How to find PreApprovals... OR... What Next?

[Anonymous]

I am working on both my husband's and my credit.

This time last spring, I was at a 483 (according to the score included in their montly statement) 

I got a Cap 1 secure card with a $300 limit. I added funds a couple of times, and one time they increased my limit without requiring additional funds.
As of 4/28/16, myFICO was at: EQ 610|TU 609|EX 607

Two weeks ago, I was approved for a QS1 with $1k CL and Kohl's $300 CL. Also applied for Cap 1 Premier at same time, but was denied (as well as denied for Lowe's).

I'm afraid to apply for anything else because I'm worried about having a lot of inquiries on there... I've been seeing people saying they were "PreQualified" with a "soft inquiry". How do you find those? How would I know if I'd been prequal'd?

What should I do next?

Thank you!

[RobertEG]

There are two basic types.

One is when you have initiated a request for the credit, and the other is when you have not initiated a requst with the creditor.

If you initiate a request, you will of course know about it.  Your intiatiation automatically permits the creditor to make an inquiry, receive your full credit report, and code the inquiry as hard.  Coding as soft is discretionary. 

The other type is where you did not initiate the request for credit.  Creditors are permiited to submit a set of criteria to a CRA and obtain a listng of names and addresses of consumers who meet those stated criteria.  They do not obtain any account-specific information.  The credtor can then make an offter for credtit that will be firm unless, when they do apply, they no longer meet the criteria submitted to the CRA.  These promotional offers must, per the FCRA, be coded as soft.

The site at annualcreditreport.com is accessible only for a consumer to pull their own credit report, and can thus show all soft inquiries.

[RonM21]

Just be careful not to assume applying will not get you a HP. You never know sometimes with a lender.