topic Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1) in Credit Cards

How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

IceNineIX — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 00:05:23 GMT

Okay, this is driving me nuts. My FICO is 800, I have multiple cards with five figure credit lines yet I get denied for every credit line increase I request on this particular card. I've had the card for nine years and the credit line is... (wait for it)... $360.

I keep the card because I like the rewards (2% in store and 5% online @ Walmart) but paying it off every week after grocery shopping is very irritating. I've tried calling customer support but the recording very specifically tells me a live representative would not be able to assist me in regards to credit increase requests. Anyone have any idea how to get a human being to look at my stats and make a decision? 😄

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

Ilinferno — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 00:38:53 GMT

There are many more qualified to answer this question than me here but it sounds like you are bucketed with Capital One from when you got the card. From what I understand there is almost no room for growth depending on which category you fell into at the time. My 2 cents is to close the card and reapply or find one that meets the same cash back needs. I also don't know what your credit profile is like and I understand that closing such an aged credit line can be difficult but it would still report positively for another 10 years. I''ll let those more familiar with Cap 1 weigh in but in the mean time you can search Cap 1 bucketed in the forums here and probably get some more info on what you are experiencing. Maybe someone has a backdoor number that you can use to help. Good luck!

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

Jnbmom — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 00:43:13 GMT

I agree it's a bucketed card with that off low limit . I would have closed it years ago

Best thing to do is close it and with your scores find another card suitable for your needs .

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

IceNineIX — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 01:33:58 GMT

Thanks! I didn't know "bucketing" was a thing... appreciate the info.

Yeah it's my oldest card after a divorce credit crash so it would be a shame to lose the age. Weekly payments to gain an extra half point on groceries isn't going to happen anymore but I'll likely continue using it for online purchases as the 5% is nice.

Thanks for straightening me out!

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

SouthJamaica — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 02:11:04 GMT

@IceNineIX wrote:
Thanks! I didn't know "bucketing" was a thing... appreciate the info.

Yeah it's my oldest card after a divorce credit crash so it would be a shame to lose the age. Weekly payments to gain an extra half point on groceries isn't going to happen anymore but I'll likely continue using it for online purchases as the 5% is nice.

Thanks for straightening me out!

If you close it, you won't lose the age right away. As long as the closed card continues to be reported in the credit bureau reports it continues to get factored into AoOA and AAoA. It varies, but 10 years is typical.

But if it were me, I wouldn't close it. I'd just hang on to it and use it. Someday you'll get a CLI on it.

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

financialfreedom777 — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 02:21:17 GMT

Interesting thread, I also have the Walmart MC and don't get any CLI's but read on here that it's a card that rarely bumps up the limit. I love that I get 2% off my groceries and 5% if I pay with Walmart Pay so it's worth it for me, at least for now.

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

IceNineIX — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 03:04:26 GMT

Agreed. There's really no need to close the card but it's definitely coming out of my wallet. The 2% is nice but I get 1.5% elsewhere... $360 doesn't cover two weeks so I've been paying it off weekly. Too much hassle for an extra half point.

Definitely keeping it as my Walmart.com payment method for the 5%.

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

Gollum — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 08:50:24 GMT

@IceNineIX wrote:
I didn't know "bucketing" was a thing.

The term "bucketed" on this forum refers to a credit card that will never "grow." The term "bucketed" was apparently coined by someone using the username ABC2199, who explained on this forum why some credit cards never "grow."

https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/General-Credit-Topics/Credit-Card-Asset-Backed-Securities-ABS-and-why-some-subprime/td-p/5083619

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

SouthJamaica — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 11:52:17 GMT

@Gollum wrote:
@IceNineIX wrote:
I didn't know "bucketing" was a thing.
The term "bucketed" on this forum refers to a credit card that will never "grow." The term "bucketed" was apparently coined by someone using the username ABC2199, who explained on this forum why some credit cards never "grow."
https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/General-Credit-Topics/Credit-Card-Asset-Backed-Securities-ABS-and-why-some-subprime/td-p/5083619

Thanks. That is one great read.

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

Jnbmom — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 12:00:27 GMT

OP has had the card for 9 years and the limit is still at 360, this card isn't moving . But if you can use it to your benefit I can see why you want to keep , I'd move on but that's just me .

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

financialfreedom777 — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 19:16:05 GMT

@SouthJamaica wrote:
@Gollum wrote:
@IceNineIX wrote:
I didn't know "bucketing" was a thing.
The term "bucketed" on this forum refers to a credit card that will never "grow." The term "bucketed" was apparently coined by someone using the username ABC2199, who explained on this forum why some credit cards never "grow."
https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/General-Credit-Topics/Credit-Card-Asset-Backed-Securities-ABS-and-why-some-subprime/td-p/5083619
Thanks. That is one great read.

This thread from ABC is a great thread, in fact he has a few there and all are excelent! Thanks for sharing it.

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

purebulldogs — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 22:23:42 GMT

If there's no annual fee I wouldn't close it. Maybe use it every once in a while.

I would get someone on the phone and tell them with gas prices, a low $360 limit might start getting declined for gas authorizations.

I'd apply for a better card also.

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

IceNineIX — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 22:31:01 GMT

Wanting to get someone on the phone was the reason for my inquiry LOL. With Cap1 it's just not possible (recording flat out tells you live associates can't help with CL increases).

I have better cards, only ever used this one for Walmart shopping for the added rewards.

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

purebulldogs — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 22:41:20 GMT

@IceNineIX wrote:
Wanting to get someone on the phone was the reason for my inquiry LOL. With Cap1 it's just not possible (recording flat out tells you live associates can't help with CL increases).

I have better cards, only ever used this one for Walmart shopping for the added rewards.

That stinks. I wonder if you called and said cancel would it send you to a rep? Knowing capital one it would close the account without talking to anyone.

Maybe call regular customer service and tell you want to charge 1000, will it go through. If they say no, ask who to take to in order to make it happen.

If they don't budge I'd use another card for most of the spending.

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

UncleB — Sun, 10 Jul 2022 01:29:53 GMT

@purebulldogs wrote:
@IceNineIX wrote:
Wanting to get someone on the phone was the reason for my inquiry LOL. With Cap1 it's just not possible (recording flat out tells you live associates can't help with CL increases).

I have better cards, only ever used this one for Walmart shopping for the added rewards.
That stinks. I wonder if you called and said cancel would it send you to a rep? Knowing capital one it would close the account without talking to anyone.

Maybe call regular customer service and tell you want to charge 1000, will it go through. If they say no, ask who to take to in order to make it happen.

If they don't budge I'd use another card for most of the spending.

Capital One is known to be extremely efficient in closing accounts at the customer's request, often without CSR interaction. Best not to mess with that too much unless one is really sure they are OK with it being closed.

Computers and algorithms make nearly all decisions there; the reps genuinely can't do anything about CLIs... some of the best around here have tried (including all the backdoor/executive office numbers and emails). I'll never discourage someone from trying anyway since things can and do change, but success would be truly notable since it's been the same for literally years.

My own Savor card got slashed down to $1500 a couple of years ago, but it's an old card and how I use it that limit is fine, if a bit annoying. I know $300 isn't the same, but if the card is earning better rewards than you'd get on other cards there's no harm in using it.

Capital One CLIs tend to come in waves... for a while, I was getting an extra $1k on each of my cards whenever I asked, even with little usage. Right now that's not the case, and they've gone in the other direction of requiring significant usage before entertaining the idea of a CLI (anecdotally, anyway). It's possible in the coming months they'll loosen up again, so if it was me I'd probably see what happens. Of course if the low limit is truly a sore spot then simply closing it might be the best option.

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

OmarGB9 — Sun, 10 Jul 2022 04:57:37 GMT

@purebulldogs wrote:
@IceNineIX wrote:
Wanting to get someone on the phone was the reason for my inquiry LOL. With Cap1 it's just not possible (recording flat out tells you live associates can't help with CL increases).

I have better cards, only ever used this one for Walmart shopping for the added rewards.
That stinks. I wonder if you called and said cancel would it send you to a rep? Knowing capital one it would close the account without talking to anyone.

Maybe call regular customer service and tell you want to charge 1000, will it go through. If they say no, ask who to take to in order to make it happen.

If they don't budge I'd use another card for most of the spending.

CSRs just aren't empowered to do anything in regards to CLIs at Cap One.

And Cap One is also not Amex - they can't and won't adjust your "spending power" on the fly if you ask, and there's no one "to take it to in order to make it happen."

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

babygirl1256 — Sun, 10 Jul 2022 05:07:41 GMT

@IceNineIX Yep, just use it periodically and pay it off . . . I do the same thing with an old Chase Slate card from 2012 and the limit is still $300.00 but I refuse a hard pull credit inquiry. I applied for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and was instantly approved for $21.6k and I don't worry about the Slate card. Best wishes!!!

Re: How to Get a Human to View CL Increase Request (Cap1)

Zoostation1 — Sun, 10 Jul 2022 05:55:49 GMT

I had a general understanding of bucketing but that really helped crystalize some things. That being said, I do think it's still hard sometimes to figure out just what bucket a particular account is in at times. I've also heard (though I can't confirm) that specific buckets are not always locked in early on in the history of an account (meaning that accounts that appear to be in a low bucket can on occasion move out of that bucket but only if it happens within a window of time that is often unknown).