If you have great credit, you’re more than likely to get an easy approval for your credit card application. But, if you end up getting denied or having a pending application, there’s no reason to worry. You still have some options. You want to make a call to follow up because odds are that you can get the application pushed through. Below are some basic tips to give yourself the best chance at “reconsideration” of a denial or a faster approval of a pending application. Not sure what number to call? The numbers are at the bottom of this post.
1. Call*: Most of the time, calling right away is to your benefit. Lots of banks use automated application systems, so you need to get a live person on the phone to talk through your application. It could be a matter of verifying information or asking them for any options to push the application through. If you’ve been denied, good practice is to call the reconsideration number ASAP after applying.
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*One major exception to calling: Chase business cards. If you applied for a Chase business card, it is recommended that you do not call first. When Chase business card applications go to pending, people frequently find that they get approved without calling. When people do call, they often get tough analysts who are more likely to deny the application. Why this advice on Chase business cards? The approval process goes through up to 3 “gates”:
If you’re not instantly approved, then calling bypasses gate 2 and may reduce your overall chance of approval. Instead, I recommend waiting to get a letter in the mail. Hopefully it will say “congratulations”. Of course, if Chase contacts you asking for more information then you absolutely should talk to them on the phone. In some cases they may simply need more information about you or your business before your application can go through the next review stage. |
2. When you call, be nice and know your info: Being nice on the phone always works best. And knowing your info is even better.
a) Credit info – Have your CreditKarma.com account pulled up so you can speak with confidence about your score and credit factors. Say something like, “I know that my recent score is ___, I’d love to get this card, and I’d like to know if there’s any way I can get my application pushed through. Anything you can do to help me would be greatly appreciated.”
b) Bank history – If you have a good history with the bank, that can also help. You can say, “I have been an excellent customer with _____ (bank name), and I have always paid on time and been responsible with the credit.” Remember to be polite!
c) Card features – Pick out one or two features of the card you’re applying for and let them know that’s why you want it. Don’t just say, “I want the bonus!” It could be no foreign transaction fees for int’l travel, 2x or 3x points for dining or travel, or I love using ______ airlines and it would be a great to get rewards for my purchases.”
3. Let them know you’re willing to move or reduce credit on another card: It’s common to get denied for a card, but then get approved if you offer to move or reduce credit from a current card with that bank. Often it is just a matter of how much credit they want to give you. So, offering to move or reduce credit from another card may be the simple solution. Sometimes they may ask you to close a card. If you are okay with closing one of your cards, then this can be an easy move towards approval. Just make sure you are not closing cards any cards that you’ve held for a long time because those cards give you good credit history.
4. Still not working? Stay polite and HUCA. HUCA means “Hang Up Call Again.” It’s important to keep in mind that customer service representatives often handle a large volume of calls every day. As a result, they may rely on a script and provide answers that are not tailored to your specific situation. This can be especially frustrating when it comes to credit card denials, as the given reason may not accurately reflect the issue at hand.
If your credit card application is denied, you may be told that it’s due to too many recent credit inquiries, even if you followed the proper application pacing by waiting close to 90 days between applications and are well under the 5/24 rule. In such a scenario, it’s recommended to stay polite and HUCA (“Hang Up Call Again.”) It’s actually very common for one representative to claim a certain policy for your denial when another representative is more willing to work with you for approval. Because of this disparity, most people consider calling three times before they give up. Just remember to be polite, as you don’t want any negative notes on your account!
5. Be patient: Even when approved, it may take some time for your approval to process. It could take up to 2 weeks to get the actual card. If you have some bigger purchases you need to make immediately, let the card issuer know and see if they’ll expedite the shipping for free.
6. Chase 5/24 Rule: Chase personal or business applications can sometimes be denied for “Too many credit cards in the last two years.” This is the normal language Chase uses when you are “at 5/24” or higher. Read more here: What is 5/24?. However, it can be the case that Chase counted an authorized user card or a non-credit card account towards this total. If this is the case, you can call and talk to an application specialist to do a manual review. Sometimes you’ll get customer service reps who try to tell you that authorized user cards do count towards your total accounts, but this is not true. The key is either to say “No I am not financially responsible for that account”, or to hang up and get another rep on the phone. #huca
Reconsideration Phone Numbers
1. American Express Credit Card Reconsideration
- 800-567-1083 (application status)
- 877-399-3083 (new accounts; can forward you to reconsideration reps) OPEN: 8am-midnight EST M-F, 10am-6:30pm Sat
2. Bank of America / Bank of Hawaii Credit Card Reconsideration
- 800-545-7899 (personal credit analyst)
- 800-421-2110
- 888-663-6262 (business credit analyst)
- 800-481-8277 (business credit card application status; will transfer you to a business credit analyst)
- 877-721-9405 (application status; press 3 then enter your SSN)
- Bank of America Online Application Status Check to check the status of a credit card application
3. Barclaycard Credit Card Reconsideration
- 866-408-4064. (credit analyst) OPEN 8am-5pm EST M-F
- 888-232-0780 (personal credit analyst)
- 866-710-2688 (business), OPEN 8AM-8PM EST
- Barclaycard Online Application Status Check to check the status of a credit card application.
4. Capital One Reconsideration
Call a customer service number to ask about your application. Unlike other banks, there is not a specific reconsideration line for Capital One.
- 1-800-625-7866 (customer service number)
- 1-800-227-4825 (customer service for existing accounts only)
- 1-800-867-0904 (customer service for business cards)
5. Chase Credit Card Reconsideration
- 1-888-609-7805 or 1-888-270-2127 (personal credit analyst) OPEN 7am-10pm EST M-F; 8am-10pm EST Sat.; and 9am-9pm EST Sun.
- 1-800-453-9719 (business credit analyst) OPEN 8am-10pm EST M-F
6. Citibank Credit Card Reconsideration
- 800-695-5171 or 888-201-4523 (credit analyst) OPEN 7am – midnight EST (6am – 11pm CT) Daily
- 800-763-9795 (personal card application status) OPEN 7am-midnight EST Daily; can transfer you to a credit analyst
Have you ever had a denial or pending application pushed through by calling a reconsideration number?
You may also check if you are eligible for a Business Credit Card here.
