Can I ask Chase to only pull Experian for a future joint account?

[Mark_in_Pasadena]

I'm on here trying to rebuild my wife's credit from the mid-600s to the mid-700s.  Unfortunately it no longer benefits her credit score to have her as an AU on my credit cards.  After researching several posts on here, it looks like the only major creditor that does Joint Credit Card Accounts is Chase.  I already called AMEX and Citibank and they said they don't allow joint accounts, only AUs. 

I have an 815 credit score and have an AMEX Blue Cash with a 30k limit and Citibank MC with a 25k limit, so I know for sure I won't have any trouble getting a new Chase Freedom cash back credit card.  I currently have all three of my credit reports locked to prevent identity theft.  The easiest one to unlock (plus it's free) for 30 days is Experian, which allows you to do it online.  Transunion charges $10 over the phone, and I can't believe that Equifax requires $10 but I must send the request in by mail! 

Is it possible for me to call a CSR at Chase and ask if they can just pull only my Experian report after I do the free temporary online credit file unlock/lift?  Or will they get suspicious that  I have "baddies" on my other 2 reports that I don't want them to uncover?

I was thinking of applying for an individual account with my wife as an authorized used to make sure my credit limit was set to the highest possible based on my high credit score and income.  Then, calling back a week or two later and asking to have my wife changed to joint user status as others have done here.

Message Edited by Mark_in_Pasadena on 12-12-2008 01:21 PM

[Anonymous]

If you call and request a certain bureau be pulled, they usually will. Especially since you have freeze's in place. That explanation should suffice since Chase will pull from any of the 3 are not locked into having to pull one particular bureau like Amex, for example will almost always only use EX.

[Mark_in_Pasadena]

Thanks, is there a specific number I should call to get the best results? or should I just unlock the Experian report online, apply for Chase online, and call them if the online Chase application doesn't go through because the system tried to pull Equifax or Transunion which are locked?

[Anonymous]

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@Mark_in_Pasadena wrote:
Thanks, is there a specific number I should call to get the best results? or should I just unlock the Experian report online, apply for Chase online, and call them if the online Chase application doesn't go through because the system tried to pull Equifax or Transunion which are locked?

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I would call. Try this number for Chase customer service. 1-800-298-8016

If you unlock EX it is usually instant. So, call and ask if Chase wants the PIN or if they would want you to unlock it. It is the easiest of the 3 to unlock from my experience.

[Anonymous]

Also, even if you apply online, Chase almost always gives the 30 day message. If you call, it could speed things up. They usually ask me security questions and get passed around to the fraud dept to do so, but it's pretty standard with them in my experience as well as reading from what other's have posted here.

[Mark_in_Pasadena]

I called the # you suggested, but it said that phone applications for credit cards were only being taken from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm eastern time.  I called at 3:10 PM pacific/6:10 PM eastern, so it gave me a message suggesting to apply online.

So I went ahead and unlocked my Experian report for 7 days which was confirmed instantly online by Experian (they did charge my credit card after the first screen though--not free as I thought at first). I waited 1 minute, then applied for the  Chase Freedom card, with my wife as an AU, which took about 2 minutes to fill out all the information.  I clicked submit, waited 10 seconds, and got the following reply:

Instant Decision Approved

Congratulations. Your application has been approved. You will receive your card and complete account information within 2 weeks by mail.

I don't know if I got lucky by them trying only Experian from the get-go, or if they tried Experian after they found the other two CRAs locked.

Now I just need to HIPAA-process pay off/dispute an unrecognized medical collection from Grant & Webber on my wife's Experian credit report and then call Chase back to start the process of converting her into a joint account holder from an AU. 

This board is great.  I consider myself extremely knowledgeable on credit scores and finances (obviously why I have an 815 credit score), but have learned two important things here: 

1.  How to remove unrecognized medical collections legally using the HIPAA process.

2.  That Chase allows joint account holders on credit cards, which will give my wife's credit a big boost quickly.  I had tried unsuccessfully with AMEX and Citibank prior to knowing about Chase.

Thanks everyone!

[Anonymous]

Congrats on the approval!

Yeah, Chase is all over the board on who they pull. Maybe you got lucky and they pulled EX first.

[CreditAble]

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@Mark_in_Pasadena wrote:

So I went ahead and unlocked my Experian report for 7 days which was confirmed instantly online by Experian (they did charge my credit card after the first screen though--not free as I thought at first). I waited 1 minute, then applied for the  Chase Freedom card, with my wife as an AU, which took about 2 minutes to fill out all the information. 

Thanks everyone!

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 Now if you want to continue your adventure,

you can check out Bank of America's website to see if you are "preapproved" for a credit card. If BoA pulls Experian it will be a soft pull and you might get an offer. If BoA pulls a different bureau, you just won't get an offer. ...no hard pull on Experian unless you accept the offer.

BoA and Chase love to compete for your affection.

 Here is the good part, BoA will issue your wife an AU card. BoA will also convert to joint without needing your wife to prove credit worthiness. It gets even better. Once your wife qualifies for the BoA credit line with her own history, BoA will remove you from the card (upon request) leaving your wife as sole account owner. That could come in handy down the road if you want to carry a balance  on the card without dinging both spouses credit scores.    

[Mark_in_Pasadena]

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@CreditAble wrote:

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 Now if you want to continue your adventure,

you can check out Bank of America's website to see if you are "preapproved" for a credit card. If BoA pulls Experian it will be a soft pull and you might get an offer. If BoA pulls a different bureau, you just won't get an offer. ...no hard pull on Experian unless you accept the offer.

BoA and Chase love to compete for your affection.

 Here is the good part, BoA will issue your wife an AU card. BoA will also convert to joint without needing your wife to prove credit worthiness. It gets even better. Once your wife qualifies for the BoA credit line with her own history, BoA will remove you from the card (upon request) leaving your wife as sole account owner. That could come in handy down the road if you want to carry a balance  on the card without dinging both spouses credit scores.    

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Thanks for the info, that's great info to know of another major bank that's joint account friendly.  I need to evaluate the effect of opening another unnecessary account (to me) on my credit score, since my average account age would drop dramatically with 2 out of my 4 cards being recently open (I've had the Citibank MC since I got it in 1993 at the age of 18 in college).  I PIF every month religiously, so we don't need to carry a balance.  Next step is to co-sign/joint on a car loan for her at our credit union, after the medical collection is cleared off.

With timely payments on the positive new TL items, she should be able to qualify for a prime credit card on her own by late next year.  No big hurry, Rome wasn't built in a day.  I'm just doing this in conjunction with upping my life insurance now that she's pregnant with our first baby.  If God forbid something were to happen to me, I would want her to be capable of caring for our family on her own.

[Anonymous]

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@Mark_in_Pasadena wrote:

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.  I'm just doing this in conjunction with upping my life insurance now that she's pregnant with our first baby.  If God forbid something were to happen to me, I would want her to be capable of caring for our family on her own.

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Congratulations on the upcoming baby!  And good for you for wanting her to be able to take care of her self and the child if something were to happen to you, which of course I hope it doesn't,.  Many people don't even think about the 'what could possibly happen' until it's too late.