Requesting a Wells Fargo CLI without a hard pull?

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have knowledge about requesting instant CLIs without a hard pull on Wells Fargo Visa credit cards?  I would like some advice on my situation.

I have a WF Platinum Visa card that I have had almost 5 years and currently have a $6,000 CL.  I was hoping to ask for a CLI because I've had the card basically maxed out for a while and want to get it away from that edge.  I definitely need to do it without a hard or even soft pull.

Basically—I have one circumstance I'm worried about, will comment on my CLI history on this card to aid in any advice, and then I have a few questions.

Circumstance:

I have been carrying a maxed out balance for about a year, but will be in a position to start paying this balance down substantially in the near future.

I plan on calling and talking to a CRS.  I can't take any pull on my credit report right now--hard or soft.  But that isn't as much of a concern because I can recognize when a hard pull is coming (not sure about a soft pull) but I'm going to be directly asking.

My worry is that when I ask for a CLI, they will take a look at my recent activity, become scared over the recent balance history, and do something drastic.  What “drastic” is I don’t really know, but I don’t want it to happen.  Currently my balance is at $5,800.  Sometimes it's a little higher than that, sometimes it's lower.  There was one month recently where the interest charge put the balance over the limit, but I think I paid the OVL amount after noticing it, or otherwise I paid the increased amount listed on the bill.  I have never paid late on this card.  I have been paying between $125 and $175 a month, and haven’t been using it very much.

So given this worry—is there really nothing to lose when I’m already at the limit?  I mean; they can’t decrease my CL to a level below my balance owed, can they?  I think this is the only “drastic” reaction I’m worried about, and am probably over-worrying over this.  Either way; this is the most important question I’m looking to have answered, because if I TRULY have nothing to worry about experiencing adverse consequences, then I am going to try it.  I’m just not as confident right now because of my current balance, and because I can’t do a pull. (And also because I've read many horror stories lately about slashing CLs.)

CLI History:

I have received two CLIs on this card.  The first I asked for.  It was a long time ago so I don’t remember if it was instant or if I had to wait, but it was an increase from my initial $600 CL to $1,600.  This was in the fall of 2007, more than a year after the card was opened.  At this time, I had always PIF at least within the second month of carrying a balance, if I ever did.

The second CLI came in Jan of 2009.  I had applied over the phone for a WF Personal Line of Credit, but my income wasn’t high enough to be approved for the amount I requested.  My credit was average at the time (700ish—maybe high 600s).  All of my WF accounts are linked on my online access.  The next time I had logged into my online access, I noticed my credit limit had magically increased from $1,600 to $6,000.  I can’t say for sure that this CLI was related to my line of credit application that was not approved, or if it was purely coincidental, but I’m pretty sure it had to be related.  I say magical because not only was this 2009, but my balance was pretty high at the time, considering the $1,600 CL.

Questions:

Given this information, can anyone advise on what might be the maximum CLI that I should ask for, without getting a pull?  I am considering just asking the CRS, but thought I’d ask here first.  Does anyone know if WF has a magic number for this?

Does anyone know if WF is known for giving a CLI (up to a certain level) without a pull?

Does anyone know of any “special” phone numbers for WF Credit Cards that may be of more use than calling the regular customer service number?

This is sort of off-topic, but I just read something about this happening at Chase.  Does anyone know if WF periodically updates card member credit profiles by doing soft pulls?

Finally—does anyone have any advice for going about this?  Any suggestions, tried-and-true methods, or anything at all useful?  Any warnings or cautions?  I’d rather not blow it, because I’m not sure if that means I’ll have to wait some period of time before I can ask again.

[Creditaddict]

I don't think any bank is going to extend you more credit when your not handling your current credit good and having the card maxed is not handling it well.  and I thought I read on another post about WF, that CLI are always hard... could be wrong as I don't have one but what I thought I read.

[andre181]

I'm just sharing my experience, so I'm not making any promises

In my experience, WF CLI requests are not a hard pull. I have asked at least 5 times over the 3 years I've had my WF card, and never once did it get pulled hard. Always soft. My card is the Cash Back College Visa

I got my WF card in 2007 with a CL of $1000, and just a couple months ago was my CLI request approved, bringing it up to $1600. From what I understand, CLI's are very difficult with WF, especially if you are carrying a large balance on ANY of your cards, and I believe it, because once I got my util down to 1% is when I got my CLI.

WF likes to be PIF!!!

Good luck tho! And when you call, make sure you have your card handy, the will ask you either your card expiration date or the 3 digit code on the back of your card to process the CLI request.

EDIT: I also do believe that WF "watches" you by periodically pulling a soft like Chase or Amex does, because Wells Fargo Bank softs me about every 3 months. But I have SO many accounts with them that I can't say for sure if is the CC or something else. I have my Checking, Savings, Auto Loan, 2 Student Loans, CC, and 2 CD's with them!

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the responses.

Creditaddict--I do realize that the maxed balance is probably going to raise a flag--that's entirely why I'm approaching this with caution.  But whether or not the CLI is approved I'm not too concerned about because I don't really need it.  My motivation for asking for the CLI is to move me away from that edge now until I'm able to start making significant payments in a few months.  (I got to thinking about it the other day and figured it might be worth a shot)  I actually wouldn't be considering it in this specific situation if I hadn't gotten that CLI 20 months ago when I was also maxed and if I didn't have a 5 year perfect payment history.

The more important question I was looking for some advice on is because the maxed balance may raise a flag, if this could cause the bank to take adverse action on my account because I more or less "brought it up" by asking for the CLI?  This is the difference between it being worth a shot because you have nothing to lose, or it not being worth a shot because you do have something to lose.  And having adverse action taken just because you asked for something you didn't really need would suck.

I guess a different question I should also ask is if this is really a reasonable reason for asking for a CLI.  I know this doesn't matter in the eyes of the bank--this is just "for the record"--but keeping in mind that my maxed balance is a temporary situation that is ending in the (relatively) near future; is it just a bad idea to ask for the CLI now, or is it even a reasonable reason?

Does anyone know which CR WF pulls?