Amazon Prime Visa Signature Approval…After Chase C/O

[Anonymous]

First off I would like to thank this forum for all of the rich content everyone posts here. I only read posts by members to learn, and I was quite embarrassed to even mention any of my info. But I wish I had known about the MyFICO forums years ago when I made nothing but mistakes and had no concept of credit and how devastating bad credit can be. To put it lightly, my family and credit are mutually exclusive. 

Back in 2008, right before the economic recession took hold, I applied for and received a card from Chase. I have no idea what card it was. I was in college (my first go-around) and maxed it out with no thoughts about budget or anything. Then the recession hit and I lost my job. Chase charged it off shortly after. I did not appreciate what I had. I didn't try to do anything about my credit until I became a registered nurse in 2013. Then I finally pulled my TU credit report (in Illinois, just about everything goes through TU) and saw what I had done to myself. It took years for baddies to come off, spending way more money than I had to just to buy a truck and so on, barely approved for an apartment, all of that. But it was my mistakes, no one ever taught me but I also did not look to learn. Survival was the only thing I was concerned with.

Over time I improved my scores significantly but never got an approval from Chase. Every year from 2017-2019, nothing. Finally last month the last missed payment came off and my FICO scores were EQ 784 TU 777 EX 769. Pulled the trigger on this card 6/7/21 and got a 30-day message. DP TU and EX in Illinois. Waited until today and I got a call from a number I didn't recognize so I didn't answer. Called back and it was Chase. Called another number and the message was now 7-10 days. Called another number and she said it was a denial but couldn't tell me what it was. Thinking I was on their list but not completely demoralized, I called the recon line and the woman told me it was with the fraud department. I waited in the line for almost 2 hours (I had nothing to do today). A woman finally answered and wanted me to verify info, one question I was actually asked was "which of the following addresses weee you associated with" and the only address was one I lived at when I was 8 years old (now in my 30s). Boom...got the approval for $5500 SL. I expected nothing due to the Chase CO ($4500 I owe it all to you ladies and gentlemen with your great advice and profiles inspiring me to get into the 800s and live credit-healthy. Thank you so much for all that you ladies and gentlemen do for those of us a little ashamed of our pasts. 

Income: $144K-Inquiries EQ: 0 TU: 7 EX: 2

AAoA: 5yr 4m Oldest: 16y- No negatives

Cards: 6  Total credit line: $70300 (pre-Amazon approval)

Utilization: 17% (all on one card through BT. It'll be gone by next February at the latest, thanks to Covid).

[KingRue8500]

Congrats on your Amazon Prime Visa Signature approval

[CreditAggie]

Congratulations on your Amazon Prime Visa Signature approval!

[GrandBay]

@Anonymous Congrats on your card but most importantly on your journey! This post will serve as an inspiration for countless others. What else is in your wallet? 

[babygirl1256]

Greetings jonahrn13 ~ Welcome to the forum . . . Congrats on your Amazon Prime Visa Signature approval and your credit rebuilding efforts. Always remember that here on the myFICO forum ~ there is absolutely "no shame" of our debts, only acknowledgement and the decision to do something about it ~ as we were all once in great debt, in bankruptcy or were just seeking guidance to rebuild our credit. You've done great and I wish you continued success in your credit rebuild.

[Anonymous]

I should be thanking all of you fine people. Thank you for the congratulations.

I have, not including the Prime card

Cap One Venture $18500

Cap One Savor    $11300

Cap One QS         $12000

Discover it            $15000

Apple Card            $8500

Barclays A+          $5000

[coreyb80]

Congrats on the approval!

[KLEXH25]

Congrats on getting back in with Chase!

[Total80sKid]

Congrats on your Amazon Prime VS approval! 👍🏼🎉🥳

[Anonymous]

Thank you for all of the kudos everyone. I appreciate it.

I did not mention that I also received the bonus offer, which was a $150 Amazon gift card. While the card has a high APR (19.24) relative to some of my other cards, just the fact I got in with Chase makes it feel like a 0% APR card. I don't plan to stack a balance and carry it month to month.

5 of the TU inquiries fall off between now and February, when my partner and I plan to buy a home by May and though I'm shopping around I am a member of Alliant Credit Union so most likely I will go through them. I can't tell you how great it will feel and it's sti hard to believe I have recovered. I've read stories on this forum that were worse than what I put myself through but they recovered quite well.

Afterwards, I will turn my eyes to paying off my truck (it is just under 40% paid off and it is not the same truck I mentioned in my first post), then my student loans (I am currently attending Southern Illinois University while working and raising my 18 m/o daughter with my partner). 

My future goal cards are (now that I have gotten back in with Chase)

a BoA card (I get a mail offer from them every month with a firm APR offer).

An Amex card (I will see what cards and offers they have when I apply).

Ifk if I want a Citi card but they send me a mailer every week with a firm APR offer it seems for the DC and the DP, but I'd like the Citi Costco Visa.

I definitely want another Chase card. Only if I take full advantage of the perks, I'd love to have the CSR. If I had known I'd be approved with them, I would have applied for the CSP and that wonderful offer. But I shop on Amazon often so there's no shame in it. I have to keep my file clean of inquiries until we get the home. I learned a lot from this site.

It's forums like this and people like you all who give people hope and something to strive for.