Unexpected Experian pull by Citi when added as authorized user?
Feb 7, 2015, 12:57 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,139
Unexpected Experian pull by Citi when added as authorized user?
folks
i was added as an authorized user on a Citi AAdvantage Gold World Mastercard 2 months ago (no social provided) but I still see a credit pull on my Experian report. Obviously, they matched the address to past cards I've had in my name. Is this the new normal?
Thx
i was added as an authorized user on a Citi AAdvantage Gold World Mastercard 2 months ago (no social provided) but I still see a credit pull on my Experian report. Obviously, they matched the address to past cards I've had in my name. Is this the new normal?
Thx
Feb 7, 2015, 2:23 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: NYC
Posts: 581
I don't know if it's standard, but Citi does have permissible purpose to do so. It's just one pull, so I wouldn't worry about it. In six months after the pull (four or five months from now) the impact on your FICO scores will be diminished, and a year after the pull, it won't be factored into your FICO scores at all.
Feb 7, 2015, 2:29 pm
#3
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Admirals Club, Global Entry
Posts: 1,142
Forgive my ignorance, but I thought that being added as an authorized user on a spouse's card didn't create a "hard pull" as would, say, a request for a substantial credit-line increase.
Am I just wrong? It sure looks like it.
How often (%) does this happen? Is Citi just different or would Barclays or Chase do it, too?
Am I just wrong? It sure looks like it.
How often (%) does this happen? Is Citi just different or would Barclays or Chase do it, too?
Feb 7, 2015, 5:11 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 224
Check to make sure the person that added you as an AU did not submit an application using your info. If they didn't, notify the credit reporting agencies asap.
Feb 7, 2015, 5:19 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 224
You're not wrong. A bank cannot do a hard pull for an AU, but can do one at anytime for the cardholder. Technically, any bank that has extended you credit can do a hard pull anytime that they want. You gave them permission to do so upon acceptance of the cardmember agreement. The few times I've seen this done is when someone's risk profile suddenly indicates a high risk of default. Sort of like when someone goes out and does something stupid like applying for ten credit cards in one day.
Last edited by traveler9020; Feb 8, 2015 at 6:09 pm
Feb 8, 2015, 5:39 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 526
I don't know if it's standard, but Citi does have permissible purpose to do so. It's just one pull, so I wouldn't worry about it. In six months after the pull (four or five months from now) the impact on your FICO scores will be diminished, and a year after the pull, it won't be factored into your FICO scores at all.
If they don't remove it, contact the CRA directly and ask them to remove it. If they refuse make a complaint with the CFPB.
Feb 9, 2015, 10:56 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,139
A hard pull was indeed done for me as the add-on user. The experian report even shows the right balance. I called citi customer service but they are ignorant about this whole thing and doubt they can help. Is there a certain phone number that handles these credit inquiries?
Thx
Thx
Feb 9, 2015, 12:21 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 396
A hard pull was indeed done for me as the add-on user. The experian report even shows the right balance. I called citi customer service but they are ignorant about this whole thing and doubt they can help. Is there a certain phone number that handles these credit inquiries?
Thx
Thx
Feb 9, 2015, 12:39 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
A hard pull was indeed done for me as the add-on user. The experian report even shows the right balance. I called citi customer service but they are ignorant about this whole thing and doubt they can help. Is there a certain phone number that handles these credit inquiries?
Thx
Thx
Feb 9, 2015, 1:04 pm
#11
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Feb 9, 2015, 3:34 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2012
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A hard pull was indeed done for me as the add-on user. The experian report even shows the right balance. I called citi customer service but they are ignorant about this whole thing and doubt they can help. Is there a certain phone number that handles these credit inquiries?
Thx
Thx
Feb 9, 2015, 6:32 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,139
The experian agent didn't even know what a hard pull is. And the entry shows just like the cards I was the primary on. How do i distinguish between a hard pull and smth else?
Date Opened: 02/04/2015
Business Name: CITICARDS CBNA
Balance Amount: $1240
Balance Date:
Address: PO BOX 6241
Date Opened: 02/04/2015
Business Name: CITICARDS CBNA
Balance Amount: $1240
Balance Date:
Address: PO BOX 6241
Feb 9, 2015, 6:36 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
The experian agent didn't even know what a hard pull is. And the entry shows just like the cards I was the primary on. How do i distinguish between a hard pull and smth else?
Date Opened: 02/04/2015
Business Name: CITICARDS CBNA
Balance Amount: $1240
Balance Date:
Address: PO BOX 6241
Date Opened: 02/04/2015
Business Name: CITICARDS CBNA
Balance Amount: $1240
Balance Date:
Address: PO BOX 6241
If you go down to near the end of the Experian credit report, you will see a section called "Record of requests for your credit history"
"Inquiries shared with others" are hard pulls. "Inquiries shared only with you" are soft pulls.
Feb 9, 2015, 10:33 pm
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,797
The experian agent didn't even know what a hard pull is. And the entry shows just like the cards I was the primary on. How do i distinguish between a hard pull and smth else?
Date Opened: 02/04/2015
Business Name: CITICARDS CBNA
Balance Amount: $1240
Balance Date:
Address: PO BOX 6241
Date Opened: 02/04/2015
Business Name: CITICARDS CBNA
Balance Amount: $1240
Balance Date:
Address: PO BOX 6241
Looks like you are the one who has no idea on how information is displayed on a credit report.
BTW, hard pull and soft pull are just lingos. The "formal" names of 2 different inquiries are NOT called hard pull or soft pull on a credit report...
They are called "Inquiries shared with others" and "Inquiries shared only with you", respectively. May be it is YOU who do not have an idea what a hard pull is.
Have you ever looked at the Inquiry sections? Or even know such sections exist?
They are the last few pages of your credit report. One can quickly see who has done what in 5 minutes reading the last 2 pages.
Last edited by Happy; Feb 9, 2015 at 10:38 pm