topic Re: Fraud Alert Shopping Trick Question in Credit Cards

Fraud Alert Shopping Trick Question

QAMngrGirl — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 06:41:56 GMT

Anyone happen to know if the fraud alert on my CR will prevent the Shopping cart trick from happening? I think it will but I am curious if anyone with experience has an answer?

Re: Fraud Alert Shopping Trick Question

Burned2manybridgesB4 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:43:21 GMT

Computer generated inquires/analysis are usually 99.9% rejected automatically after softing.

Re: Fraud Alert Shopping Trick Question

SnackTrader — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 18:23:21 GMT

@Burned2manybridgesB4 wrote:
Computer generated inquires/analysis are usually 99.9% rejected automatically after softing.

What does that even mean?

Could you explain with different wording please?

Re: Fraud Alert Shopping Trick Question

QAMngrGirl — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 19:46:25 GMT

@SnackTrader wrote:
@Burned2manybridgesB4 wrote:
Computer generated inquires/analysis are usually 99.9% rejected automatically after softing.
What does that even mean?

Could you explain with different wording please?

yes, this please

Re: Fraud Alert Shopping Trick Question

injustifiiable — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:28:09 GMT

I think the short answer is basically no...ha.

Re: Fraud Alert Shopping Trick Question

ajh5408 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 21:14:29 GMT

No, it shouldn't -- Unlike a freeze, a fraud alert doesn't prevent creditors from performing hard or soft pulls.

It is highly unlikely that a soft pull on your credit report which would otherwise result in a preapproval offer would be automatically filtered due to the alert. At best, they would contact you to verify your request for a card after the application was already submitted.

Re: Fraud Alert Shopping Trick Question

TiggerDat — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 08:30:43 GMT

@QAMngrGirl wrote:
Anyone happen to know if the fraud alert on my CR will prevent the Shopping cart trick from happening? I think it will but I am curious if anyone with experience has an answer?

I think the shopping cart trick works if you already have another account with them! They match your name and address with what they already have on file.

You mean the aspect of going to Gap online and buying something and being offered a Gap card, right? (If not Gap, fill in name of other store.) From what I have read it is usually posted by people who already have accounts with the same company. (I don't remember if it is GE or Comenity, but I do remember that all posts that I have read about it were from customers of the bank already.)

I here it works for Comenity if you enroll in the MyPoints program and you already have a credit card with them. It hasn't happened with me yet, but I just signed up for MyPoints with them. I did read for that, that it takes some time. It might actually take making a purchase through the site, which I have yet to do.

Re: Fraud Alert Shopping Trick Question

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 08:35:41 GMT

@bernhardtra wrote:
@QAMngrGirl wrote:
Anyone happen to know if the fraud alert on my CR will prevent the Shopping cart trick from happening? I think it will but I am curious if anyone with experience has an answer?
I think the shopping cart trick works if you already have another account with them! They match your name and address with what they already have on file.

You mean the aspect of going to Gap online and buying something and being offered a Gap card, right? (If not Gap, fill in name of other store.) From what I have read it is usually posted by people who already have accounts with the same company. (I don't remember if it is GE or Comenity, but I do remember that all posts that I have read about it were from customers of the bank already.)

I here it works for Comenity if you enroll in the MyPoints program and you already have a credit card with them. It hasn't happened with me yet, but I just signed up for MyPoints with them. I did read for that, that it takes some time. It might actually take making a purchase through the site, which I have yet to do.

I just did it with VS I have no accounts with Comenity or WFNB. I tried with some of the other stores (Abercrombie and Express) the same night and no joy. So, I have no idea how it works. Maybe that's why it's called a trick!

Re: Fraud Alert Shopping Trick Question

TiggerDat — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 08:43:47 GMT

Hmm, that's interesting. Well I guess they have another way of doing it. I just always assumed if you weren't a customer then you would simply have to apply normally.

Re: Fraud Alert Shopping Trick Question

injustifiiable — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 22:50:42 GMT

@bernhardtra wrote:
@QAMngrGirl wrote:
Anyone happen to know if the fraud alert on my CR will prevent the Shopping cart trick from happening? I think it will but I am curious if anyone with experience has an answer?
I think the shopping cart trick works if you already have another account with them! They match your name and address with what they already have on file.

You mean the aspect of going to Gap online and buying something and being offered a Gap card, right? (If not Gap, fill in name of other store.) From what I have read it is usually posted by people who already have accounts with the same company. (I don't remember if it is GE or Comenity, but I do remember that all posts that I have read about it were from customers of the bank already.)

I here it works for Comenity if you enroll in the MyPoints program and you already have a credit card with them. It hasn't happened with me yet, but I just signed up for MyPoints with them. I did read for that, that it takes some time. It might actually take making a purchase through the site, which I have yet to do.

I don't know...I got my Express pre-approval when having no other accounts with WFNNB...You DO have to create an "account" with the merchant, where it matches up your info. You'd definitely have to do that first.

It does seem like once you have an account with WFNNB, they will pre-approve you all over the place. That happened with me...I picked up $2K worth of credit with them in less than a month.

Re: Fraud Alert Shopping Trick Question

Give_Me_Credit_Please — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 23:08:40 GMT

I tried VS for the first time and got a pre-approval $1000 right away and I dont have any account with that bank anywhere! I tried again with Express, Buckle, Abercrombie and not luck!! I don't know exactly how it works but I believe it only works a couble of times on the same computer. I believe that once you go to that site, it remembers your IP address on your computer and it will only give you so much pre-approval on that computer, the computer remembers you and knows that your trying , If you use another computer so the site won't remmeber your IP address, then it would be a greater possibility that it will work again. That's just what I heard from an IT guy not sure if it's true or not but I'm certainly gonna try.

Re: Fraud Alert Shopping Trick Question

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 23:15:23 GMT

@Give_Me_Credit_Please wrote:
I tried VS for the first time and got a pre-approval $1000 right away and I dont have any account with that bank anywhere! I tried again with Express, Buckle, Abercrombie and not luck!! I don't know exactly how it works but I believe it only works a couble of times on the same computer. I believe that once you go to that site, it remembers your IP address on your computer and it will only give you so much pre-approval on that computer, the computer remembers you and knows that your trying , If you use another computer so the site won't remmeber your IP address, then it would be a greater possibility that it will work again. That's just what I heard from an IT guy not sure if it's true or not but I'm certainly gonna try.

Interesting. Post back your results if you don't mind.

Re: Fraud Alert Shopping Trick Question

Burned2manybridgesB4 — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 02:06:54 GMT

Ok, for OP...

When you place a FA on your TU,EQ, and EX, your info is removed from the data lists sold to potential future OC's, and such, which pretty much knocks you out of the ballpark for an instant online approval. You'll still be able to get credit, but you'll have identity proof burden, and a "manual" approval from a live person, which most don't like to do, so the computer "skips on by," more often than not. If it's a bank you already do business with, then they'll just do the simple call/email to verify, but if it's someone you don't do business with, and are trying the card match links on Cap,Amex,Citi, etc...etc... are they working for you?

I'm just typing what I've experienced, as I am running a FA on all. YMMV...

Re: Fraud Alert Shopping Trick Question

QAMngrGirl — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:02:58 GMT

When I placed the fraud alert with TU, I received a confirmation email that stated 1. They will notify the other 2 CRA's of the alert (which I believe they have to anyways, but ok), and 2. They have automatically opted me out of prescreened offers/mailings/etc.

The alert is on all 3 of my reports until April by default (which is fine, I have no plans for credit for well over that time frame. I opted myself back in through the opt in website (posted in the forum in several places), so I know it takes time to get new offerings based on the opt out/out in timing.

No card match/pre-select-pre-approved links have worked for my existing relationships (Bofa, CapOne, Discover, etc.)

I was pre-approved for Vic's Secret (via shopping cart) shortly before the alert was placed, but not one other Comenity store pre-approval (I have tried several) since, so I didn't know if the fraud could be part of the isse.

Thanks for all the replies!