Chase isn't friendly when it comes to baddies... that's common knowledge.
I've never had a Chase card in my life and am still not applying with them until the Ch 13 public record and related accounts fall off next year. Too many other lenders out there that aren't as easily spooked by something 5+ years old.
@Shaolin wrote:Hello,
I’m new to myFico and this is my first post or reply. I do believe that my story will help:
I re-conned 3 times for the Chase Sapphire preferred card on May 12 2022...Prior to this, I apped & re-conned once for the Chase United card in March.
So, on March 8th, I applied and was given the 30-day notice. According to the info on this site I had the option of calling the recon number for Chase. I called the application number found on this site & the robo lady told me my application was under review and I would be notified in 30 days. I pressed "0" to speak to a representative who told me they had to verify my identity due to a fraud alert on my Experian report. After calling me back from the other line to verify, the rep told me I would be notified in 1-2 weeks. I waited 6 days and called the recon number on my birthday March 14th. The rep verified my name, SS number and D/O/B. He realized it was my birthday and wished me a HBD while obviously chuckling. He then asked me why I was applying for the United Card. I told him that I wanted to fund the family vacation for myself, my wife, my son and in-laws were going on. The kind younger rep placed me on hold and came back with an approval of $10,100. I was very pleased because I had just come out of the garden and was ready to start planting in the flower bed again!!
Feeling lucky & daring I apped the next day for Apple Card (Transunion pull) JetBlue (Equifax pull) & Discover it Miles (Experian pull) ...verified my identity with all 3 and was off to the races with $8500 SL and $5500 SL and $2500 respectively. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate and it started raining on my parade when yes, another "App Attack" occurred...resulting in a US Bank Altitude Connect Card with a malnourished SL of $500... but from what I've read, getting in the door is the important part. Maybe I should have waited but who knows.... the myFICO family suggests that CLI's are most assuredly in the future with responsible credit habits.
Couldn't leave well enough alone you ask? You are correct...With such a weak spending Limit from US Bank, I made a 2nd run at Chase on May 12th as stated above. Man, I got spanked. I apped from within the Chase app since I had the Chase United account already and received the 1-2-week message. So, I thought maybe I can squeeze in the side door unnoticed from March. WRONG! My gluttony got the best of me and called the recon number on May 19th. I asked politely if someone would be willing to give my application a manual review thinking I could pull it off again. The rep was more than happy to do it. She asked me a few questions about my recent requests for credit and I only admitted to the existing Chase United because she sounded like she wanted to just approve it on the spot. However, she came back and said that she had to pass it along for a higher authority to decide but did inform me that she was recommending me for an approval. I took that as a positive step in the right direction and my application remained at the 1-2-week notification step. Well on May 30th I checked the Robo Lady and she was stuck on the 1-2-week message. My feeling that a 2nd Chase Hard pull on Experian had to result in a win so I laced up my boots for another round in the boxing ring and pressed "0" to speak to UW for a manual review. This time it was a Saturday and I hoped I'd get a rep that just felt the Saturday vibe. The UW rep asked me a barrage of questions which I should have been prepared for but wasn't. She asked why I opened so many accounts in such a short period of time? My response was that I needed a computer for work, (Apple) wanted to book a vacation (Chase) and did a balance transfer (Discover to utilize the 0% balance transfer offer.) Solid answers but I was fumbling my words and had no cadence. I felt as though the guilt of my greed was blaring in the background like a disturbing noise. She put me on hold several times, one of which was to ask permission to pull Transunion only to return with "Unfortunately after further review we are unable to approve your application at this time." The 1-2-week Robo Lady message changed back to 30 days. I was kicking myself because I knew I was greedy, but maybe I should have let nature take its course the 1-2-week message would have turned into an approval.
On June 7th I was walking my dog with my air pod in my ear listening to music. I heard the word sapphire in a song and I immediately pulled out my phone to dial in (which at this point I actually stored the Chase Recon number in my contacts.) So, I call in get UW on the line and I took the bull by the horns. As soon as I detected the "youth and kindness" in the voice of the rep I never stopped talking (while thinking in the back of my mind, "Man, I wish I could get that rep I had back on my birthday.") I explained upfront every question I knew he would ask based on the previous 2 denials. This time I was convincing. I explained yes, although I opened these accounts for specific purposes, my HEART was with the ECOSYSTEM OF CHASE. I welcomed him to verify the checking account with direct deposit I just opened the day before with CHASE. I explained to him that when the mortgage rates come down I am looking to refinance my loan through CHASE. Even my son’s bank account with my credit union was in the process of migrating over to CHASE because that’s how much I believed in the ECOSYSTEM of CHASE. I used that word repeatedly but not obnoxiously (as he chuckled) at which point I realized the seemingly impossible. I am 99% certain that I had the SAME UW FROM MY BIRTHDAY!! He placed me on hold, asked me if he could view my Equifax (which was my strongest score) so of course I said yes. 3 hard pulls later, (one of each bureau) and…. APPROVED $5,000. It’s not the 20k and 30k some boast about but I am relentless when I’m in pursuit of something. I never give and nor should you! I will never go this crazy again, because I’m 6 new accounts deep in a 4-month time frame. Back into the garden with much learned about the reconsideration process and a glimpse into the inner working of the underwriting world.
Good Luck to all with your Recon Strategies. I hope my story helps someone.
Congrats on all of your approvals and getting denials overturned, but recons are very much YMMV, and I feel like you happened to get quite lucky. Also, did you have repos/public records on your reports like OP? Because that makes a huge difference.
