My mother is 88 years old, doesn't speak English, doesn't know how to use internet, doesn't know how to use a smartphone. I noticed that her Transunion score went from 742 to 690. I never saw such a drop before. I checked and she is not late in any payment. The only bad thing that happened is that I applied to a United Chase Explorer card for her with her agreement. On the day I applied, I was called back and instead of telling that my mother wasn't speaking English, I replied to security questions as if I was my mother. The reason is that for years, I was tired of saying that my mother doesn't speak English, then I have to wait for a translator, then talk to my mother who is hard of hearing and doesn't want to get a hearing aid, and all the translation process is losing my time. So I had enough and talked as if it was my mother. I got no response from Chase. I called back 2 weeks later and same thing, security questions and I talked instead of my mother. I read that companies have a voice analyzer now. If Chase detected that I wasn't my mother, could they lower her credit score much because of that? It is strange that I never received a letter saying that approval was denied. I really would like to know the reason of this drop in score.
Of course, next time, I will tell that my mother doesn't speak English, and I will lose my time with a ttanslator.
The TU score is shown on aviatormastercard.com web site.
It says: "Factors affecting your FICO® Score
1. Number of accounts with delinquency
2. Lack of recent installment loan information"
She had a late payment around 2 years ago. Her score went down, then up with time.
Perhaps a good idea for you to see her reports. There may be history that you're not aware of, and can address for her.
For me, when my elderly mom mentioned that she wanted her own credit card (after my dad passed away), I made her an AU on one of my cards. At her age, I don't want any activites on her credit files. Her English is also limited, so I know that struggle for her to speak to CSR's.
Good luck.
You should just add her as AU to your own accounts if she needs one! You are not doing her a favor by getting a new CC and expecting her to manage it in her predicament!
how can I see her reports?
Thanks. I got the report from Transunion but I still don't know why there was this drop, from reading the report.
@villemiami wrote:Thanks. I got the report from Transunion but I still don't know why there was this drop, from reading the report.
Did she have any old accounts fall off her credit report?
