Fingerhut FreshStart Denied

[anewstart2013]

Just got a letter in the mail saying that I was denied for the Fingerhut FreshStart program!

Since joining myFico, which is when I found out about FreshStart, I haven't read a single story about someone being denied for this program--and still haven't--so I applied for an account on the same day that I was approved for a Capital One Secured CC. After the application, I got a screen saying that they would make a decision in a few days, which normally means you're denied but since I didn't know you could be denied for Fresh Start, I assumed it was because they needed to verify my recent address change.

Just got the Notice of Credit Denial in the mail. I just got off the phone with Fingerhut and apparently you CAN be denied for it! Thought this account would be an easy way to make small monthly purchases to build up my credit since the CapOne CC will be my only open line of revolving credit... Apparently not :-/

I got a Score Watch alert the day after I applied saying my score went down three points for the Fingerhut inquiry, but we'll see how my new line of credit effects my score!

[Chrisla2077]

I was last year for the FreshStart program and the Cap 1 Secured so I know what boat you are in. I let some things age on my report and was recently approved for fingerhut, but still can't get approved for Cap 1 due to inquiries/lack of new credit.

[Henchman21]

What was the reason?

[Ravensfan2001]

My DH was denied, so you are definitely not the only one. But congrats on the Cap1!

[anewstart2013]

Oh my gosh, today I received a Fingerhut Pre Approval in the mail.

It said I was pre approved for up to $400. I couldn't help it, so I applied and was approved for $500!

Even though I was denied FreshStart in March, I was approved for their regular revolving Fingerhut account. My only positive TL (a CapOne secured card I opened a few months ago) has only helped my score by 18 points since I opened it four months ago, but apparently that was enough for Fingerhut to decide I was creditworthy enough!

So thrilled to have another positive TL on my CRs and I can't wait to see how it, along with some old debts being PIF, effects my scores! Fingerhut prices are ridiculous but it's a small price to pay when I don't qualify for any credit lines at the moment. Just going to purchase one small home good that costs less than 10% of my CL every month. Hopefully it helps!

[unusuallyconfused]

I'd probably wager that you got torpedoed on the Fresh Start program because of open collections.

"Fresh Start" means what it literally means: the progam by FingerHut is for people who have bad credit and are rebuilding it - that's assuming that you've taken care of collections and the like. So yeah one can get approved for their fresh start program with PAID collections and other satisfied debts or late payments. 

The Cap 1 secured card - well it's your money and little to no risk for Cap 1 on that despite any unpaid open collections that you have. I'd pay those off if you are able (or start to pay them off), wait for any negatives in your credit files to update to paid and closed and then give it 3 to 6 months and apply for FingerHut again...

...you might be surprised to get approved for a normal line of credit instead of the fresh start program.

[anewstart2013]

I was initially denied for FreshStart but I was saying that I was just recently approved for a normal line of credit through FingerHut. Really excited for this new positive TL!