cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

They are getting sneakier.

tag
FixMyCredit1992
Established Contributor

They are getting sneakier.

I got a letter in the mail today from FNBO Direct.

 

It looked like a credit card pre approval. It had the terms enclosed, a flyer thanking me for being a customer, an "invitation code" and and "acess code" .

 

However the only thing separating it from a real pre approval was the wording, it said "your invited to apply".

 

I looked it up and it appears these are called "ITA" (invited to apply) offers, they are not even prescreened.

 

I think these types of offers should be disallowed, as it can trick a consumer into applying for something they can't get approved for. They are too "official" looking. If it's not something tailored to a customer, such as actual pre-screened offers, then they need to remove all these codes that make it look like such.

Farm and Fleet $3,000 (AU) Paypal Extras MC $1,500
Barclay's Apple Visa $1,200 QVC Qcard $800
Amazon Store Card $600 Discover $500
Walmart MC $400 Victoria's Secret $350
Credit One $300 Fingerhut $200
TU Fico 626



Message 1 of 9
8 REPLIES 8
yudeology101
Senior Contributor

Re: They are getting sneakier.

Well don't get sneaky on us and app for the card!  Wait...have you already? Smiley Wink

 

Anyways,  you can opt-out so you don't have to worry about receiving any of those tricky offers in the mail, as well as freezing all of your reports.

JPM Ritz Carlton $8k I UMP Club $8k I CSP $8k | Chase Hyatt $5k I AMEX Green NPSL I AMEX Delta $2k I Citi AA $2k | C1 QS $4.5k
BOA UNC-CH Alumni $6k I Hawaiian WEMC $3k I Arrival $6.5k I IT $1.5k | Merrill+ $2k | Lowes $12k | Apple $2k | +23more
Scores: EQ:671 (FICO 11) EX:686 (FICO N/C) TU:686 (FICO N/C) *8-5-14*
Overall UTIL: 14% *Gardening Since: 1/20/16*
------------------------------------------------------------
Need to stay out of trouble.... Go Heels!!! ... GC Watchlist ( #1 since 12-12-13)
Message 2 of 9
VirusCredit13
Regular Contributor

Re: They are getting sneakier.

You can get denied on a preapproval just like you can get approved on an invitation.


Message 3 of 9
2FixMyCredit
Established Contributor

Re: They are getting sneakier.

It isn't sneaky, its marketing. 

Total CL: $40k+
Discover, BOA, GE, Cap 1, Chase, Barclay!
Gardening Start: 04/22/2013

Message 4 of 9
injustifiiable
Valued Contributor

Re: They are getting sneakier.

It's not sneaky.

 

The best way to tell the difference is to look for the Opt-Out language.

 

For example, both my mom and I got mailers from Discover about a week of each other. Hers had the opt-out language, and mine didn't. We were both approved.

 

I also get tons of invites to apply for the AMEX Delta Skymiles credit card, but that's only because I'm a Skymiles member. I've gotten maybe three or four of them and none of them have had pre-approved or any such Opt Out language.

Scores 5/15/2016 (clean reports!): TU Walmart FICO: 696 | EQ FICO: 679 | EX AMEX FICO: 680

In my new wallet: American Express Green EMV: PSL $2000 | BankAmericard Cash Rewards Visa EMV: $2500 | Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World MasterCard: $6400 | Barclaycard Arrival World MasterCard: $1000 | Discover IT: $2500 | Amazon Rewards Visa Signature: $1500 | Chase Freedom: $1500 | Capital One QuicksilverOne MasterCard: $2100 | Target: $2800 | J.Crew $21,550 | Marvel (Captain America) MasterCard: $6000
Message 5 of 9
john398
Senior Contributor

Re: They are getting sneakier.


@injustifiiable wrote:

It's not sneaky.

 

The best way to tell the difference is to look for the Opt-Out language.

 

For example, both my mom and I got mailers from Discover about a week of each other. Hers had the opt-out language, and mine didn't. We were both approved.

 

I also get tons of invites to apply for the AMEX Delta Skymiles credit card, but that's only because I'm a Skymiles member. I've gotten maybe three or four of them and none of them have had pre-approved or any such Opt Out language.


+1 million, did it have the Opt-Out wording in the letter?

Message 6 of 9
injustifiiable
Valued Contributor

Re: They are getting sneakier.


@john398 wrote:

@injustifiiable wrote:

It's not sneaky.

 

The best way to tell the difference is to look for the Opt-Out language.

 

For example, both my mom and I got mailers from Discover about a week of each other. Hers had the opt-out language, and mine didn't. We were both approved.

 

I also get tons of invites to apply for the AMEX Delta Skymiles credit card, but that's only because I'm a Skymiles member. I've gotten maybe three or four of them and none of them have had pre-approved or any such Opt Out language.


+1 million, did it have the Opt-Out wording in the letter?


Mine didn't. My mom's did, tho.

Scores 5/15/2016 (clean reports!): TU Walmart FICO: 696 | EQ FICO: 679 | EX AMEX FICO: 680

In my new wallet: American Express Green EMV: PSL $2000 | BankAmericard Cash Rewards Visa EMV: $2500 | Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World MasterCard: $6400 | Barclaycard Arrival World MasterCard: $1000 | Discover IT: $2500 | Amazon Rewards Visa Signature: $1500 | Chase Freedom: $1500 | Capital One QuicksilverOne MasterCard: $2100 | Target: $2800 | J.Crew $21,550 | Marvel (Captain America) MasterCard: $6000
Message 7 of 9
j_casteel
Valued Contributor

Re: They are getting sneakier.


@FixMyCredit1992 wrote:

I got a letter in the mail today from FNBO Direct.

 

It looked like a credit card pre approval. It had the terms enclosed, a flyer thanking me for being a customer, an "invitation code" and and "acess code" .

 

However the only thing separating it from a real pre approval was the wording, it said "your invited to apply".

 

I looked it up and it appears these are called "ITA" (invited to apply) offers, they are not even prescreened.

 

I think these types of offers should be disallowed, as it can trick a consumer into applying for something they can't get approved for. They are too "official" looking. If it's not something tailored to a customer, such as actual pre-screened offers, then they need to remove all these codes that make it look like such.


I wouldn't apply for anything that stated that anyway

Learning from my past and rebuilding..

BK discharged 1/10/17
scores: EQ 659 | TU 630 | EX 659

QS 3.8K | WF 500 | Cabela's 3k | ACU 500 |

Message 8 of 9
azguy13
Senior Contributor

Re: They are getting sneakier.

There is a risk of denial when applying for anything, no matter a pre-approval or credit score. I understand what you are getting at, but it somes down to marketing. They are not breaking the law and it is not up to them to break it down Barney Style for everyone. 

Message 9 of 9
Advertiser Disclosure: The offers that appear on this site are from third party advertisers from whom FICO receives compensation.