cheddar wrote:Edit: One more question: Since I didn't ask for a CLI at activation, is it too soon to dance on the luv button, or should I wait the requisite three months? Not planning on hitting it at the moment; just asking for purely academic purposes. (And if you believe that...)
Message Edited by cheddar on 04-16-2008 08:24 PM
Cheddar, the couple of times I've asked about CLI's for my shiny new BofA AmEx, I've been told they've given me all they can right now and want to see 6 months of payments from a new customer. 
But - I also BT'd onto that card a pretty high amount to take advantage of the initial 0% APR for BT's, so that immediate high UTI may be part of why I get that response.
But - I also BT'd onto that card a pretty high amount to take advantage of the initial 0% APR for BT's, so that immediate high UTI may be part of why I get that response.However, having read others' comments on here about successful CLI requests online and via backdoor numbers as soon as 30 days, 90 days, etc., I may try it sooner... 
Keep us posted on what you end up doing - I'm too chicken to try the luv button yet, even though it's RIGHT THERE every time I log on!
@Anonymous wrote:So I finally got my BofA Amex in the mail today. That is one sharp looking card! The picture on the website doesn't do it justice. I thought it was mostly white, but it's actually clear. Very nice.
********To start - I have a hard time with this html stuff - I hope you can tell the difference between the questions and the answers! I'm going to add some ****** to start my sentences.
******It is very cool - I get lots of compliments on mine... like "WOW, I've never seen a card like that before"...I didn't ask for CLI on activation because my $15K WaMu isn't reporting yet, and I want them to see that juicy CL when they pull for the CLI request. I did, however, speak to a rep, and I asked him about their policies for CLI requests (playing dumb). He told me that when a request is initiated they'll do an initial soft pull, and then when they send it to a credit analyst to make a decision, it will be a hard pull. He made it sound like this was the case every time.I know there are a zillion threads on here about BofA CLIs, but I'm trying to reconcile what I've read on this forum over the last several months with what the rep told me. I have always been under the impression that BofA CLI requests were soft pulls only, except for a couple of instances (ducky) where they did a manual review.
*******My opinion is that the CSR didn't know what he was talking about. I've had several CLIs through BofA and have never had a hard pull. Maybe if you get shot down, you can request it for a manual review - but they won't pull without your authorization. Then again, maybe ducky knows more on this than I do?So what I'm thinking is that what the rep meant to say is that they will pull a soft to see if you qualify for the requested CLI, and if so, then you'll get it with no further pull. If not, then the request will go to a credit analyst for manual review, at which point there will be a hard pull.
********Yup, I think that's right.Is that what he probably meant? Can anyone confirm my suspicion that the rep just didn't explain it very well?Edit: One more question: Since I didn't ask for a CLI at activation, is it too soon to dance on the luv button, or should I wait the requisite three months? Not planning on hitting it at the moment; just asking for purely academic purposes. (And if you believe that...)
*********Ugh, I'm wondering the same thing on my new BofA AmEx. They gave me an $8K limit which is the lowest of my prime cards (others are $23,400 and $9600). I'd like to have a CLI because this has become my "go-to" card - but I don't want to push it. I've had it for two months now and am thinking I should wait until 3 or 6 months. Anybody else have advice on this one?
Message Edited by cheddar on 04-16-2008 08:24 PM
@Anonymous wrote:
...So what I'm thinking is that what the rep meant to say is that they will pull a soft to see if you qualify for the requested CLI, and if so, then you'll get it with no further pull. If not, then the request will go to a credit analyst for manual review, at which point there will be a hard pull.Is that what he probably meant? Can anyone confirm my suspicion that the rep just didn't explain it very well?Edit: One more question: Since I didn't ask for a CLI at activation, is it too soon to dance on the luv button, or should I wait the requisite three months? Not planning on hitting it at the moment; just asking for purely academic purposes. (And if you believe that...)
I asked for a CLI about 6 weeks after opening the account. I had already paid down from $8,240 to $7,500 to $6,900. I told them that the util was killing my scores (which is was), and that I probably would do one more BT in the next few months (which could happen), and the $10K CL was killing me. Guy #1 couldn't authorize it and passed me on to the credit analyst or specialist or whatever they call them. He did a soft and approved the CLI to $15K. The soft shows on my EX for 3/24, the date that I called, along with the original hard dated 2/16.
I think the combination of two big chunks of payments, plus the util argument and future BT hint are what did it.
So CLI approved by analyst, with soft pull only.
Thanks for everyone's responses. So it looks like it's generally a soft pull, as I've read over and over on this forum for the last several months. just needed to verify.
As soon as the WaMu card reports, I'm all over that luv button.
ETA: Used the card for the first time today. Starbucks, of course (just in case the rumors are true ). The barista did a double take when I handed the card to him. It is an attention grabber.
). The barista did a double take when I handed the card to him. It is an attention grabber.Message Edited by cheddar on 04-17-2008 01:14 PM