topic Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud?? in Credit Card Applications

Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 19:56:10 GMT

Ok, so this is really bizarre.

Last night I was looking into cash-back cards and doing some prequals on different creditors' websites. I was prequalified for the Amex BCE and, after a lot of reading, decided this is the card I want so I pulled the trigger and applied. Based on my credit & everything I read, I expected an instant approval but got the "we need to review your application more carefully" message. I was disappointed, but then started thinking maybe they just need to verify my identity (first time applying for a CC under my married name and also I just successfully disputed a collection account with Equifax & had it removed from my report). Hopefully I'll get approved, but that's not the point of this post.

I got an alert from Credit Karma about a new hard inquiry on EQ almost instantly after completing the Amex app... which made sense, or so I thought. When I logged into CK, it still showed zero HPs on EQ but I figured it was probably just delayed.

I had promised myself I would only apply for one card and not rack up HPs... then when I didn't get the instant approval from Amex, of course I had the itch to apply for another one. My 2nd choice was the Citi DC, I had filled out their prequal form online (before Amex app) and it didn't come back with any offers. Bummer. But then I read that a lot of people in this forum with similar credit to mine have gotten approved for Citi cards without being prequalified, so I thought about applying anyway... and then I fell asleep with my tablet and all browser windows still open.

When I applied for the Amex and got the HP alert from CK, it was about 12:30am. By the time I was thinking about applying for Citi and fell asleep, it was a little before 2am. I woke up this morning to an email from Citi (timestamped 2:35am) saying I was approved for the DC card with a $9200 SL and to expect my card in the mail within 7-10 days. The email seems legit, it says "citi security zone" on it which according to them is how I'm supposed to know it's real. ***EDIT: I also just used the "check application status" tool in Citi's website and it confirmed the approval and SL.

Here's the kicker: Credit Karma is now showing 1 HP on my EQ report, but it's not from Amex... it's from Citi.

I guess it's possible that I applied for the card right before I fell asleep and don't remember doing it, but that seems awfully far-fetched and the only Citi page open in my tablet when I woke up was the prequal page. Is Citi known for doing unsolicited HPs on people who fill out their prequals? Should I be freezing my reports and worrying about fraud? Don't want to go through that headache if I don't have to. Of course I can't get through to Citi's customer service... the thing is, if it's not ID theft, then I'm really not mad about this approval. I'm just so confused!

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

AllZero — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 19:46:24 GMT

Congratulations on your Citi DC approval!

To my understanding AmEx favors Experian for HP. I'm not familiar if they pull EQ.

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 20:00:55 GMT

In my experience Amex pulls EX. Congrats on the Citi DC, mine gets daily use.

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

M_Smart007 — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 20:35:24 GMT

Congrats!

I have only seen HP's from EX for Amex.

Citi is pretty well known to pull EQ. (That could be dependant upon what State you live in)

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

Eagered2succeed — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 20:41:36 GMT

Didn't Amex seems to pull exclusively on experian. I would honestly think TU before EQ.

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 21:46:53 GMT

Update: approved for Amex BCE with $2k SL. Still think the (seemingly unsolicited) Citi DC approval is weird, but I guess I'll take it as long as the card comes to my house and nothing else shady pops up on my report. Excited to add both of these to my arsenal and start earning some cash back!

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

AllZero — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 21:56:25 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Update: approved for Amex BCE with $2k SL. Still think the (seemingly unsolicited) Citi DC approval is weird, but I guess I'll take it as long as the card comes to my house and nothing else shady pops up on my report. Excited to add both of these to my arsenal and start earning some cash back!

Congratulations on your AmEx approval!

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 22:00:06 GMT

Congrats on the double approval Would you share profile stats at the time you applied, such as scores/UTI/etc?

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 22:27:27 GMT

@Anonymous thanks and sure!

FICO 8 as of yesterday: 720 EQ, 742 TU, 727 EX

Overall utilization ~20%

1 HP in the past year (TU)

Been gardening since 2017 after a post-mortgage app/spending spree got me in over my head (overall utilization at that time was more like 90% and average score was 550), recently got approved for a $10k personal installment loan to consolidate my remaining CC debt which shot my scores up to the above numbers from about 685 just a few weeks ago

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

M_Smart007 — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 22:27:38 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Update: approved for Amex BCE with $2k SL. Still think the (seemingly unsolicited) Citi DC approval is weird, but I guess I'll take it as long as the card comes to my house and nothing else shady pops up on my report. Excited to add both of these to my arsenal and start earning some cash back!

Congratulations!

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

M_Smart007 — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 22:29:19 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous thanks and sure!

FICO 8 as of yesterday: 720 EQ, 742 TU, 727 EX
Overall utilization ~20%
1 HP in the past year (TU)
Been gardening since 2017 after a post-mortgage app/spending spree got me in over my head (overall utilization at that time was more like 90% and average score was 550), recently got approved for a $10k personal installment loan to consolidate my remaining CC debt which shot my scores up to the above numbers from about 685 just a few weeks ago

Ok so the theory of Amex only approving above EX 750 .. just got major holes blown in it!

Thanks for the DP's ..

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 22:57:56 GMT

@M_Smart007 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous thanks and sure!

FICO 8 as of yesterday: 720 EQ, 742 TU, 727 EX
Overall utilization ~20%
1 HP in the past year (TU)
Been gardening since 2017 after a post-mortgage app/spending spree got me in over my head (overall utilization at that time was more like 90% and average score was 550), recently got approved for a $10k personal installment loan to consolidate my remaining CC debt which shot my scores up to the above numbers from about 685 just a few weeks ago
Ok so the theory of Amex only approving above EX 750 .. just got major holes blown in it!

Thanks for the DP's ..

I was approved for both of my Amex cards under 750. For both I was around 730-735.

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 23:02:24 GMT

Yes, I've seen a lot of people here getting approved for modest SLs even with scores in the high 600s. I think I definitely depends on the card though, the EDC & BCE seem to be the easiest for those like me who don't have the highest scores but want to get their foot in the door.

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 23:04:25 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous thanks and sure!

FICO 8 as of yesterday: 720 EQ, 742 TU, 727 EX
Overall utilization ~20%
1 HP in the past year (TU)
Been gardening since 2017 after a post-mortgage app/spending spree got me in over my head (overall utilization at that time was more like 90% and average score was 550), recently got approved for a $10k personal installment loan to consolidate my remaining CC debt which shot my scores up to the above numbers from about 685 just a few weeks ago

Thank you - including this info always helps people down the road and gives us all a snapshot of a lender at any given time. Congrats on all you've accomplished - you're definitely doing it right

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

BmoreBull — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 23:21:58 GMT

Congrats on your approvals

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

Meanmchine — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 23:50:19 GMT

Congrats on your DC card

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

Meanmchine — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 23:51:46 GMT

....and your Amex too

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

FieryDance — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 01:15:27 GMT

Congratulations on both cards!

Is the BCE your first Amex? If so did you eventually get an HP on Experian from Amex? I have to say the sequence of the events as you described was really strange. A mystery approval!

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 01:30:18 GMT

@FieryDance thank you! And yes, my first Amex... still no HP from them anywhere, definitely weird all around!

Re: Applied for Amex BCE, approved for Citi DC... possible fraud??

AllZero — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 02:16:37 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@FieryDance thank you! And yes, my first Amex... still no HP from them anywhere, definitely weird all around!

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