2 Issues. Denied & can not access my credit report. No score w/ Experian due to 6 mo no reporting

[Anonymous]

New member here and want to thank you all in advance for help and guidance.  

Two issues I am seeking guidance/advice with:

A. Denied credit card application

B.  No score with Experian

A quick cliff notes version of the last few years:

1.  No debt for the last 7 years.  Paid cash for previous home that we purchased to flip and did so. Cash for vehicles, medical, ect.   

2.  Own both vehicles and both motorcyles.

3.  Own a property out of state that is rented.

4.  Wife and I rent and live downtown to make life easy so we can travel (well did prior to pandemic) and enjoy the area where we live (live music, ect).   So no mortgage.

5.  Wife has our only CC in her name, Chase Sapphire Reserve, we use to travel and accrue points.  I am a authorized user.   We pay that card off each month.  Her scores are all 780+.   $27,500 limit on that card. 

We/I have not needed credit for the last 7+ years.   On my end I closed all accounts in my name.  Last one was a Delta Am Ex that was in my name.   Now realizing that was a bad idea.    

Here is my issue.  I applied for a Capitol One card and was denied.   Reason was "Based on your credit report from one or more of the agencies on the back of this letter, credit bureau information is missing or unavailable."  Spent the day yesterday on and off the phone with all three credit reporting agencies.   No freeze or lock on my reports.  Capitol One can not give me a "specific" reason why.  Spent at least an hour and a half on the phone with a number of people from Capitol One.    Capitol One supervisor did say the reason is because they can not access one or more of my report(s) but can not see which.  That is the best explanation as of today I can get.

We use Credit Karma.   No freeze on their end... availabe for Trans Union and Equifax.   

We also use Mint to track our budget.   Contacted them and they say they do not offer freeze as a security measure.  So should be clear there.  

Second issue I uncovered in all of this is that I have no score with Experian due to no reports being made to them.  No info in 6 months or more they can not issue a score.   Score is currenty 683 best I can tell with them via Credit Karma.   Other two agencies (Equifax & Trans Union) look to be 720+.    My assumption is there is nothing to report as I have no debt or accounts that would be reported to them.  

Reaon for appying with Capitol One is my scores have slowly decreased over the last 6 months or so.   Credit history seems to be the reason and I just waited to long to apply for a card so that each agency is getting something reported to them.    Prior to closing accounts my scores were also in the 780+ range.   No charge offs, no overdue accounts, one payment on sons car loan years ago when we transfered banks and there was an autopayment issue when we moved from NC to TX and changed banks.  

Looking for next steps to take to attempt to start resolving both issues. 

Thank you in advance for any and all assistance.

[Anonymous]

Two issues I am seeking guidance/advice with:

A. Denied credit card application

B.  No score with Experian

A quick cliff notes version of the last few years:

1.  No debt for the last 7 years.  Paid cash for previous home that we purchased to flip and did so. Cash for vehicles, medical, ect.   

2.  Own both vehicles and both motorcyles.

3.  Own a property out of state that is rented.

4.  Wife and I rent and live downtown to make life easy so we can travel (well did prior to pandemic) and enjoy the area where we live (live music, ect).   So no mortgage.

5.  Wife has our only CC in her name, Chase Sapphire Reserve, we use to travel and accrue points.  I am a authorized user.   We pay that card off each month.  Her scores are all 780+.   $27,500 limit on that card. 

We/I have not needed credit for the last 7+ years.   On my end I closed all accounts in my name.  Last one was a Delta Am Ex that was in my name.   Now realizing that was a bad idea.    

Here is my issue.  I applied for a Capitol One card and was denied.   Reason was "Based on your credit report from one or more of the agencies on the back of this letter, credit bureau information is missing or unavailable."  Spent the day yesterday on and off the phone with all three credit reporting agencies.   No freeze or lock on my reports.  Capitol One can not give me a "specific" reason why.  Spent at least an hour and a half on the phone with a number of people from Capitol One.    Capitol One supervisor did say the reason is because they can not access one or more of my report(s) but can not see which.  That is the best explanation as of today I can get.

We use Credit Karma.   No freeze on their end... availabe for Trans Union and Equifax.   

We also use Mint to track our budget.   Contacted them and they say they do not offer freeze as a security measure.  So should be clear there.  

Second issue I uncovered in all of this is that I have no score with Experian due to no reports being made to them.  No info in 6 months or more they can not issue a score.   Score is currenty 683 best I can tell with them via Credit Karma.   Other two agencies (Equifax & Trans Union) look to be 720+.    My assumption is there is nothing to report as I have no debt or accounts that would be reported to them.  

Reaon for appying with Capitol One is my scores have slowly decreased over the last 6 months or so.   Credit history seems to be the reason and I just waited to long to apply for a card so that each agency is getting something reported to them.    Prior to closing accounts my scores were also in the 780+ range.   No charge offs, no overdue accounts, one payment on sons car loan years ago when we transfered banks and there was an autopayment issue when we moved from NC to TX and changed banks.  

Looking for next steps to take to attempt to start resolving both issues. 

Thank you in advance for any and all assistance.

[coldfusion]

I suggest you start off from the bottom and working up by going to https://www.annualcreditreport.com and trying to request online copies of your credit reports from all 3 major CRAs.  If you cannot obtain one by going through that online portal to to that CRA's website and look for the procedure to follow to request a copy of your report from them in writing.   Your wife should probably do the same so she can also confirm that as a cardholder her CSR is being reported correctly.  At this point at a mininum you should have 2 reports showing a hard pull from Capital One, if you have been an AU for at least 6 months that should be reporting as well.

Might as well also request a copy of your LexisNexis consumer disclosure report from https://consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com/consumer while you're at it.

[dogmeat]

First you say no score with Equifax, then you say no score with Experian, but then you supply a score (guess?) from them. I'm confused. Was there a typo? 

Starting at the bottom as suggested above is a great idea.

In addition, Capitol One is notorious for 'triple pulling' - 3 HPs - one from each of the CBs.  You might have a better chance of successfully applying for a CC that only pulls from a CB that you do have a score with, If there is one, while you work out the issue with the other CB(s).

[Anonymous]

Coldfusion and Dogmeat thank you for your advice.

Coldfusion will work to pull all of that together for my wife and I and report back.

Dogmeat it was a typo.  Have corrected my post.. .my no score is with Experian.   Credit Karma still reports a score for Experian which is where I got the 683 number.   Sorry for the confusion.   

[Anonymous]

Wife called Chase, I am a AU.  That does not get reported.  Chase does not allow co-account holders.

That card was opened in May 18.  Does not show on my reports.  

[HeavenOhio]

Welcome, @Anonymous.

Credit Karma doesn't give you an Experian report. Could you provide a brief description of what appears on your TransUnion and Equifax reports? Those are the two reports provided by Karma.

I'll second the motion to grab your three reports from annualcreditreport.com. Because of the pandemic, you can grab your "annual" reports on a weekly basis through sometime in April.

[Anonymous]

@HeavenOhio

I have credit reports ordered from all 3 on the way.   Also Lexis Nexis report on the way as well.  

When I applied for the Capitol One card I also applied for an Am Ex.   Waiting on Am. Ex letter to see "why" I was denied.   The Capitol One denial letter I was able to look at online.   Am Ex will not allow me to access the letter online.  

Looked at Credit Karma this evening:

Trans Union current score 640.   Under the "see what changed" it shows two pulls in which I applied for two cards last week.  One from Am. Ex and also the Capitol One I mentioned.  Was a drop of 92 points on Feb 3.   Last score report was 1/31 and no changes to my scores.  

1. Payment history-100%

2.  Credit Card Utilization- No Data

3.  Age of credit history- 6 years 1 mo

4.  Derogatory- 0

4. Total Accts-12

5.  Hard Inquiries-3  (3 rd is a homeloan when from December as we were going to buy a piece of property)

Equifax score is 745

1. Payment history-100%

2.  Credit Card Utilization- 0%

3.  Derogatory marks- 0

4.  Age of credit history- 2 years 9 mo

5. Total Accts-14

6.  Hard Inquiries-2  (Am Ex. Does not show)

Thanks again for your help and guidance.   

[Harvey26]

@Anonymous  Where you also denied by AMEX? If so I would look at people who pull EQ i.e  BB&T , Suntrust, Penfed Credit Union or maybe even your local CU could help you get a credit card with decent rewards with providing POI. Discover prequal also might produce something. Not sure who you current bank is but maybe even check with them and see what they could do to help you restart your credit profile. Not sure why Chase isnt reporting you as AU that sounds pretty weird to me. Also if BB&T is in your geo area they have a prequal on their website if you are preapproved it will be a SP to open the account. You could also try opening a joint credit card with your wife I know Suntrust will allow this PNC will also not sure of who is.  Best of luck let us know your updates! 

[randomguy1]

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@Harvey26 wrote:

@Anonymous  Where you also denied by AMEX? If so I would look at people who pull EQ i.e  BB&T , Suntrust, Penfed Credit Union or maybe even your local CU could help you get a credit card with decent rewards with providing POI. Discover prequal also might produce something. Not sure who you current bank is but maybe even check with them and see what they could do to help you restart your credit profile. Not sure why Chase isnt reporting you as AU that sounds pretty weird to me. Also if BB&T is in your geo area they have a prequal on their website if you are preapproved it will be a SP to open the account. You could also try opening a joint credit card with your wife I know Suntrust will allow this PNC will also not sure of who is.  Best of luck let us know your updates! 

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Harvey might be on the right track. Perhaps try applying to an issuer who does not pull Experian but do report to all the bureaus.

Barclays\Alliant = TU

PenFed = EQ

Apple = TU

etc..

Have you checked Discover for a prequal? 

Lastly, I would suggest signing up for Experian and their free trial. You can cancel anytime in the 7 days (it's actually 10 but cancel early so you don't get charged if you do not want the pay for the service) and can pull all of your FICO scores and get your reports. Credit Karma uses Vantage scores which not too  many lenders use. With that, come back and report what your scores and what is surpressing your scores. It could just be Vantage scores are wonky but 654 is usually indicative of something else. 

[Anonymous]

Assuming Credit Karma is accurate...... went from 732 on 1/31 to 640 on 2/3.  Only thing that changes was on that report is 2 hard pulls from Capitol One and Am Ex.    

Did the Discover soft pull prequal form only offer is prepaid.   If that is my best option can easily go that route.  

I don't need a credit card to use.  Only way I will actually use it and/or carry a small balance is that is what is needed to help my score.

In my future only time I will need credit is a home/property mortgage/loan.   

My goal with all of this is to try and rebuild my credit so if/when I need it I am in good shape.  

Going to start a separate thread for my wife.  She was consistently above 800.... closing the Delta Am Ex hit her as well.    She stays in the high 700's.

We have ordered her reports as well.  Once we have all of them will ask for advice and guidance to get her increase her scores.