BofA CLI - Best Method?

[flyingmd]

Hi All,

Question for the community from those that have experience with BofA. I have a VISA Preferred rewards with 7500 CL and a 0 balance. (I pay in full each month). Real scores in the low 700's and no baddies. I(I have lots of other cards, just alot of inquiries all the time because of my business. Is it generally easier to get a CLI using the website or calling the backdoor number? I have not asked for a CLI on this account since I had it (about 22 months). Do they do a hard or soft pull through the website request and same question about hard vs soft pull if I go through the backdoor. (Assume income isnt a problem - it isnt. It will support whatever increase I ask for). Thanks

[CluelessCredit]

I recently did a CLI through BOA's website.  Recently as in the middle of July.  I have the Cash Rewards AMEX and had a limt of 5k.  I filled in that I wanted a limit of 10k, and got the "call in" message.  Days later (without calling in) the limit went to 7.5k and a hard inq followed.  From what I read a soft pull on the site happens if you leave the blank...blank.  Again, "from what I read," if you leave the blank empty the system (provided you meet requirements) will give you a 20% CLI and a soft inq.  This is just general knowledge I picked up from Google research.  I put something in and got a hard inq so I do not know if it is true or not (about the 20%/soft pull).  Best of luck!

Edit:  P.S. pretty much all the sources I read said that if you call in and speak to a backdoor person it will be Hard.  If you leave the box blank or fill it in and the system goes to a second screen asking for more verficiation information; stop because it'll more than likely be hard.  As stated originally most of this knowledge comes from Goggle and some posts on this board, but most are so dated I don't know how correct they are.

[midtowneastbored]

I did the online request form back in April (first time in the three years I had the card).  I was hoping to go from $1500 to $4500 as I needed some extra money for dental work.  I left the amount blank and got the "call us" message.  I took a deep breath, called the number provided and the analyst asked me a few questions.  Five minutes later my limit was increased from $1500 to $7500 and I didn't get a hard inquiry on my reports.  The analyst did commend me on paying off (or nearly paying off) my balance every single month so maybe that helped my case a little.

[Anonymous]

When you request CLI through website, it will ask to you to call in for result anyway.

I request CLI for 2 times since I got the card 3 months ago. I got denied on first request but was successful on second attempt.

Both got hit with hard on different bereaus. TU on first try and EX,EQ on second.

[flyingmd]

Thanks all,
I used the wesite and got the call in message. I called the backdoor number instead of the number listed on website and the CA increased me from 7500 to 22000.!! Yeah. He asked why I needed the increase and I told him I hate AMEX, average 15-25k per month on my Amex card but wanted to male the BofA card my primary cc for daily, intending to to run that amount monthly and pif as I do with Amex. He asked a few questions and said it is a SOFT pull in this case. I got the impression from him that hard vs soft pull is up to the analyst depending on the customers circumstances. Since I suspect people will ask, my score for TU are 734, and EQ is 707. I have no negatives at all just always ally of inquiries (suppliers and stuff for my business). I told him I average 60-70K balance in my checking account, which is true, but I don't think ere was anyway for him to check as he increased it immediately. I have been using cc and credit for 25 years, and I can't believe I only discovered this forum a year ago. It really helped after my divorce and I so appreciate all the helpful input from so many. Thanks again everyone.

[Anonymous]

Congrat! Very nice increase especially with only soft.

[CreditMuppet]

Congrats on the CLI! did you get the impression from the anaylst that had it been a hard they would have let you reconsider having them process the CLI?

[Anonymous]

I do through the website and never call the number. They have gave me an increase twice now without calling in. Both nice increases. I always aim high because they counter.

[flyingmd]

Creditmuppet - YES I got that impression,

[ckinninger]

I called the non-toll free number on the back of my Alaska Air BofA Visa because my phone was not doing touch tones for some reason.  It was 20 minutes ago.  The CSR said that she could help me with the CLI.  I asked her if it would show on my CR and she said "I think it will be "soft" but let me check to be sure if it's "soft or hard".  I held and she came back and said it would be soft.  She asked my monthly income, where I worked, how long, own/rent home, and that's it plus what I wanted for an increase.  I said take me from 27.5k to 40k.  I pay off the bill each month btw and my citi id monitor fako scores are 758-799.  I had not asked for a CLI in many years (5+).  Once she was done taking my info she said it had been automatically approved but that the credit department was closed on Sunday so I have to call back tomorrow.  If you don't hear back from me (haha - see a lot of that) with the final update that means I got the CLI and it was indeed a soft hit.  If that's not the case I'll be upset enough to remember to come back here to share the saga.