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While I haven't gotten the denial letter from Synchrony yet, I think I have a better clue now as to why I was turned down - and why I shouldn't trust "FAKO" scores. I logged on to my Amazon card account just now to check the status of an outstanding charge, and on a whim decided to look at my FICO score (which, for Synchrony, is TU).
My FICO TU score as of 3/6 was 630. My "Vantage 8" score as shown on my Capital One account and CK reports 676 for TU.
That screen was empty for some reason when I attempted the CLI; if it'd been displaying that information, I'd have thought twice before asking for a CLI, particularly for as much as I did ($6K). It's quite weird, though, because my current EX FICO as reported by Discover in my welcome package is 660 and my EQ FICO was 690 last month when I got my car loan. I think my TU score was driven down by recent inquiries and new accounts, but (fingers crossed) it'll rebound and get back in line with EQ and EX within a few months once the accounts begin to age.
Well, lesson learned!
I got the letter today - well,two of them in fact, one from when I tried the CLI button and the other from my call to Credit Solutions.The reasons given were the same in both cases:
serious delinquency and public record or collection filed (this likely refers to my 2011 homeowners' association fee civil judgment; it's irksome that that still dogs me nearly six years after it was entered and three and a half years after it was satisfied);
number of accounts with delinquency (the HOA fees and my student loan; though the latter account hasn't been delinquent for at least three years now);
too few accounts currently paid as agreed (in other words, too few accounts, period, since I'm paying all the accounts I currently have as agreed; the problem is that TransUnion apparently won't record my Penfed car loan until I start paying on April 16th, and I haven't even started using my Discover card yet);
too many accounts with balances (OK, to me this last reason is just ridiculous. High balances I could understand, but just "balances"?)
Also, the TU score reported on the account website isn't even correct; it showed as 630 as of 3/6 online, but in the second letter it says 627 as of 3/27.
Pfffffft. Nothing for it but to garden for the next few months.
I applied for the Amazon store card and was approved for $1,400. I chatted with a representative and asked to increase my limit to $5,000. Instantly approved it which I'm very happy about