topic Re: FNBO credit line decrease in Credit Cards

FNBO credit line decrease

BlueSea — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 22:06:03 GMT

Hello. First post here. 2 months ago i paid my home improvement contractor over $13 000 with my FNBO visa credit card. At first i received a bunch of calls to see if the transaction was legit. 10 days later right before the statement i paid it off. After the statement cut i saw that my credit limit was decreased from $14650 to $1000. I called them a few times and sent a couple of faxes. Nothing. Recently they told me it'd be a HP to see if they can raise it again. My credit is spotless with no bad stuff. CK score 726-737. Fico 9 is around 765. Why would i waste a HP when next month they may lower it again? Anyone experienced something like that? I was happy with the bank until this.

Re: FNBO credit line decrease

Gmood1 — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 22:35:46 GMT

Well that wasn't cool! Nothing else changed on your CRs in a negative way? That reminds me of what Barclays does to some customers.

I'd look at joining some solid CUs. Those that aren't easily frightened by you using your CCs and PIF.

I also suggest, gunning for a higher limit. That way it doesn't look like your maxing out the card.

Re: FNBO credit line decrease

CreditCuriosity — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 22:36:48 GMT

Never heard of this behavior from FNBO on this forum... think they would like you charging and paying that big amount... As other poster posted make sure nothing else has showed up on your CR? What time of faxes did they request or were they just requests by you to get your CL back such as a letter?

Re: FNBO credit line decrease

BlueSea — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 22:41:55 GMT

I had been using their 5.99% offer for over a year. Since the high utilization my score was around 600. But it didn't bother them back then.

Re: FNBO credit line decrease

BlueSea — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 22:08:38 GMT

When i called them they told me it's system generated but gave me a run around. The first fax i sent was to disputes. They replied i had to send it to management. I did. No one replied. Today almost 2 months later i sent a message via the online portal. I'll see what will happen. I guess nothing. They are weird though. I have another card with them the Travelite. While on one of my calls about the issue they increased its limit from $2300 to $4800 very easily with a SP. Go figure.

Re: FNBO credit line decrease

coldfusion — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 16:55:45 GMT

I would not waste any more time sending SMs and calling customer support but would instead send a polite letter addressed directly to the CEO. Odds are that he wouldn't read it himself personally, but one of his direct staff will.

Mod note: We can't put contact info in forum posts. --UB

Re: FNBO credit line decrease

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 16:56:37 GMT

@coldfusion wrote:

I would not waste any more time sending SMs and calling customer support but would instead send a polite letter addressed directly to the CEO. Odds are that he wouldn't read it himself personally, but one of his direct staff will.

Mod note: We can't put contact info in forum posts. --UB

Agree with this poster ... in my past I wrote a letter directly to the Vice President who managed the FNBO Bank Cards Portfolio and they would not budge on my request (which was different). They removed the previous VP for things that got the FDIC down their back for violations of law related to the sale of credit card insurance. So ... write directly to the owner/chair (nothing ventured nothing gained). Have been a customer of their's in the past and they never behaved this way! In fact, their rewards were not the best in the old days but, the credit limits and auto increases were many and great. Since they went on a risk mangement diet around August 1, 2015 when they removed all NPSL (Flexible Credit Spending Limits) from their credit cards, they may have changed their risk tolerance (just speculating). Holding out hope as this could happen to others of us.

Re: FNBO credit line decrease

gdale6 — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 03:34:45 GMT

Well well this is the first I have heard from this bank and I have had them for over 6 years now. I have been carrying a balance for 2 years now at 5.99% on my Amex (originally a Discover) with them and recently received an auto CLI and never once have I made a purchase charge on it. I no longer receive any offers of BT from them once I went past 6 months carrying on the 5.99%, dont care have plenty of good offers from other creditors. Limit on the Amex is 17.5K and I have their Bucksback Visa as well at 15.5K. I think their computer didnt like the low Fico score and that is why the CLD happened.

Re: FNBO credit line decrease

SOGGIE — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 05:03:27 GMT

@BlueSea wrote:
Hello. First post here. 2 months ago i paid my home improvement contractor over $13 000 with my FNBO visa credit card. At first i received a bunch of call to see if the transaction was legit. 10 days later right before the statement i paid it off. After the statement cut i saw that my credit limit was decreased from $14650 to $1000. I called them a few times and sent a couple of faxes. Nothing. Recently they told me it'd be a HP to see if they can raise it again. My credit is spotless with no bad stuff. CK score 726-737. Fico 9 is around 765. Why would i waste a HP when next month they may lower it again? Anyone experienced something like that? I was happy with the bank until this.

Some banks are spooked by very large payments--especially if a large payment is a high % of your reported monthly income or exceeds your monthly income. I often wonder if some banks prepare a SAR in such cases or in the case of payments in excess of $10K as they do for checking/savings account deposits made of $10K+.

Re: FNBO credit line decrease

kugel — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 17:06:26 GMT

Very not nice and nasty this behavior
I know Barclays and Bofa does it also
We should put together a data list of the banks that does it so we all know not to app for thier cards
Are cu really better in this behavior?

Re: FNBO credit line decrease

FinStar — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 17:18:36 GMT

@kugel wrote:
Very not nice and nasty this behavior
I know Barclays and Bofa does it also
We should put together a data list of the banks that does it so we all know not to app for thier cards
Are cu really better in this behavior?

It is unlikely the list would accomplish much since not every individual would be targeted in the same manner as the OP. Plus, it wouldn't be a fair assessment of the actual activities that would trigger any type of AA.

FNBO has been known to do this; however, this has been several years ago IIRC - older threads exist somewhere. That being said, the FNBO AA is not as prominent like say Barclays, for instance. Yet, lenders like BoA, Chase, Comenity, SYNCB, Capital One (where most folks thought is was a safe haven), AmEx, Citi have been known to take any form of AA if any type of risky patterns are picked up by their algorithms (or if the lender is simply minimizing their lendin exposure). This could be anything from "bust out fraud" instances, NSF, spiking utilization, unusual transaction patterns, credit profile/score deterioration, and the list goes on.

Re: FNBO credit line decrease

BlueSea — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 20:42:14 GMT

I don't understand this kind of algorithms in their systems. They give you a certain limit but when you approach it it's a problem. If it detects a missed payment or something like that, it's understandable. But just using the limit they gave you? You don't do anything wrong, right?

In my case i'll leave the card like this with a recuring charge of $2.99 every month. I will only use soft pulls every 4 months. It only earns 1% cash back on everything so it's no big loss. It's just their attitude that strikes me.

Here's their reply today:

Thank you for contacting First Bankcard.
We show you were mailed a letter explaining the reason why your limit was decreased on June 7, 2018.
We conduct a review of our credit card accounts periodically. We review both the manner in which you have used and paid your account. Unfortunately, at the time of your June 2018 review, the decision was made to lower your credit limit. Your total credit limit became $1,000.00. Your cash advance limit became $200.00.
Please keep in mind, this decrease is not necessarily permanent. We review our accounts each month to determine if a limit adjustment should be made. Depending on your credit history with us and others, you may be eligible for a limit increase in the future.
If you need further assistance, please contact us at 1-888-295-5540.