CC APP while using VPN

[cem13]

I applied for 2 US Bank CC (State Farm and Rewards).  I was using a VPN routed through Buffalo, I live in Detroit.  I thawed my CR, applied and received the 7-10 day notice.  I thought "well sh!te". My 3 FICOS are over 845 with no mortgage and 2 car loans.  "How can I be denied even a measley $10,000 CL". 

I plan to retire tomorrow so I wanted to do an app spree while I still can claim to have a job "today".  Others have used this little hack before they retire.

Well today they sent me a text asking me to call the "855" phone number.  I seached this board first to confirm the number and it was indeed US Bank.  She asked me a few security questions and told me my app was on hold because my IP address showed up in Buffalo not Detroit.

After I told her I used a VPN she asked me another few questions and told me she would finish the processing and "it looked good" (whatever that means). 

So word of caution.  Please disable your VPN when applying for CC with US Bank.  I wonder if others use this technology as well.  I will post my results when I receive word.

[dfwxjer]

I had the same thing come up when I applied for the CSR last year. Good piece of advice. 

[Meanmchine]

Thanks for the heads up

[indiolatino61]

---

@cem13 wrote:

I applied for 2 US Bank CC (State Farm and Rewards).  I was using a VPN routed through Buffalo, I live in Detroit.  I thawed my CR, applied and received the 7-10 day notice.  I thought "well sh!te". My 3 FICOS are over 845 with no mortgage and 2 car loans.  "How can I be denied even a measley $10,000 CL". 

I plan to retire tomorrow so I wanted to do an app spree while I still can claim to have a job "today".  Others have used this little hack before they retire.

Well today they sent me a text asking me to call the "855" phone number.  I seached this board first to confirm the number and it was indeed US Bank.  She asked me a few security questions and told me my app was on hold because my IP address showed up in Buffalo not Detroit.

After I told her I used a VPN she asked me another few questions and told me she would finish the processing and "it looked good" (whatever that means). 

So word of caution.  Please disable your VPN when applying for CC with US Bank.  I wonder if others use this technology as well.  I will post my results when I receive word.

---

[coldfusion]

It isn't just US Bank,  nowadays many of the larger banks/credit unions or smaller ones that use one of the FDIC/NCUA vetted 3rd party services use geolocation tracking to compare your apparent approximate location with your legal address.  If the distances are too far apart as an anti-fraud measure the application is either outright refused (I know BBVA used to this),   denied, or referred for manual processing.  If you're using a traditional VPN or a zero trust product like a Netskope orZscalar this is a known risk.  It can also happen if you're using your work computer out of an office where network traffic is backhauled over an internal network to a more central location to connect to the Internet.

[TJHunt]

older post i know, but just FYI is EXTREMELY easy to see someone is using a VPN based on their IP. Its called an ASN and or Host lookup. A lot of systems do this automatically. Specifically streaming services.