Did you know................

[kjm79]

that when you open a new account you only lose 6 points for the first month??  At least accoding to the Macy's associate who was trying to convince the customer in front of me to open an account after she said no thanks at least 4 times.  But this associate knows it's only 6 points because she once worked with a "big bank" in their mortgage approvals department.  All I could think was how much fun myFICO members would have with this lady. 

[Guava]

maybe that's why she's no longer in the "big bank" mortgage department no more 

[fused]

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@Guava wrote:

maybe that's why she's no longer in the "big bank" mortgage department no more 

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^That!

[namvet]

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@Guava wrote:

maybe that's why she's no longer in the "big bank" mortgage department no more 

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LOL  +1

[pizzadude]

She probably also "knows" that inquiries don't hurt your credit score, so why not apply now ??!!!??

[Booner72]

Did she apply?  If she would have agreed to apply based on what the CSR said, would you have stepped in and said something?  I'd have to think that I would have...but only if she was going to apply.

[Anonymous]

Actually any one who is taking credit scoring advice from a sales associate at the department store is probably not savvy enough about credit to know or care what their credit scores may be. I was fairly ignorant until I came to these forums other than "Pay your bills - Score Good, Don't pay your bills - Score Bad". I had no idea about AAoA, inquiry count, utilization, etc.

I personally would not step in given the situation, and if I was the customer being pitched I would wonder what your motivation was or why I should trust your info versus the cashier who told me they had a credit background. Now if the cashier was making the pitch to me I would simply smile and say "No thank you, not today". I learned a long time ago - Never try to teach a pig to sing - It just frustrates you and irritates the pig.

[kjm79]

The customer did not apply.   

Honestly, even if she had opted to apply I more than likely wouldn't have said anything.  People can be very sensitive to their finances and credit and that wouldn't be my place. Until someone is willing to truly educate themselves on credit, or anything for that matter, advice usually just falls on deaf ears.  And I'm not remotely qualified to teach a pig to sing. 

[MattH]

I cannot sing myself so I certainly would try to teach a pig. I forget who said of another porcine cliche, "certainly a pig CAN fly given sufficient thrust, but that is hardly the most efficient way of using that thrust!"