Is Pre-qualiy Mailing Meaningless or... (?)

[kah-pas]

Citi sent me a pre-qualy letter for the Diamond Preferred card. 0% Intro APR for 18 months, just what I want. I think I'd like to have that card. It has the  "invitation number" and fixed APR after 18 months stated on the letter but I do not know should I apply?

(for years I have been opted-out for I was travelling the world and have no clue how that pre-qualy game is being played nowadays)

My scores:
-- 761 Experian FICO 8 since March 18th, 2019
-- AAOA 1 year 4 months
-- oldest account 2 years 8 months
-- 4 credit cards, 1 personal loan is all I have on the CR
-- 100% payment history
-- 2 hard inquires (November 2017, plus one "Misc." the apartment rental company pulled)
-- and therefore a new personal loan from November 2018 and a CC from December 2018
-- no deragatories
-- I have two new business credit cards but would not like to mingle private exepenses with the business credit.

[Anonymous]

Citi is known for pulling either EX or EQ majority of the time. It looks like you have a solid offer and your profile supports it.  I think you have a really strong chance of getting that approval should you decide to go for it.

[Anonymous]

That sounds like a solid offer. If thats a card that you want, I would absolutely say pull the trigger. Looks like your profile supports what they're looking for. 

[Caardvark]

It definitely seems solid but did you try the Citi prequalification site? Since it is only an SP, I'd do that. Those are very solid 

[FinStar]

Does the envelope or mailer state "pre-selected", "invitation to apply" or "pre-qualified" OP? There can be differences on the targeted promotion outcomes. All of these offers will have an invitation code.

Also, as suggested upthread, the online pre-qualification tool can also serve as a barometer on those chances. Just keep in mind that even any of these offers are still subject to credit approval.

[kah-pas]

It's a "pre-selected" offer. But when I went to the pre-qualified card offers, as you guys suggested, on the Citi's website the message I got was "we couldn't match your records to a Pre-Qualified credit card offer."

[pinkandgrey]

Sounds like a real offer. If you want the card, go for it! In my experience, Citi prequals are solid. 

[kah-pas]

@pinkandgrey but their pre-qualy site says "we could NOT find any." (offers) So that confuses me...

[FinStar]

The mailer you received is a "pre-selected" marketing solicitation, not a pre-qualified or pre-approved offer, unfortunately OP.  Those are simply run-of-the-mill offers that would also contain a reservation code much like pre-qualified/pre-approved offers. 

Unless your profile is fairly solid or supports pulling the trigger with the pre-selected mailer, then you can roll the dice or give it a try if you're comfortable.  Typically, pre-qualified offers are more solid.

[kah-pas]

Thank you all guys. I will pass that on one, than.

After reading a lot of hreads here and after I had compared my profile with so many others my conclusion is that my history is simply too short (oldest 2y 8m, AAoA 1y4m) and that, given that I've gotten a personal loan from AMEX in November and a new CC from Cap1 in December (both 2018), it would be an obstacle. I do not want to risk a HP and than a denial. It will all change down the road. 761 FICO 8 is, and that is the most valuable lesson here to me (so I thank everyone on this forum who had contributed so much), just one factor and not at all the most important one.