Which Credit Card Companies Indefinitely Maintain Files About One’s History with Them?

[ThomasJNewton]

From reading these boards, and talking to friends who work in the space, it seems clear that some of the companies maintain files long past the 7/10 years that the Credit Reporting Agencies do and some do not. What I would like to know is:

1. Which of these companies do (American Express and Chase both seem to, and I have heard that CitiBank does, but have not seen that reflected here)?
2. Is there a why to check with them to find out if they have such a history (it is easy to know that one never had an account with Chase, but harder to know if one had an account with some company that Chase bought, or a company that Chase bought had previously bought)?
3. Which of these companies will let you pay off off previous debt to get back in their good graces (we have heard of two programs from AmEx - Oasis and Apollo, but I have not seen any stories about any from other companies)?

In addition to my general curiosity, I am particularly interested in Chase's policies.

I am considering applying for one of the Chase United cards again, as I fairly constantly get offers for them (I am a 1K 3 Million Mile Flyer, with a lifetime United Club pass), but I had been previously denied (once 30 years ago when it was the United First Card from First National Bank and I had no other credit cards, and once around 20 years ago when I was just building my history). To the best of my knowledge, I have never had a card or an account with Chase, although I once had a checking account with First Chicago, that I closed as I never used it and they started charging me fees.

When I was denied, I did not know enough to get copies of my files, nor do I remember what the reasons list were (I also probably would not have know what they meant either).

[AndySoCal]

Here is a link to the companies the Chase Bank ahas aquired in their history

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chase_Bank#Merger_as_Chase_Manhattan_Bank 

First National Bank does not appear to be one of them. Your credit profile when you were denied and what it is today is different.

The approval or not will be from the credit report.

Also  Chase offers there different credit cards related to United Airlines. You find them chase.com

Hope this helps

[ThomasJNewton]

---

@AndySoCal wrote:

Here is a link to the companies the Chase Bank ahas aquired in their history

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chase_Bank#Merger_as_Chase_Manhattan_Bank 

First National Bank does not appear to be one of them.

If you look at BanK One, you will see that one of its component companies was First National Bank of Chicago, the company that used to issue the Mileage Plus First Card. That page also lists many other companies that were acquired, including Providian Financial (a credit card issuer)  that had many cards, none of which are listed, which is exactly my point.

Your credit profile when you were denied and what it is today is different.

The approval or not will be from the credit report.

While it is clear that my credit profile will be different, it is also clear that Chase (like American Express), takes its own history with potential customers into account. See all the people who talk about being blacklisted over actions from many years before.

We know that American Express and Chase both maintain their other records and continue to check them years after any charge off or other negative interaction. What I asked was which other issuers also do that, and is there a way to check with Chase (in specific) and/or any other who do the same, to try to settle with them. In threads on AmEx, there are numbers to call to inquire about both the Apollo and Oasis programs. From people who say that Capitol One has issued them cards a short time after their Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, we know that they are not one.

[azdude480]

1.) Add Wells Fargo and Barclays (not sure if we are talking any bank/credit issuer). Wells Fargo won't touch me with a 10 foot pull out of BK an early 2014 CH7 BK --at least not for a typical credit card. (I had a Dillards for a few years to see if it would help get my foot in the door, but no dice.) WF will give just about anyone an Auto Loan, though--even people who have freshly burned them from what I've seen/read.

Also add Barclays to the list. They have to take the cake. You do anything 'too negative' with them, and you're apparenty gone for good. I've never heard of any verifiable instance where anyone gets back in with Barclays, but I'm also not a myFico (or any other forum) veteran. So I'd love to be corrected!

2.) I know with Barlcays, you can check by simply applying. If you are blacklisted, you won't even get a hard pull. If you follow up, they will oscillate between "you'll never have an account with us again" and "try again in a year or two" depending on who you get. I think several companies keep mum about their "private notes/blacklist". At least 1 or 2 (at least from what I've read) will ackowedge you are on one. 

3.) I have no idea, but I've gotten back in with everyone except Barclays (and WF for normal credit cards--not co-branded like Dillards) without having to pay people back a dime (and I burned quite a few companies in my CH7 in my mid-twenties (eight...almost nine years ago). I've heard of people who have burned companies in BK or charge-offs getting back in with them by paying in full what was owed, but...meh...probably not necessary unless you feel a sudden moral obligation to make things right just for the sake of doing so. 

Sorry --probably not giving you much new information than what you've already read, but I guess I'm more suggesting you don't go paying anyone back just to get credit from them. They will likey let you back in somewhere between now and seven years from now depending on what the issue is. 

[AndySoCal]

You could goto Annualcreditreport.com and see what is currently on your credit profile for all three bureaus.  The credit report is free.

Have you ever had an account with any lender that has gone bad where you owe them money that was not paid back?  The account can be loan, credit card, over draft protection or a checking account that had a negative balance that never was brought to zero.  If so you need to do some research on the statue of limitations in your state on that debt to see if you legally owe the money.   If the answer to my question is no then the financial institution memory on a bad debt is irrevelevent.  Another option is go to a Chase branch and see what they can tell you.

Regarding Capital One, they have a range of credit card products that are for people rebuilding their credit to those whose credit history has no derogatory item(s). The credit cards for rebuilders credit limits will be small and there is a maximum credit limit Capital One will give you. Their memory is not bad or that they do not have one.  Their business model is different from other creditors who are serving a niche in the credit card market.