providian -> WaMu -> Chase accounts, one open, the other closed by me some time ago:

07/18/2009  Chase Bank, Westerville, OH

07/21/2009  First USA, NA, Westerville OH  (This is Chase related,)

Last time Chase looked at something it was First USA on EX in May 2009 and that INQ has disappeared. Chase looked at TU before that (in Feb) and I have not looked at that full report since May.

2) Amex - I have several long ago gone bad (and past SOL) Amex accounts:

07/18/2009  Amex Account Review, El Paso, TX

07/18/2009  American Express, Phoenix, AZ

07/30/2009  American Express Co, El Paso, TX

08/10/2009  Amex Account Review, El Paso, TX

The only other time I have on record for Amex was 02/09/2009 out of El Paso, TX. There were others in the last two years that have also disappeared.

eta: I just pulled TU and see Amex out of El Paso softed there as AR in 04/2009.

I wonder what these two are up to. They sure are looking a lot. Of course the way EX works it the AR and PRM inquiries are tossed in together so who knows.

Message Edited by creditwherecreditisdue on 08-19-2009 01:23 AM

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 Of course they are softing in and around those periods. They are trying to figure out who they are going to dump and so far I am good. I have pointed out in other threads that contrary to what others have said Chase is softing people and looking at EX and not necessarily under the Chase name. They are not saying they are looking at EX when they aren't. I also have two a/c's - one was closed by me long ago (Providian) but still has a small balance.

[creditwherecreditisdue]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

Fullbird:

Thanks. That must explain it.  I do think it was more than 7 years ago for the AMEX charge off. The AMEX isn't on her credit report so I assume it dropped off a while back.  She doesn't mind the soft inquiries as it doesn't seem to be affecting her score at all but I was just curious why they were doing it so often.  Still seems strange to do a soft inquiry 5 times in a month!  Thanks.

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Don't feel like the Lone Ranger.  I have seen Marines come into SJA (base legal) with the same issue and there have been several recently with far more inquiries than you.  One individual had 37 in a 5 week period based on an account discharged in BK 15 years ago.  The people at AmEx were actually quite nice to deal with and one lady stated, "If we're paying that much money to pull his CR every month, we must really want him back as a customer!" 

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Too bad their memory is infinite and their computer is just on tilt. Pursuing all these accounts post SOL is a pure waste of resources. They should either offer an incentive to generate revenue or forget about it.