@tntexans72 wrote: @smallfry wrote: There was a time long ago when having an American Express card meant something special. It doesn't anymore. They gave my unemployed daughter a card a couple of years ago for Pete's sake. It ain't an exclusive club anymore. Did you claimed your daughter as a dependent on your tax return? Amex have been known to give out CCs to the siblings of families with a high networth. It's all about buying power for the most part from these lenders. Matter of fact yes I do but they would not give me a card so what is up with their logic? I would cover her card obligations but not pay my own card? LOL. Pay stubs are enough for a piece of plastic obviously a mortgage requires more. ... View more

There was a time long ago when having an American Express card meant something special. It doesn't anymore. They gave my unemployed daughter a card a couple of years ago for Pete's sake. It ain't an exclusive club anymore. ... View more

@GregB wrote: You should stop looking at any "score" from CK. Even their own TransRisk and Vantage scores don't always go the same direction at the same time. Absolutely correct. Recent high utilization (18%) tanked my FICO scores esp EQ and my Vantage was crippled  but my Transrisk score went bonkers higher. Vantage fell by over 100 points from 940 to 818. FICO scores 790ish down to 760ish save EQ which dipped over 60. Forget the FAKO scores. ... View more

@Anonymous wrote: @smallfry wrote: Curious business model FICO has. I never opted to get the free EQ from DCU. However I now get free EX from PSECU and some form of TU free as long as that lasts from Walmart/GEMB. You can get a discounted EQ from EQ itself for 11 bucks now. Why would FICO think anyone would want to pay 15 bucks for a score let alone 20. I have no idea why they would think raising their price is a good idea.    I'm guessing they must charge the banking/credit card institutions for the scores and make more from that than from the individual consumers buying scores due to sheer volume. So what do you think Walmart is paying for the TU score? I maintain they would make more money charging the public much less for a package deal.  ... View more

If you want a Walmart card you should apply in the store. So I've heard anyway. ... View more

Curious business model FICO has. I never opted to get the free EQ from DCU. However I now get free EX from PSECU and some form of TU free as long as that lasts from Walmart/GEMB. You can get a discounted EQ from EQ itself for 11 bucks now. Why would FICO think anyone would want to pay 15 bucks for a score let alone 20. I have no idea why they would think raising their price is a good idea.  ... View more

Received a score with a closed account. 756 which is 3 points lower than my PSECU EX score.  My 2 negatives were no open installments and short account history.  Nothing about high revolving balance at all. No idea if it is 98 or 04 but I would think its the old 98. Well it seems it might be a newer score since a poster on c boards who pulled from here and Walmart said the scores were not the same. ... View more

I'm not too crazy about the likes of the people who work at the IRS seeing my return. No way I am going to let a CC company and its employees get a peek for a credit card. ... View more

@DI wrote: I changed the checking account that I pay them from, so that may have caused it.  Plus,only make small charges.   But anyway, I am thankful to have a zero balance on both cards,  and a host of other cards  to use whatever the outcome may be.  That ain't it. ... View more

@android01 wrote: @Anonymous wrote: @trumpet-205 wrote: Maybe it is because you recently opened your Blue Sky? Or did you run any large charge through your card?   I hope this won't happen to me when I app for BCE on Jan 2012. While I got nothing to hide, I find this intrusive. This is the point exactly for many people. While we have nothing to hide, DH will not share our personal tax info. Agree with him or disagree with him, it's his right. I hope that I stay under the radar because we file our taxes jointly, so I would not be able to comply without violating his right to privacy. And if it comes down to respecting his wishes or pleasing a CCC -- any CCC -- well, there's no question that I will honor his feelings on this. +1.  I've been an American Express customer for a very long time, and if they ever tried to F/R me, I'd cancel my accounts instantly.  No credit card is worth that level of intrusion into my private financial affairs.  Frankly, I don't know why anyone would submit to it.  There are so many things on tax returns - dependant information, investment information, and a host of other things that I'm not willing to share with anyone other than a mortgage banker - and only then when I can sit down with them and go over things IN PERSON.  I've run well over a million dollars through AMEX over the years, and if that and a good payment history is not enough for them, then they can put their card where the sun doesn't shine.  To blindly allow a credit card company to pull my IRS records to review is not something I'm willing to do.  The whole "your approved" for our card, and then come back at you to see if they made the right decision, either immediately or years down the road, is ridiculous.     Besides, there are a zillion other cards out there, and in reality,  there is NOTHING special about AMEX.  My thoughts exactly. AmEx might have been all that at one time but they sure as heck ain't now. ... View more

The website looks the same as ever. ... View more

Bank of America wouldn't be at the top of my list for much if anything. But if it works for you good on ya. ... View more

@DI wrote: @smallfry wrote: I wouldn't blow off a credit card or this CU because they don't have any pre approvals right now. There might come a time when you might need them. Don't take it personally. They approve me when I apply for additional products, but I would like to see pre-approvals.  My understanding if pre-approved you don't get a hard inquiry.    I didn't get a hard for a CLI. ... View more

I wouldn't blow off a credit card or this CU because they don't have any pre approvals right now. There might come a time when you might need them. Don't take it personally. ... View more

@laz98 wrote: i don't use my checking account there either. Do yourself a favor. If you want to keep getting the free to you score then use one check per month. I pay a small utility bill. Joining 7 months ago was painless no docs were requested. Dunno about now. ... View more

@haulingthescoreup wrote: @daylove wrote: 1 or 2 tops This might be understandable for your peace of mind (which IMO is more important that your FICO score), but it is not correct for scoring. Three appears to be the magic number, as has been seen in many posts here. With 3 you can let 1 report and still be under the less than half reporting threshold. So in normal circumstances 3 would be ideal. If you are playing the balance transfer game you might need 6. Personal taste. However I have read 3 is enough to pull over 800 scores. ... View more

Don't expect much if any help with your scores. ... View more

OP you seem to be doing the best you can do. As Robert said the car loan is minor though the installment history helps. Letting 1 card report under 9% of the balance is the best practice. Seems like all you need is time for your history to improve. Don't miss any payments on anything and in time you will be well over 760. ... View more

If you can't keep track of when and how much is due maybe you have too many accounts. Why put personal data out online? ... View more

I woulod not close the Target card. I plan on getting a FR soon. I took advantage of some very nice BT offers this month so AmEx is gonna see a completely different credit profile next time they soft me. They can have their card back if they do a FR. Nearly free money is worth more than an AmEx card to me. ... View more

  @imhotepng wrote: To complete the story.... My purchase was plane tickets from BA   And on, and on...   People do strange stuff.  They do it because they don't recognize it as being strange.  You have to dig a little deeper in most cases to get the real reasons why people get AA from their lenders.  There are a lot of people that do all sorts of *bad* stuff with their Amex, and see no repurcussions, myself included.   Stuff like...shopping at walmart, making medical payments, carrying small balances, buying liquor from the casino bar at 3am, etc....   I've read a lot of Amex FR and AA stories, and most seem to have a common theme.  That theme is usually that the storyteller isn't giving you the full story.  Sometimes it is intentional, sometimes it is ignorance about what Amex and other CC's are looking at.  They just see a letter that says "risky purchases", and suddenly believe anyone who uses Amex at Walmart is going to get FR'd.  What they fail to mention or recognize is that maxing out the card, carrying large balances, only making minimum payments, paying off large portions of balances and then immediately charging it back...all these things are the real reasons.    But you're never going to get a letter from Amex that says...   Please don't actually use the entire credit line we said you could Please don't revolve a balance on our revolving credit cards Please pay your balance in full...the minimum payment is just something we're required to put on there Please don't stop using your card for six months, and then suddenly max it out with medical bills   I can safely say that AmEx or any other creditor doesn't need any reason perceived or otherwise to cut your credit limits. I was speaking about my son in an earlier post. I have seen his credit reports since before he was approved and every month after that. I can assure you that nothing has changed in any way. For the short period of time he had the card he used it for 10% of the CL every month and paid it off either brfore or after the statements cut. AmEx can be like the crazy supermodel at times. ... View more

One of my relatives had their line cut from 5-2K. Blue Cash. No balance on card just cut and when he called was told the initial line was an error and they meant to only match his lowest credit limit.  Into the sockdrawer. Available Fico scores are 777 and 778. 6 years of credit history and  was approved for 25K with NFCU. ... View more

I joined in 2007 and only paid one time Hauling. They were tough initially but now they are my highest CL. NFCU was more but I closed one of the CC's. ... View more

Did Deb Walden back date the card for ya Di? ... View more

Estimator is very accurate for me. Are you sure you answered all the questions totally correct? Please do not take this the wrong way but every time I have used this it does fall within the 50 point range. ... View more