UPDATE: GOT IT! - Amex pre-qual offers available, just not the one I want

[BurgeoningHope]

UPDATE: I GOT MY SPG!!! There's more to the Exp mystery. In addition to the 6-year-old collection from a doctor I don't know, there was a massive (~74% util on a nearly 30K card) account showing as paid, yet outstanding. Yes, it's a problem, even though noting else on my report has anything above 6%. Upon approval of the new card I have nearly the highest interest rate, with "adverse scoring" or some such applied - reason given: balances are too high. Uh huh - that 75% card was killing me. And it wasn't even mine!!

The card belonged to a recently-deceased family member for whom I held PoA, but of course was never an AU. But Chase had me as an AU on the card, which is in the process of being charged off and making a claim against my relative's modest estate. If I thought the hit was bad now, just wait until Chase updates it to "charged off"!

I can't imagine why an account I have no responsibility for should affect anything, but clearly it does.

We'll have to see what AmEx thinks of me after that vanishes from my account, and I have some history with them. Many thanks to @WarEagle1 for sharing their experience!

I AM NOW AN AMEX HOLDER - and I never in my life thought I'd ever be able to say that.

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I ran the Amex Pre-qual tool, which wants to make me "special offers" on a good number of their cards. Amex Gold (but not Plat) Delta, all the Hiltons, BCE, Cash Magnet, etc. BUT - I'm interested in the SPG before it goes away soon. TU Fico 8 per BofA is 784, but Exp says only 681 via Disco's Exp Fico 8 tool, and 704 per Credit.com's.Apparently one neg I was not aware of on Exp that going by the name of the collection service is probably medical and I've never heard from them, so wheeeee - another chore.

Been gardening for the better part of a year, and the file is about 2 years deep. CLs on other cards are in the 6-29K range.

Should I even try for the SPG?

[Anonymous]

Are the cards in your sig the only ones you have, or are you an Amex cardholder as well?

[BurgeoningHope]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Are the cards in your sig the only ones you have, or are you an Amex cardholder as well?

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I have only those, and am an AU on two of my husband's cards. Neither of us is (yet) an Amex cardholder. Household income around $200k

[xaximus]

I would definitely verify what your scores are prior to apping. Just to know where you fall. If you can wait, I would clear off that baddie first. A clean file would be the best thing to app with.

[BurgeoningHope]

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@xaximus wrote:
I would definitely verify what your scores are prior to apping. Just to know where you fall. If you can wait, I would clear off that baddie first. A clean file would be the best thing to app with.

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Just pulled Experian - 6-year-old (as of this month) from a doctor I don't recognize but who does practice at a hospital I was once treated at. Don't yet know if the dates align, so don't know how legit or not this is.

Is there some miraculous way I can get this to not affect my scoring for now, with that Feb 13 deadline for the SPG hanging in the balance? Or if I app and get declined, is this something that might successfully be discussed in a recon?

[Anonymous]

I can’t and won’t tell you what you should do. However, I can share my recent experience with Amex.

My Ex Fico08 was 646. 4 collections showing. 9 late (and I mean LATE payments from I auto loan co-signed with my ex-wife from 2013. She was awarded the vehicle the filed BK. Been fighting that one). Showing my AoOA at 11yr 5mo and AAoA at 4yr 4mo. 8 new accounts in the past 12mo.

I checked Amex prequal this past Sunday and for the first time ever was prequalified for Gold and Green cards, no others. I’m not really feeling the whole charge card thing because they don’t really help your credit profiles (that I’m aware of). So, I applied for the Delta Gold and Hilton Honors and was approved for both. DG SL is $1000. Not sure about the HH yet. I’ve read that you can get to Amex cards the same day and they use 1 HP. Experian alerted me with 2 HP. We’ll see if one falls off. 🤞

I previously had no relationship with Amex, at all. So all you can do, it seems, is apply. See what happens. Pick one of your pre-approved offers that will be useful for you. Then if approved, go for the one you want. Or, just app for the one you want only.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I can share my recent experience with Amex.

My Ex Fico08 was 646. 4 collections showing. 9 late (and I mean LATE payments from I auto loan co-signed with my ex-wife from 2013. She was awarded the vehicle the filed BK. Been fighting that one). Showing my AoOA at 11yr 5mo and AAoA at 4yr 4mo. 8 new accounts in the past 12mo.

I checked Amex prequal this past Sunday and for the first time ever was prequalified for Gold and Green cards, no others. I’m not really feeling the whole charge card thing because they don’t really help your credit profiles (that I’m aware of). So, I applied for the Delta Gold and Hilton Honors and was approved for both. DG SL is $1000. Not sure about the HH yet. I’ve read that you can get to Amex cards the same day and they use 1 HP. Experian alerted me with 2 HP. We’ll see if one falls off. 🤞

I previously had no relationship with Amex, at all. So all you can do, it seems, is apply. See what happens. Pick one of your pre-approved offers that will be useful for you. Then if approved, go for the one you want. Or, just app for the one you want only.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Forgot to mention, I’m not sure how the underwriting is for SPG. I’ve read it’s more relaxed when it comes to DG.

Hopefully others can elaborate further.

[AverageJoesCredit]

I tried the other day for it to have a hotel card for future but i got rejected for being too poor.

BH, if you want it go for it, whats a hp but a 2 year memory.

[BurgeoningHope]

Updated the post and its title - if I did that badly or incorrectly, please feel free to fix it, and please accept my apologies