March 7th, 2013
Reconsideration For Those Without The Gift Of Gab
Read more about what you can do via Secure Message and where to find secure messaging in this post.
Calling the Reconsideration department after being denied a credit card is crucial. They’ve already pulled your credit, now you just have to explain why you want the credit card. Everyone gets denied, the only difference is how much time you’re willing to spend to turn that denial into an approval.
You only have 30 days after you’re denied to reconsider an app, but often you can call Reconsideration right after applying. The advantage of calling right away is that it limits the chances of getting another pull in case they have to pull your report another time.
Good strategies include:
-Proactively offering to shift credit lines around from other cards to get the new application approved.
-Proactively offering to close an older card you don’t use anymore to get the new application approved. Make sure the old card is totally paid off and that they move over the entire credit line to the new card. In this way you won’t have any loss on your credit report from the closed card as the closed card continues to help your length of credit history and average age of your accounts for at least 10 years after it’s closed and you didn’t lose your line of credit or hurt your credit utilization ratio.
-Explaining how you want the benefits the card provides. Like free baggage and primary car rental insurance on United Explorer. Or just simply that you plan on flying more often on Delta or Southwest. That you will be staying in Starwood hotels and want elite night credits, that you like the idea of 3 times points for airfare, or that you want 2.14 points on dining and travel with Sapphire Preferred. That you want a line of credit for your business with Ink Plus along with the charge card capabilities of Ink Bold. Every card has unique perks, make sure you know what you’re applying for and why and that will help you out greatly. Often I can even teach the reps a thing or 2 they didn’t even know! If a card has no fee or no foreign exchange fee or any other unique perks, those are all good reasons for wanting a card.
The banks are afraid of people just applying for credit to rack up debts that they won’t pay. Your job is to explain why you are NOT one of those people and why you want the card. After all if you don’t pay a bill you’ll lose out on all the fun due to your credit being shot!
-Explaining why you might want 2 versions of a card. HSA spending should often be done on a dedicated card. You may want to separate foreign and domestic spending. Etc.
-Explaining how you’ve never had a late payment or that you’re a loyal customer for x amount of years.
-Explaining how you bank and have other services with the credit card and are very loyal.
-Be friendly! Ask the person how their day is going and they’ll be more likely to want to help you out.
What about if you’re just not a good talker?
Multiple DDF members have had great success doing reconsideration via secure message. The same strategies apply, just keep your case short and to the point.
-dovy2 was denied 3 times over the phone but approved after just 1 secure message.
-sky121 helped his grandmother out with secure messaging, offered to shift credit lines around to get approved, and voila.
-syguy explained the benefits of the Sapphire Preferred and offered to move over credit and he got approved as well via SM.
So far all of the reports have been with Chase. If you try it with another bank then be sure to let everyone know how it goes.
Want to talk instead of write? Here are Reconsideration numbers:
AMEX: 866-314-0237
Barclay: 866 408 4064
BoFA: 866-458-8804
Chase:
Chase: 800-432-3117 (Application status)
Chase: 888-270-2127 (Application reconsideration)
Chase: 800-453-9719 (Business card reconsideration)
Chase: 888-245-0625 (Credit Analyst reconsideration)
Chase: 888-622-7547 (Chase Executive Office)
Chase: 888-298-5623 (Credit Reallocation – Consumer)
Chase: 800-453-9719 (Credit Reallocation – Business)
It’s also worth noting that if you have at least $10,000 in a Chase checking account your banker can send in a special reconsideration form requesting that you be approved. Use this in case you face dead ends after calling the various departments and secure messaging them.
Citi:
Citi: 866-606-2787 (Account Analyst)
Citi: 888-201-4523 (New App Approval Status)
Citi: 800-444-2568 (Retention Dept.)
Citi: 800-763-9795 (Credit Dept.)
Citi Credit Bureau Dispute Fax: 866-713-5028
Citi Recon can be tough. Many people have also had better luck writing to the office of the President for reconsideration on Citi cards:
Mr. Ken Stork
Office of the President
PO Box 6000
Sioux Falls, SD 57117
Have you tried reconsideration via Secure Message? Share the details in the comments!
1
March 7th, 2013 at 9:27 pm
If I am applying for my first AMEX, is there any way I can SM if I don’t have an online account with that credit card company?
2
March 7th, 2013 at 9:29 pm
@Meir:
Nope, sorry!
3
March 7th, 2013 at 9:39 pm
@Dan
Any other options?
4
March 7th, 2013 at 9:41 pm
@Meir:
Man up and call
Chase is mush easier than AMEX for Recon, but just make your case as I explained.
5
March 7th, 2013 at 9:47 pm
Were do i get an answer For some thing posted along time ago and were do i post some thing for the readers
6
March 7th, 2013 at 9:47 pm
Didn’t work they said need to call?
7
March 7th, 2013 at 9:53 pm
@john:
On the forums
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php
8
March 7th, 2013 at 10:16 pm
having a tough time with citi, what do i write if i send a letter to that dude?
dear sir,
please approve the AA card cuz i want priority boarding and no baggage fees?
9
March 7th, 2013 at 10:39 pm
@john: @hunch: or use the search at the top of the page
10
March 7th, 2013 at 11:22 pm
At the risk of asking a question that might not be %100 related to the topic of reconsideration, I’d like to find out the following: At present I have a credit score of 700, and have one credit card with 6k credit, and I’d like to start building my repertoire of CC’s. Thing is I had a Chase cc shut down about two years ago (late payments.. I wasn’t educated unfortunately). So my question is: Should I apply for Chase credit cards or have my chances of them accepting me been diminished, and I should instead go for an Amex (or some other card, but not chase)?
11
March 7th, 2013 at 11:47 pm
Can one use VR—>MVD—>CA directly into checking account for artificial 10k then apply for card and get banker to call in recon?
12
March 8th, 2013 at 12:43 am
Hi Dan,
Though I share your name and maybe even your age, I definitely do not even come close to your knowledge in the credit card world. But I must say your addiction is kind of tempting to get hooked on especially because I, as well, consider myself a responsible swiper.
I have 2 questions: In order to build the nest of that many points, I imagine that you apply for cc’s quite frequently. How many times a year can or should a person have his credit pulled? And, does the previous pulls show up in front of the analyst reviewing your report or does it just slightly affect your score?
Additionally, I am also new to this site, and would like to thank you for all the deals you bring to our attention.
Thank you.
13
March 8th, 2013 at 4:03 am
Dan where can I find cheap car rentals in miami?
14
March 8th, 2013 at 6:24 am
-Proactively offering to close an older card you don’t use anymore to get the new application approved. Make sure the old card is totally paid off and that they move over the entire credit line to the new card. In this way you won’t have any loss on your credit report from the closed card as the closed card continues to help your length of credit history and average age of your accounts for at least 10 years after it’s closed and you didn’t lose your line of credit or hurt your credit utilization ratio.
Dan- how/why does the closed card Continue to help your length of credit history etc?
15
March 8th, 2013 at 7:47 am
does anybody know if after speaking to a chase recon rep the account gets notated so that all chase recon reps can now see the amount of attempts made?
16
March 8th, 2013 at 8:01 am
Thanks for this post! I just applied for a credit card and was denied and didn’t feel I should have been but thought oh well! And lo and behold here is this post! I am going to call them ASAP and use these tips. Thanks a bundle! Fingers crossed
17
March 8th, 2013 at 9:02 am
Similar question to @Eli. I applied for a Sapphire Preferred online and was not immediately awarded it. I have a few other Chase cards that I never use, ever. About 10 days after the application I received a letter stating that they are qualifying me for the S.P. for $30,000 but closing 3 non actives (totaling less than $30,000) so I totally don’t care about that. Fine with me. BUT will the 3 closures impact me in a negative way?
18
March 8th, 2013 at 10:03 am
i applied for the starwood and gold card at the same time, i was approved for the Starwood however i was declined for the gold card.i called them twice to reconsider but they keep saying i should re-apply in 90 days. is there anything i should say that they might approve me for the gold card
19
March 8th, 2013 at 11:34 am
Thanks Dan for your informative website. I have a United Chase credit card and had an offer for 75K for enrolling in another one. I enrolled, and then received a letter that one can only have the United bonus miles ONCE in a life time. Is there anything that I can do? I called United millage plus and received the same answer. Should I close the card?
20
March 8th, 2013 at 12:29 pm
Hello, and thanks for everything you do.
What about the green dot card, where you just pay for the money that you load.
1) How many cards can you purchase (it has to be registered) under one name?
2) what happens if you have a zero balance before the month is up, and you just don’t refill the card. How do they charge you the 5.95 fee?
Thank You
21
March 8th, 2013 at 12:39 pm
I signed up for my first credit card from chase the United one and they want proof of income I told them I can’t get it so they seldom send in bank statements the only issue is that I don’t have a lot of money coming in and out of my bank and I have under 100 bucks sitting in my account now so what do you think I should do now? Thanks Dan
P. S. I already have a spg from Amex if that helps
22
March 8th, 2013 at 2:46 pm
I sent a email to citi, they response was a no but YMMV
23
March 9th, 2013 at 8:01 pm
I Applied for both Southwest Chase Cards ( Premier and Plus )and got Approved on the Premier for 12k and then got a letter that i got denied on the other for having to many application in last 12 months. I then called the Chase Reconsider Line and i explained them i would like to benefit from having both card and that i fly a lot and that they can even lower my other card so im able to get both. They then end up Approving me for both and spilt the cards 6k each.
24
March 9th, 2013 at 8:39 pm
Dan I had applied 4 starwood consumer and starwood Biz in the summer and earned my points now I reapplied for both again when I spoke to rep to find out how far I was from spending threshold he said I don’t qualify since I have other open starwood accounts . Now what ?
25
March 9th, 2013 at 10:34 pm
So your saying you would even do a ink plus with an ink bold 2bm and say you want one with credit line and 1 with charge capabilities? Also, is that 2 pulls on a 2BM?
26
March 11th, 2013 at 12:49 am
1)I applied for a 2nd chase united card but i put in my milage plus number, will i be able to get the bonus a 2nd time?
2) how can i get my application ID number so that i can call right away, without waiting for their reply by mail?
thanx!!
27
March 11th, 2013 at 1:10 pm
The amex number posted above keep telling me that te reconsideration dept in amex does not exist and that there is no one to talk to. Anyone have the same experience?
28
March 16th, 2013 at 9:23 pm
Dan,
I got denied for the Amex business gold card (75k signup bonus). I called and sent a SM and they keep telling me that all they can do is a “review” which will most likely include another hard pull (although my credit is excellent and they said that’s not the reason i was declined).
Any advice?
Thanks
29
March 19th, 2013 at 12:41 pm
I find SM handy since I am speech impared.
30
March 19th, 2013 at 12:53 pm
@Sam:
Probably another bank.
@Noturbizniss:
I suppose.
@Daniel:
I have a lot of pulls on my reports. There really isn’t a safe number, just a matter of trial and error and negotiating with Recon.
@fresser:
Sixt.
@Eli:
Because it stays on your report for 10 years and counts towards account age until then.
@yehuda:
YMMV but people have had success even after many rejections.
@Niz:
You can call them back and have them reopen some of those cards by cutting your SP line. It won’t effect you for the next 10 years, but having more of them open will give you more leverage in the future.
@Meir R:
Explain why you want the benefits the card offers.
@confused:
New mileage number.
@cbc:
Write to Citi for best results.
@Elad R:
Congrats!
@bingo:
Did you open a new mileage number?
@question:
Yes.
1 pull.
@MR:
Yes.
You don’t need it.
@ddawg:
Nope.
@chaim:
They should be able to look at the report already pulled. Call back.
@chemist661:
It’s perfect for the speech impaired, if you try Recon via SM let us know how it goes.
31
March 22nd, 2013 at 12:51 am
Hi Dan. I love your site! I tried applying for the ink bold and ink plus using two browsers, however, i messed up bec i forgot to fill in one line on one application and it ended up getting submitted a minute later than the other one. Both responses were that further investigation was required and i would receive a response within 30 days. i called reconsideration and they said that ink bold was automatically declined bec it came in second and they approved the ink plus for me. In total, i only have 2 other cards now- have had 1 for 4 yrs and the other for only 1- so the rep said my credit file was too thin to approve 2 business cards like this at once. said payment history is great but to work on establishing more credit and to try again. What do you think Dan?
* did i end up with 2 pulls if applications come in a minute apart?
* should i still try calling reconsideration for 2nd card and what can i say?
* any way for me to access this credit report?
32
April 5th, 2013 at 11:14 am
I did it! I applied to two cards to Chase. Got the “further review” message. Called recon. Lady told me that “uh, you just submitted them a minute ago…you got to give it at least 15 minutes”…she offered to call me back. She did. I lowered credit line from one card to get both approved. Brand new saphire and airline miles…I am going to Israel!
33
April 8th, 2013 at 1:06 pm
So I did a 3 bm the other day and chase denied all 3. Called recon and they said it’s because my credit history is too short (just opened my first 3 new cards in Jan/Dec). Is there anything that I can do or just I just wait awhile?
34
April 8th, 2013 at 3:58 pm
same problem as Sara :/ any help would be appreciated ( i opened first in october though)
35
April 8th, 2013 at 3:58 pm
also i sent an SM for 1 card waiting to hear back…
36
April 12th, 2013 at 12:03 am
turns out one of the cards was approved! wooooo!!!!!
37
May 17th, 2013 at 4:19 pm
dan is the man after calling chase 6 times they approved me my third card chase, they kept on telling me can’t approve cause I got 2 approved in last 30 days. lesson never give up(btw I gave up just called to get one instead of the other and rep offered to keep both)
38
June 14th, 2013 at 3:19 pm
I didn’t anderstand what’s the point for call for
9ne application ech time if the rep see that I
aplay for 3 .,?