topic Re: paranoia big destroya in Credit Cards

paranoia big destroya

score_building — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 05:43:37 GMT

i wanted to pull my free enhanced experian off my clear card for the first time and saw this when i proceeded to do so:

Data Share*
Upon receiving my Enhanced Credit Report, please confirm with American Express my data for reconciliation purposes only.*

i didn't understand fully, do they mean i don't want amex to substantively review what i pull? puhlease they are checking out my cr on a moment to moment basis already, are they kidding me w/ that? anyway, wasn't sure if i should check the box or not and w/ amex in cld mode on this account i didn't want to make another false move.

any amex experts out there to advise me if pulling the free report on a clear card will attract the wrong type of attention? i kinda doubt it, but at this point can't be too sure since most of my creditors have recently offered cli's or apr reductions or both while amex presses on. the fact that i feel uncomfortable calling cs for ANY reason for fear of retribution i think somewhat supprts my paranoia. the sad part: i'd give my left pinky toe if at least they do not to close the account at the end of the cld foray, and once it is paid off in a few months. i'm going to leave a small balance in hopes that they will hesitate b4 closing long enough to realize they've made a horrible mistake and would benefit from having me as a member. ok, i'm groveling, but i was over the moon when i was approved w/ a 10k limit. Cie la vie!

Re: paranoia big destroya

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 06:08:27 GMT

eh, I went ahead and clicked it. I think it just means that American Express re-verifies its name/current address information with the CRA? I really don't think it's a big deal, nor will it result in any kind of account review, I don't think that's legitimate, even if you're pulling your credit through their service. It still is a self-inquiry and should not trigger anything.

Then again, I'm crossing my fingers Amex doesn't choose to CLD me because of recent inquiries. They can be volatile...

Re: paranoia big destroya

haulingthescoreup — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:15:04 GMT

I have one soft on my EX that says:

AMEX-SERVICED BY CIC

Address:
PO BOX 19729
IRVINE CA 92623
No phone number available Date of Request: 04/04/2008

This is completely different from the AmEx account reviews and promo pulls, and completely different from the credit monitoring service I used to have through Experian. And the address is Experian, not AmEx.

So I'm guessing that this is related to the message that you got. Looks strange, though.

Re: paranoia big destroya

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:04:26 GMT

This is the CIC-TripleAdvantage that got in a decent amount of trouble for signing up people for recurring credit monitoring services, without really explaining to them that getting the "free" credit report meant you had to cancel a credit reporting service within seven days or else be billed. The marketing and website were deceptive at best.

I was one of these unwitting customers and was able to get a refund. They were required to even set up a service line exclusively for refunds because so many people were angry. It is the Experian self-pull organization as far as I am aware.

Re: paranoia big destroya

Scamp — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:02:45 GMT

haulingthescoreup wrote:
I have one soft on my EX that says:

AMEX-SERVICED BY CIC

Address:
PO BOX 19729
IRVINE CA 92623
No phone number available Date of Request: 04/04/2008

This is completely different from the AmEx account reviews and promo pulls, and completely different from the credit monitoring service I used to have through Experian. And the address is Experian, not AmEx.

So I'm guessing that this is related to the message that you got. Looks strange, though.

I have similar ones in my softs; haven't tried to match these up with my 'pretend-to-dispute-to-check-soft-inqs' pullings-up of my full EX report thru CS's online dispute tab, but it did cross my mind that ones coded as above might be those.

Do you peek at your softs through something similar, HTSU, that you might be able to verify that theory...?

Re: paranoia big destroya

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:15:42 GMT

This is the "Credit Secure" pull-

I have about 280 of them

scapegrace13 wrote:

haulingthescoreup wrote:
I have one soft on my EX that says:

AMEX-SERVICED BY CIC

Address:
PO BOX 19729
IRVINE CA 92623
No phone number available Date of Request: 04/04/2008

This is completely different from the AmEx account reviews and promo pulls, and completely different from the credit monitoring service I used to have through Experian. And the address is Experian, not AmEx.

So I'm guessing that this is related to the message that you got. Looks strange, though.

I have similar ones in my softs; haven't tried to match these up with my 'pretend-to-dispute-to-check-soft-inqs' pullings-up of my full EX report thru CS's online dispute tab, but it did cross my mind that ones coded as above might be those.

Do you peek at your softs through something similar, HTSU, that you might be able to verify that theory...?

Re: paranoia big destroya

score_building — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:47:56 GMT

d09 wrote:
This is the CIC-TripleAdvantage that got in a decent amount of trouble for signing up people for recurring credit monitoring services, without really explaining to them that getting the "free" credit report meant you had to cancel a credit reporting service within seven days or else be billed. The marketing and website were deceptive at best.

I was one of these unwitting customers and was able to get a refund. They were required to even set up a service line exclusively for refunds because so many people were angry. It is the Experian self-pull organization as far as I am aware.

Thanks d09, Hauling and Timothy for the v. helpful f/b, par usual. i know i'm probably bugging out, but i may wait until i'm under 10 percent to pull lest my interest bring me under further and better scrutiny, lol

Re: paranoia big destroya

haulingthescoreup — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:38:21 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

This is the "Credit Secure" pull-

I have about 280 of them

Makes sense. It must be from the time I signed up for the one-month trial, said "ehh", and cancelled. I should definitely have more if it was from the dispute route.

Re: paranoia big destroya

Scamp — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:02:08 GMT

@haulingthescoreup wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:

This is the "Credit Secure" pull-

I have about 280 of them
Makes sense. It must be from the time I signed up for the one-month trial, said "ehh", and cancelled. I should definitely have more if it was from the dispute route.

My bad - posted when I was still short on caffeine intake this morning.

To clarify my earlier post a bit - I have one version of this soft inq that lists under one heading all the daily pulls that are just me 'refreshing' (as CS puts it) my daily 3-report pull.

Then are a few individual listings with the same kind of header with just one date noted under it that I decided were most likely my dispute-tab pulls of the full EX report. That's what I was referring to in my earlier post.

Sorry again for not being more clear. I don't operate on all cylinders until that third cup of Scottish Blend black breakfast tea...

Re: paranoia big destroya

score_building — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:33:59 GMT

i just pulled my free report from the clear card and my plus score is 705. If you don't mind sharing your score, if you know it, and what it means in relation to a real fico score? Does amex actually use this score? Mine is a little higher than my recent fico pulls. i'd imagine that it should continue to increase as my balances decrease and my mostly young accts. age.

If i am able to increase my plus score to the high sevens post haste and overall util is under 25 percent will amex still close my clear account when it's pif? i am wondering if there are cases where they don't close an accout that they've been chasing or if it's basically inevitable regardless of improvement of status?