LendingTree -- shoot me now, I'm too stupid to live

[Anonymous]

I was bored; always a dangerous state of mind. I thought hey I had a good experience with LendingTree in the past, let's see if they have a pre-approval function. Highly doubtful I'll get approved, would be a miracle actually, since my scores are in the looooow 600s right now after a year of 5 major surgeries; all of my credit cards are maxed (but no lates), and I'm upside down on my car loan by quite a bit. A medical bill was put on my credit in error, and they only just took it off so it hasn't registered yet. But hey, I'm bored so let's look. I went to the site and clicked on "check rates" and started filling out info about my car.

My chrome browser is set to 125% zoom on my MacAir, so when it asked for my entire social security number (this is the part where you should point the gun at my head) I thought well, they have to get my permission before they can run my credit. I even clicked on the little "i" in the top of the screen, and it didn't say anything about a hard pull. So, ok, maybe this is how they check for pre-approvals (do you want to start shooting yet)? Suddenly my mailbox is clicking that my application is being reviewed by various lenders, and being turned down left and right (SHOCKER). I call LendingTree in a panic, get a polite man who transfers me to a manger when I ask. They both tell me there is a disclosure on the SSN screen. While I'm on the phone with the manager I go back through to get to the screen where it asks for my SSN. I exclaim "There is no disclosure! I'll send you a screen shot! I'll I'll....." and then I realize if I had scrolled down the page, out of my view because of the zoom on my browser, there is a half-page of disclosures including bold print regarding a hard pull (annnnnnnnd FIRE). So I start sobbing on the phone with the manager and she sends out emails to lenders but I'm sure the deed is done, and I just got 5 or 6 inquiries on my trying to get restored credit. 

Despite my mea culpa above, they should require you to check a box saying you know you're getting a hard pull. When I stop sobbing maybe I'll contact someone about that, but if they haven't done it so far I doubt there is any point. Anyone have any words of wisdom or commiseration? 

[Watchmann]

No commiseration from here.  Credit sites are not playgrounds, they are a business for companies that want to make money by providing credit services (credit scores, credit counseling, connecting borrowers and lenders, and actually providing credit, etc, etc).  Anytime a SSN is requested you need to stop and understand the consequences of providing it.  Providing a SSN is valid in obtaining your annual free credit report, but not valid on a site that is involved in lending unless you are actually looking for a loan.  What's done is done, you have hard pulls on your credit file.   Live and learn.

People on this site like to use credit issues as a form of entertainment, that can lead many into trouble.

[Anonymous]

Watchmann: You are everything that is wrong with community forums which purport to help people but are actually a forum for someone with nothing better to do (988 posts?) to act out their arrogance on others. My post used humor to explain a mistake that I had made; note that I admitted it was a mistake: even the title of my post mentions my stupidity.  I mentioned the five surgeries -- did I mention the cancer? No sir, I am not using a credit site as a "playground" -- I need to refinance my car so that I can afford groceries; the difference is that I knew that now would not be the time to apply. I couldn't work for 6 months this year and my credit cards are maxed; I am finally back to work and can start to look toward the future. I was seriously looking for a pre-qual; I made a mistake. I don't need you to scold me, and I certainly do not need to be patronized.  Who the hell do you think you are? It's a shame I may take this post down, since I might've actually heard from someone who had a suggestion on how to get the inquiries removed, instead of a pompous know-it-all speaking to me with disdain.

[Watchmann]

Don't ask for 'words of wisdom' then.  Of course you know you made a mistake.  My point is that you should not be putting in your SSN to check any sort of financial product.  My post did not come from arrogance, only from knowledge of how credit works.  Many companies exist to sell credit services, you have to be aware that nothing is free, there is no 'free lunch'.  Shake it off, you can't change what happened to you.  And that's my advice to you.

I stand by my comment, too many posters here use credit as an entertainment vehicle; trying to get as much CL as possible, juicing up the FICO score, more cards, etc.  It's fine as it goes, but it can boomerang on anybody and you see it all the time in posts where people have gotten into trouble.  I'm not sure what my 1,000 posts since 2008 has anything to do with it.  I was NOT saying you were using it as a playground, if you read that into it it was not intended to say that.

[Anonymous]

If you desire to take back your words, I'll let you. However, you specifically said playground and entertainment in response to my post. Now you've added juicing up FICO score and seeing how much credit people can get. All I was doing was seeing if I pre-qualified for a refinance on my auto loan. Cleary entering my SSN was a mistake, as I mentioned in my original post. The words of wisdom I was looking for were how to get the inquiries removed, or perhaps the fact that the inquiries won't make as much of an impact given they were all on the same day for an auto loan, something of which I've heard tell. Either way, this exchange with you has certainly not improved my day, let me tell you.

[Anonymous]

Me thinks he took out his frustration at others on you.

[StartingOver10]

OP, just so  you know, Lending Tree is not a lender at all but a lead generating type website for lenders.

I hope you were able to get the inq's stopped, but you really should check to see if more are coming because Lending Tree actually sends out the app to other lenders and each of those lenders pull their own inqs. 

I don't know if you can get the inqs removed at all. 

[Anonymous]

Thank you StartingOver for giving me something useful. Yes, I called LendingTree within a minute of entering my SSN when I realized they were actually reviewing my credit. I got a nice manager who listened to me sob, and then quickly started sending out emails to lenders to cancel the applications. I think she managed to stop a few inquiries; I got denials from three. I appreciate you responding with an actual attempt to help me it makes me feel a lot better.

[StartingOver10]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Thank you StartingOver for giving me something useful. Yes, I called LendingTree within a minute of entering my SSN when I realized they were actually reviewing my credit. I got a nice manager who listened to me sob, and then quickly started sending out emails to lenders to cancel the applications. I think she managed to stop a few inquiries; I got denials from three. I appreciate you responding with an actual attempt to help me it makes me feel a lot better.

---

Glad I could help, even though I don't know how to remove inq's. I think it is very, very hard to impossible to do. 

But we all live and learn from our mistakes. Do take the time to read these forums. One of the best places to refi your auto loan is at a credit union. DCU is one of the ones that is excellent as you will see with the many posts on here.  You need to have a score of 675 or higher to get the 1.99% rate and that is with a direct deposit. I think it is another half point if you don't direct deposit, but others will have more definitive info for you.  My daughter refi'ed her vehicle with DCU and it was quick and painless.

Wait until you get your utilization reduced so your score can reflect at least the 675. 

[KSK1912]

---

@StartingOver10 wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Thank you StartingOver for giving me something useful. Yes, I called LendingTree within a minute of entering my SSN when I realized they were actually reviewing my credit. I got a nice manager who listened to me sob, and then quickly started sending out emails to lenders to cancel the applications. I think she managed to stop a few inquiries; I got denials from three. I appreciate you responding with an actual attempt to help me it makes me feel a lot better.

---

Glad I could help, even though I don't know how to remove inq's. I think it is very, very hard to impossible to do. 

But we all live and learn from our mistakes. Do take the time to read these forums. One of the best places to refi your auto loan is at a credit union. DCU is one of the ones that is excellent as you will see with the many posts on here.  You need to have a score of 675 or higher to get the 1.99% rate and that is with a direct deposit. I think it is another half point if you don't direct deposit, but others will have more definitive info for you.  My daughter refi'ed her vehicle with DCU and it was quick and painless.

Wait until you get your utilization reduced so your score can reflect at least the 675. 

---

---

OP is right, exactly the same thing happened to me for a refinance as Lending tree made it look like "Checking for Rates" rather than an actual auto loaqn application. I know the OP said the disclaimer was out of his screen, but even if it was not, he would have a hard time seeing it because they keep it to very small, and minimal wording to get you. Right after i clicked next, within minutes i started getting text messages and emails from all 3 bureaus for new inq's. It could definitely have been made more clear that you are submitting an application.