Citi CLI denied - questions

[Anonymous]

*** First and foremost this is not a rant, bitching, or anything defamatory towards Citi.  They have been great to deal with and I have no desire to close, etc.

Ok, pushed yesterday for a CLI on my Prestige (I was cool taking the HP because I am not apping for anything this year).  So this morning having not seen any update of approved or denied I called in.  A very nice CSR informed me that it was denied to "negative item", and then she also said "public record" from your Experian file.  Ok, now I'm in **bleep** mode so I just logged in to Experian directly and refreshed my report with them.

It does note (1) negative item (which I have posted about before which was Verizon which last updated 1.6 years ago) which is fine, I own that and it goes away 3/1/2017.  BUT, the report shows zero under Public Record and I pulled all (3) yesterday here (MF) and again, zero public records.

So, again, not upset at all but I am a bit confused.  Could it be they didn't want to extend me and used that (1) negative as the easy out? 

Also, IF there had been a public record (which would be new) then wouldn't they have possibly taken AA?

[takeshi74]

You didn't qualify for the CLI and that's really all we can say.  We don't know the specifics of Citi's underwriting criteria for your card or for any creditor/product.

We can speculate about whether or not they'd take AA with a public record on your credit profile but such speculation wouldn't be of any benefit.  The negative you have prevented you from qalifying for the CLI but it apparently has not led to AA with Citi.

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@Anonymous wrote:

and then she also said "public record" from your Experian file. 

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If you've verified that there isn't a public record then don't worry too much over what a single CSR said.  She may be conflating the negative with Verizon and public record.

[Anonymous]

Sorry to hear that you got denied :/ What's the current limit and how much did you ask for. What is your credit score, if you don't mind me asking. Good data point.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Sorry to hear that you got denied :/ What's the current limit and how much did you ask for. What is your credit score, if you don't mind me asking. Good data point.

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Current limit is 17K and asked for 30K.  I was expecting a counter offer of like 25K to which I would have gladly accepted and then my journey would be completed.  If I can get this card to 20K or more then I'm done. 

EX score is 739.  The catch is the way Verizon updated when I paid them it shows my last late on EX is 1.6 years, thus why my EX lags behind my EQ at 775 and TU at 771.  Oh well, I guess the CSR's language just crossed up because as of this morning there is zero under the 'Public Record' category for all (3) files.

I'll wait for the letter and then I'll give them a ring. 

[Anonymous]

When you get the letter, see what date they pulled the CRs. It has happened with me on my Amex cards. They pull every quarter and if you app for CLI in between, chances are that older data may be referenced.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

When you get the letter, see what date they pulled the CRs. It has happened with me on my Amex cards. They pull every quarter and if you app for CLI in between, chances are that older data may be referenced.

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myFICO alerted me of a single EX HP on 5/24.  This also shows a HP from CNBA on 5/24 when viewing Experian directly (experian.com), and again matches the refresh data I examined this morning.  While logged in to Citi.com and viewing my credit score they show 783 4/26/2016 (obviously not EX I am guessing) so I am guessing that was my last SP.

[yfan]

I would wait for them to send you the denial letter and see what reasons they formally note. As this was a hard pull, this will entitle you to a free report from whatever agency they used (that should also be noted in their letter). Get that report and see if that matches up with they are saying in the letter. A lot of CSRs may mistake any negatives for a "public record".

[Anonymous]

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@yfan wrote:

I would wait for them to send you the denial letter and see what reasons they formally note. As this was a hard pull, this will entitle you to a free report from whatever agency they used (that should also be noted in their letter). Get that report and see if that matches up with they are saying in the letter. A lot of CSRs may mistake any negatives for a "public record".

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Question:  In regard to your noting getting a free report when i receive the letter.  Is that going to be anything different than the report I pulled this morning directly from Experian's website?  When I was speaking of the details of my reports that was as current as of this morning, no speculated on an older report.

[Anonymous]

My fellow myFICOers, I spoke wtih Citi this morning and wanted to get help in understanding.  Before I ask in no way am I upset, I am very happy with my card, and I look forward on knocking on Citi's door again 3/1/2017.

That said I called this morning and inqured because I have not received the denial letter.  The very nice CSR said I could read it in my online account under the messages section (DOH!, slaps my forehead!).  So I read it and it had language of "garnishment, paid or unpaid judgment, foreclosure, etc.....".  I was like HOLY BLEEP!  Freshly pulled all 3 and I cannot find anything that resembled such reasons.

So after I take all that in I call back to get a further explanation (I was wanting to ask them what in the world they saw to use such denial terms).  Well after another very helpful CSR I learned the language word he got back from the credit department (his words) was "collection".  So yes, as I have posted about before the Verizon account I paid off 1.8 years ago did indeed have the language of "collection account".

So my question is this:  Why was this an instant show stopper on this CLI but that same item was on my EX when they instantly approved a CLI of 5K to 17K?  I mean I would be 100% cool if they simply said they felt I had enough revolving credit, etc.

Again, I am asking to learn here, not to come back for round 2 in recon, etc.  I am more than content with my current CL and will not ask for anything going forward until after 3/1/2017 when Verizon falls off forever. 

[LuckyBird]

Pretty puzzling that they're apparently using that as the reason for denial if it was there when they gave you a prior CLI.

I only have one Citi card and my limit is much lower than yours, but I have gotten CLI's from them...they started my account at $1,000 & there's been an auto-increase and a SP one I requested.  And I DO have a public record - a paid state tax lien from 2010.  It would seem to me that the reason they're giving you isn't the real one, for whatever reason.  Maybe you're just at your internal limit with them or something, but why not just say that?!  I'm sure it's very frustrating for you.