topic Re: Always a bridesmaid.... in General Credit Topics

Always a bridesmaid....

northway — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 01:50:23 GMT

I'm not sure if it's just me or what's going on, but I never get pre-approval mailers and from checking on my credit reports, I rarely see any soft pulls that I didn't initiate in one way or another. In the last 5 years, I can count on one hand the number of times I got any type of mailer, and they were always "invited to apply" and never any type of pre-approval or pre-screening.

Even the credit unions I'm a member of that supposedly do quarterly reviews to see if they will provide an offer (like Redstone) never actually do and I've never seen a soft pull at all.

I don't exactly need any more cards, but it just seems absolutely bonkers when I see other people in my building getting bombarded with them day in, day out. I've even tried making sure I've opted into the pre-screening website. Anyone else in this situation?

Re: Always a bridesmaid....

CreditCuriosity — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 02:28:01 GMT

Don't get a lot either despite scores in the 800's and all the other good factors. Likely it is your available credit like myself.

Re: Always a bridesmaid....

GZG — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 03:59:28 GMT

reports frozen?

Re: Always a bridesmaid....

northway — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 04:24:21 GMT

@GZG wrote:
reports frozen?

Not for the last few months. But either way, that shouldn't stop any lenders I have an existing relationship with.

Re: Always a bridesmaid....

Rogue46 — Sat, 04 Nov 2023 14:12:09 GMT

I'm with you there, The only mailers I ever get are crappy high interest pre-approvals from predatory lenders

Re: Always a bridesmaid....

Junejer — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 23:36:23 GMT

I don't get very much anymore either. For the first time ever, I got some in the pre-approved section on Chase. There wasn't anything I wanted and they went away. Haven't seen anything there since (or before that lone segment of time).

Re: Always a bridesmaid....

Blender — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 00:34:24 GMT

Thought it was just me. I''ve even opted in multiple times now. I have baddies tho, so Im not all that surprised.

Re: Always a bridesmaid....

Anonymalous — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 01:12:26 GMT

I've gotten just over 40 mailers since I became scorable, in 2021. The first batch were all subprime, but after about a year I started getting mailers from some of the big CC lenders, though APRs were on the high end of the public range. Over time, the APRs dropped (my scores if anything were getting worse), and I started getting some offers that were slightly better than the public offers. The last offer I received is three separate mailings for the Chase Sapphire Preferred, with an elevated offer.

Re: Always a bridesmaid....

MikeyMagic — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 06:50:39 GMT

@northway wrote:
@GZG wrote:
reports frozen?
Not for the last few months. But either way, that shouldn't stop any lenders I have an existing relationship with.

Hi, I really don't know the answer to this question but I'd like to ask you.

Don't you think that the fact that you have 42 credit cards(which has to be way more than the vast majority of cardholders anywhere I would think) would probably dissuade companies from thinking you'd really be interested in another card?

Maybe I'm wrong in that line of thinking but 42 cards is just a crazy amount to me. I would have to think that is playing a decent factor in why you aren't getting those mailers you mentioned. But hey I'm new at all this so maybe I'm wrong.

Re: Always a bridesmaid....

MrSmooth — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 23:32:53 GMT

I get plenty of those. It is nice to tear up insulting offers that I once craved.

Re: Always a bridesmaid....

markbeiser — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 01:56:00 GMT

@MrSmooth wrote:
I get plenty of those. It is nice to tear up insulting offers that I once craved.

If they come with a postage paid return envelope, stuff everything else that came in the envelope addressed to you, including the envelope, into the prepaid one, and mail it back to them so they have to pay the postage!

Re: Always a bridesmaid....

MrSmooth — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 12:26:35 GMT

@markbeiser wrote:
If they come with a postage paid return envelope, stuff everything else that came in the envelope addressed to you, including the envelope, into the prepaid one, and mail it back to them so they have to pay the postage!

I once read about a gentleman who had gotten so irritated with one company that he wrapped up a brick in brown packaging paper and attached that company's postage paid envelope. He never heard from that company again.

Re: Always a bridesmaid....

markbeiser — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 14:28:18 GMT

@MrSmooth wrote:
I once read about a gentleman who had gotten so irritated with one company that he wrapped up a brick in brown packaging paper and attached that company's postage paid envelope. He never heard from that company again.

I've thrown randome flat bits of metal in the envelopes before.
I do HVAC/R work, so usually have plenty of spare metal bits available.

Re: Always a bridesmaid....

Horseshoez — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 14:51:05 GMT

@northway wrote:
@GZG wrote:
reports frozen?
Not for the last few months. But either way, that shouldn't stop any lenders I have an existing relationship with.

This may explain the lack of some offers...

After my Chapter 13 was discharged I received mailers nearly daily, at the same time I discovered this site and started getting edu-ma-kated on credit, this in turn led me to freeze all three of my reports. Within two or three months the offers completely dried up and I haven't seen a single one in the mail since, and that has been over three years now. Funny thing though, I do see a few soft pulls from current lenders and a few more from places like the following:

LendingClub Corp
RateGenius Loan Services
Equifax Consumer Services
DealerTrack, Inc. (about the time I bought my new Tacoma)
Priority Lending
The Travelers Companies
Amica Insurance

All this is to suggest, if you leave your reports unfrozen for a few more months, the offers might start ticking up.

Re: Always a bridesmaid....

Dr_0Kewl — Sat, 06 Jan 2024 04:21:18 GMT

@Horseshoez wrote:
@northway wrote:
@GZG wrote:
reports frozen?
Not for the last few months. But either way, that shouldn't stop any lenders I have an existing relationship with.
This may explain the lack of some offers...

After my Chapter 13 was discharged I received mailers nearly daily, at the same time I discovered this site and started getting edu-ma-kated on credit, this in turn led me to freeze all three of my reports. Within two or three months the offers completely dried up and I haven't seen a single one in the mail since, and that has been over three years now. Funny thing though, I do see a few soft pulls from current lenders and a few more from places like the following:
LendingClub Corp
RateGenius Loan Services
Equifax Consumer Services
DealerTrack, Inc. (about the time I bought my new Tacoma)
Priority Lending
The Travelers Companies
Amica Insurance
All this is to suggest, if you leave your reports unfrozen for a few more months, the offers might start ticking up.

Same experience here. I have had all 3 bureaus frozen for years now and I rarely get any pre-approvals / solicitations. When I use to have it unfrozen and even going through the "Opt Out" request, I still got bombarded. I also notice many existing creditors state they cannot do soft pulls while my reports are frozen. I end up having to unlock for them to do a soft pull and then I re-lock shortly after. Unfreezing for a few months as noted may do the trick!