topic Re: Question about US Bank CLI in Credit Cards

Question about US Bank CLI

Anonymous — Tue, 24 May 2016 21:58:55 GMT

I have a US Bank Cash Rewards card that I barely got approved for last year.It has a low limit of 500 and I barely use it.I would love to get a CLI.I called them today and had a strange thing occur.First I called the number on back and asked the gentleman if it would be a hard or soft inquiry and he replid that it could be a hard,so I declined.Next I did a little digging and ran across a link to US Bank.It was a Credit Limit increase link with FAQ.One of the questions was whether or not it was a hard inquiry ad the answer was no it was not.I proceed to call the number which inncidentally was different than the one listed on back of the card.It was Credit Specialists or something to that effect.After giving out my SS and last 4 digits of the card the lady absolutely couldd not locate my info.Its like it did not exist.She put me on hold and apparently had her manager look at it and he could not locate it.I ask the lady if (or when) she located it if I decided to request would it be hard or soft innquiry she told me no, not this offer,it would be a SP.I told her that I had called previously to ask and that the man told me yes,she replied that they do not handle that end,that the credit people do and then connected me to the regular card member services line (in hopes of locating my account or figure out what was happening) who asked me the same info: What was my name,ss,last 4 digits of card etc.She found it immediately??!! I ask her about the credit increase and she told me that yes,it COULD be a hard inquiry........What do you think about this,have you had any luck with US Bank CLI? I would love to utilize this one more but at this point it is in my drawer.Thanks for any thoughts or any input.

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

kdm31091 — Tue, 24 May 2016 22:12:44 GMT

Unfortunately if you request an increase with them it's always a hard pull. After many months of having an account they will sometimes give an auto increase with a soft pull but it's not anything that you can ask for.

Some people report that if you ask for less than a 1500 increase, it will only be a soft pull. But there are conflicting reports on it, so I'd be kind of wary.

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

Anonymous — Tue, 24 May 2016 22:35:55 GMT

@kdm31091 wrote:
Unfortunately if you request an increase with them it's always a hard pull. After many months of having an account they will sometimes give an auto increase with a soft pull but it's not anything that you can ask for.

Some people report that if you ask for less than a 1500 increase, it will only be a soft pull. But there are conflicting reports on it, so I'd be kind of wary.

I can vouch for that. On the presumption that at 1500 CLI request would not be a hard pull I tried it in January and sure enough, 2 minutes later came the email notification of a TransUnion inquiry from US Bank.

My best guess is that if the current limit is very low, even a small CLI will result in a hard pull - as my limit at that time was only $1000, so 1500 was a 150% increase request.

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

GalaxyStars — Tue, 24 May 2016 22:41:20 GMT

I guess it varies.

I requested a CLI increase on my U.S. Bank Visa Plat last Friday, it was just approved earlier this morning.

Requested increase for $1,000, so far no alerts of a hard pull on either credit bureau.

I wanted to stay under the $1,500 limit to test out the theory and see if there was truly no HP, only time will tell.

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

Anonymous — Tue, 24 May 2016 22:42:03 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@kdm31091 wrote:
Unfortunately if you request an increase with them it's always a hard pull. After many months of having an account they will sometimes give an auto increase with a soft pull but it's not anything that you can ask for.

Some people report that if you ask for less than a 1500 increase, it will only be a soft pull. But there are conflicting reports on it, so I'd be kind of wary.
I can vouch for that. On the presumption that at 1500 CLI request would not be a hard pull I tried it in January and sure enough, 2 minutes later came the email notification of a TransUnion inquiry from US Bank.

My best guess is that if the current limit is very low, even a small CLI will result in a hard pull - as my limit at that time was only $1000, so 1500 was a 150% increase request.

Thanks for the response!,,,,,Im thinking it will remain in my tea can in my drawer than.I'll use it every few months to keep it active in that case.I regret getting that one.

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

Anonymous — Tue, 24 May 2016 22:45:48 GMT

@GalaxyStars wrote:
I guess it varies.

I requested a CLI increase on my U.S. Bank Visa Plat last Friday, it was just approved earlier this morning.
Requested increase for $1,000, so far no alerts of a hard pull on either credit bureau.

I wanted to stay under the $1,500 limit to test out the theory and see if there was truly no HP, only time will tell.

Hmm interesting,thanks for the response! May I ask what your original limit was? When I asked both customer service people told me yes but like I said earlier the lady that actually worked in the credit dept told me no.She just couldnt access or find my acct. lol!

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

GalaxyStars — Tue, 24 May 2016 22:51:40 GMT

Original starting limt was $300, so I just requested an additional 1,000. This card was my first rebuilder.

I completed the CLI request form via the website.

I really never use the card, it's basic with no thrills, just got tired of seeing the tiny $300 line compared to all my other credit lines.

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

Anonymous — Tue, 24 May 2016 23:15:13 GMT

@GalaxyStars wrote:
Original starting limt was $300, so I just requested an additional 1,000. This card was my first rebuilder.

I completed the CLI request form via the website.
I really never use the card, it's basic with no thrills, just got tired of seeing the tiny $300 line compared to all my other credit lines.

I see,,It may of been the same screen that I seen.May I ask if it mentioned if it would be a hard inquiry before you pushed the button? Im sorry to keep asking you questions and I really appreciate it

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

GalaxyStars — Wed, 25 May 2016 00:43:25 GMT

No there was no prompt or message regarding an Hardpull.

I know Citi and Chase for example shows when there is a HP.

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

Anonymous — Wed, 25 May 2016 02:02:42 GMT

It was really bothering me regarding them not locating my info whatsoever today, ( I have been a victim of ID theft in the past) so I called again since I last posted.I called the US Bank Credit Limit Increase Line and verified with another rep that there was no hp and (after I told him what had occured previously) decided to go for it,provided my info was there.And it was not?? The only thing we could conclude was that I was ineligible for any increases? While I am grateful to them for them extending me any credit,and I went through underwriters to get the 500,I feel its wrong they "capped" me.The bottom line is if you call that specific credit limit increase line apparently there is no hp,according to 2 reps I spoke with anyway.Just thought I would pass along my experience anyway

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

Ghoshida — Wed, 25 May 2016 03:56:02 GMT

Why are you calling a phone number instead of trying the online link? Try the link mentioned in the first post here : http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/US-Bank-credit-limit-increase-web-site/td-p/1880787

I have got SP CLI on 6/6 counts using the link. 2 times each on my REI and Cash+ #1, and once each on Cash+ #2 and Club Carlson.

I always have my reports frozen so no HP unless I permit the bank explicitly.

It works on each account independently, once every six months.

Calling CSRs get you more misinformation than good info.

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

Ghoshida — Wed, 25 May 2016 04:01:34 GMT

@kdm31091 wrote:
Unfortunately if you request an increase with them it's always a hard pull. After many months of having an account they will sometimes give an auto increase with a soft pull but it's not anything that you can ask for.

Some people report that if you ask for less than a 1500 increase, it will only be a soft pull. But there are conflicting reports on it, so I'd be kind of wary.

I've got 7 total SP CLI with them, one following a verification call for my Cash+ and the rest online. So you can't claim that it's "always" HP. Two of them were for $2k (REI) so the $1.5k number isn't hard and fast. But of late, I've been decline for requesting $2k and approved for $1.5k shortly thereafter. I think that's because they wanted to do a HP and couldn't do so because of the freeze.

My REI and Club Carlson started at $1k. Both of them have got SP CLI. So initial limit doesn't preclude you from getting SP CLI.

When in doubt, freeze the reports!

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

csryang — Wed, 25 May 2016 04:20:06 GMT

I would like to share my experience as well. I think from what I heard, if you request CLI, it's likely that it could be hard pull depending on how high you ask for.

I never initiate CLI myself with US bank. It's always an invite.

I opened my US bank cash plus card in 6/2014 with CL of 5k.

I dont think I have ever spent more than 1000 in one month.

Around 9 month mark 3/2015, I got a letter saying that they automatically increase my limit from 5k to 7.5k.

Now just today I got an email titled "Exclusive offer: Increase your creadit line = confirm now!"

In the text, it even suggested that I could qualify for an increase up to 4.5k from recent periodic review.

It asked me to go to a link usbank.com/cl or call 1-866-659-6801.

I went to the link and this section specifically say that there's no (hard) pull:

Will this credit line increase request require a credit check?

No, line increases through this process will not require an additional credit check (also known as bureau score review).

Eventually, I input my income and rent. Boom... I was given instantly 4.5k increase to total of 12k CL today just like the email suggested.

I think it's soft pull but I have no way to check... (If they actually do hard pull, I will dispute with them as the CL website clearly suggested soft pull like action.

It's funny that back in March this year I thought I would get a CLI from them as well just like last year but never did.

Discover has a better bonus category this quarter. Therefore, I have not used my US bank cash plus for almost 2 months. Before that, I was using it regularly small charges here and there.

Of note, it's not unusual for me to have more than 10k CL. I have had three of them from Amex, one from Chase, and one from Barclays. I am supprised that US Bank is the 4th lender allowing me to have more than 10k CL card. Now Citi is just very stingy with me for some reason...

I would suggest you to use that link or phone number every 6 months or so to see if you are eligible for CLI. That's what I am gonna do from now on.

Also interestingly, it's been almost 2 years since I opened the card = possibly 4 CLI requests. If I can request 1.5k increase each time, It means that my total CLI could be up to 11k CL now, which is roughly what was granted to me this time!

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

NRB525 — Wed, 25 May 2016 04:29:14 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
It was really bothering me regarding them not locating my info whatsoever today, ( I have been a victim of ID theft in the past) so I called again since I last posted.I called the US Bank Credit Limit Increase Line and verified with another rep that there was no hp and (after I told him what had occured previously) decided to go for it,provided my info was there.And it was not?? The only thing we could conclude was that I was ineligible for any increases? While I am grateful to them for them extending me any credit,and I went through underwriters to get the 500,I feel its wrong they "capped" me.The bottom line is if you call that specific credit limit increase line apparently there is no hp,according to 2 reps I spoke with anyway.Just thought I would pass along my experience anyway

Sorry to hear about the frustration with the CLI process. I think with US Bank as you show usage and payment with the card, the CLI should come automatically. I've never requested a CLI for any of my 3 US Bank cards. I've used the oldest one quite heavily in the past, and each has gotten a 40% auto CLI after about 10 months of usage. Two are at $14k, one at $12,500 so there's not much else I need for CLI now.

I would suggest not keeping the card in a sockdrawer, but rather keep it active regularly with small charges, pay it off each month, and let your internal score with US Bank grow. It may take some time, but the CLI should start soon enough now.

Good luck!

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

14Fiesta — Wed, 25 May 2016 05:05:03 GMT

Hi! USB rep here. Let me see if I can try and clear some things up regarding your situation.

When you first called the number on the back of the card, you would be connected with regular customer service. What a regular CS agent told you in regards to there "might" be a HP is correct. I don't know what the criteria is whether or not underwriting pulls a CR, but even being a "manual review" bank, sometimes CLI requests over the phone are able to be approved immediately, so that's food for thought on the whole "might" thing.

-------

Now sometimes we run offers where a CH can be "proactively approved" for a CLI, as mentioned by someone earlier in this thread. This is obviously not something you can request, but you have to be invited to. These types of increases are handled by a third party, so it's very possible you called that third parties number. They would not be able to locate your account over there because you were not "proactively approved" for any type of increase, and as such we did not share your account information with this company. This would also explain why she used the verbiage "this offer would not be a HP". If you are included in a proactive CLI strategy, it would only be a SP, and only this third party handles those requests (not general CS).

-------

Also regarding your post later in this thread where it was determined you were ineligible. How long have you had the card? I know there is policy to wait 6 months between CLI requests (account opening counts as your first "request"). If you are within that six months, then the CLI would be declined with no CB pull.

-------

@Ghoshida

"Calling CSRs get you more misinformation than good info."

Hey I resent that lol.

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

CreditMagic7 — Wed, 25 May 2016 05:32:50 GMT

Well i fired off a CLI Request from my online account today. I dunno but i believe this is my very first consumer request period with them.

I have clinged to my US Bank card (first a platinum, then a cash rewards, and now a Amex FlexPerks+) because they were the very first to offer a card after years of just going the debit, cash only, checking route.

It was a $2K preapproval from 2012 and here we are in 2016 and it's $3K but i refuse to drop it in hopes against hope that they will sooner or later pick it up a tad bit more then it's been since then.

Plus it's like me, it has staying power and while it's only seen occasional use here and there, it still remains my sole oldest card line to date.

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

Anonymous — Wed, 25 May 2016 06:29:50 GMT

@Ghoshida wrote:
Why are you calling a phone number instead of trying the online link? Try the link mentioned in the first post here : http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/US-Bank-credit-limit-increase-web-site/td-p/1880787

I have got SP CLI on 6/6 counts using the link. 2 times each on my REI and Cash+ #1, and once each on Cash+ #2 and Club Carlson.

I always have my reports frozen so no HP unless I permit the bank explicitly.

It works on each account independently, once every six months.

Calling CSRs get you more misinformation than good info.

That leads to the same form I get when I request a CLI through my online account.

As I have said, US Bank is very strange to me. They gave me my 2nd card (when I was rebuilding). When I tried to PC that card (with a $500 limit), they gave me a NEW card (still keeping the original card) with a $2k limit. I have asked multiple times for a CLI, and have never gotten one. When talking to my local branch (they called me twice [3 times now, counting last week after I checked the prequal site, but I was in the middle of something at work, so didn't really get a chance to talk to her], and each time, I ended up with NEW product (a $1k PLOC and a $6k 0%APR card [going to like 12% after the intro period]). I cannot for the life of me get a CLI from them, but I still end up getting more and more credit from them.

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

CreditMagic7 — Wed, 25 May 2016 06:41:01 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Ghoshida wrote:
Why are you calling a phone number instead of trying the online link? Try the link mentioned in the first post here : http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/US-Bank-credit-limit-increase-web-site/td-p/1880787

I have got SP CLI on 6/6 counts using the link. 2 times each on my REI and Cash+ #1, and once each on Cash+ #2 and Club Carlson.

I always have my reports frozen so no HP unless I permit the bank explicitly.

It works on each account independently, once every six months.

Calling CSRs get you more misinformation than good info.
That leads to the same form I get when I request a CLI through my online account.

As I have said, US Bank is very strange to me. They gave me my 2nd card (when I was rebuilding). When I tried to PC that card (with a $500 limit), they gave me a NEW card (still keeping the original card) with a $2k limit. I have asked multiple times for a CLI, and have never gotten one. When talking to my local branch (they called me twice [3 times now, counting last week after I checked the prequal site, but I was in the middle of something at work, so didn't really get a chance to talk to her], and each time, I ended up with NEW product (a $1k PLOC and a $6k 0%APR card [going to like 12% after the intro period]). I cannot for the life of me get a CLI from them, but I still end up getting more and more credit from them.

Similarly i have had a devil of a time holding my patience from waiting and i mean years! now.

Only last Sept after all this time did i realize a first ever SP CLI of a generous $1K to add to the long existing $2K US Bank Card which was the starting limit way back then, and ONLY because of a PC from the Cash Rewards 1% card over to the Amex FlexPerks+.

They had mailed a preapproval for this card but i chose the better part of valor in requesting the PC over to it instead in order to preserve both a New Account + Inquiry FICO scorecard penalty.

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

Ghoshida — Wed, 25 May 2016 09:40:07 GMT

@14Fiesta wrote:
Hi! USB rep here. Let me see if I can try and clear some things up regarding your situation.

When you first called the number on the back of the card, you would be connected with regular customer service. What a regular CS agent told you in regards to there "might" be a HP is correct. I don't know what the criteria is whether or not underwriting pulls a CR, but even being a "manual review" bank, sometimes CLI requests over the phone are able to be approved immediately, so that's food for thought on the whole "might" thing.
-------
Now sometimes we run offers where a CH can be "proactively approved" for a CLI, as mentioned by someone earlier in this thread. This is obviously not something you can request, but you have to be invited to. These types of increases are handled by a third party, so it's very possible you called that third parties number. They would not be able to locate your account over there because you were not "proactively approved" for any type of increase, and as such we did not share your account information with this company. This would also explain why she used the verbiage "this offer would not be a HP". If you are included in a proactive CLI strategy, it would only be a SP, and only this third party handles those requests (not general CS).
-------
Also regarding your post later in this thread where it was determined you were ineligible. How long have you had the card? I know there is policy to wait 6 months between CLI requests (account opening counts as your first "request"). If you are within that six months, then the CLI would be declined with no CB pull.
-------
@Ghoshida
"Calling CSRs get you more misinformation than good info."

Hey I resent that lol.

Ha ha!

Nothing personal, and also not specific to US Bank, but my overall experience with CSR hasn't been that informative.

Not to say that I never got good CSR, but they have been the exception, not the norm!

In any case, thank you for the elaborate explanation!

Re: Question about US Bank CLI

coldnmn — Wed, 25 May 2016 10:54:31 GMT

It has been my experience starting with my Ace card it's starting CL was $4k. I had a auto increase to $6k after about 10 months. About a year later I applied for a second US Bank card this one a starting limit of $5,500 after a year upgraded that card to Cash+ later recieved letters for both to go to usbank.com/cl for a possible CLI up to $4.000 both approved for CLs to $10k each SPs. What's special about that is my disability net income at the time was $25k. A buddy of mine used the link and got a SP CLI of $1200 to round his Cash+ to $10k. It might not always be a SP CLI but using that link is your best chance after 6 months to get one under $1500. I had a paid tax lien at the time and drops off this fall. YMMV Good Luck to those that try!