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Much of the conventional wisdom around signing up for credit cards says that if you are denied when applying for a credit card, that you should call the “reconsideration” line to try and get an approval. I’ve even written a post before listing out the Barclay reconsideration phone number and website. Calling the reconsideration line has worked for me before, but there are a few reasons why you might NOT want to call the reconsideration line
- Why you should NOT call the reconsideration line
- American Express reconsideration phone number and website
- Bank of America reconsideration phone number and website
- Barclay reconsideration phone number and website
- Citi reconsideration phone number and website
- Chase reconsideration phone number and website
It’s for your spouse’s card
Since I play this game in “2-player” mode, I am often signing up my wife for credit cards and other deals. I have been blessed with a wife who trusts me and is fine with me doing this.
But, she hates Hates HATES calling companies about deals, mostly because she doesn’t like talking to credit card (or other) companies about things when she doesn’t really care to understand what she’s calling about. She’s a good sport, and occasionally she will call, but she doesn’t like it.
I MAY have (totally hypothetically speaking) once before called a company on my wife’s account, and it did not go well :-). But that’s a story for another day…
Still, like I said, she WILL call if she has to, but sometimes she doesn’t, because…
You often get better success just “waiting it out”
I’ve had a few reports from a few banks (American Express, Chase, others) where I received a pending notice upon applying for a card online. Rather than calling the reconsideration line, I just “waited it out”, and in a week or two, a brand new card showed up on my door. I have also READ reports (though I can’t remember exactly from whom) of people who were denied when they called in, versus others in similar situations who just waited it out and were approved.
Obviously the mechanics of who is approved for cards and who is not are quite complicated and to an extent, defy all logic and reason. Another factor might be timing – if you need the card sooner rather than later for a particular reason, you may want to call in to try and get approved faster.
A recent personal example
Recently my wife applied for the Chase Hyatt card. This was mostly due to the fact that Hyatt is offering a 20% rebate on award redemptions over the next couple of months, as well as possibly using the free night certificates on our upcoming stay in Europe.
“She” applied, was given a pending message, and then I went on a trip (visiting every county in Utah, Four Corners, a Rodeway Inn, a red eye flight, and the Family Travel for Real Life conference). Partially just because we had a lot going on, and partially wanting to test out the “waiting” strategy, I didn’t ask her to call in to Chase. And sure enough, when I got back, a giant Chase Hyatt card welcome packet was waiting in the mail!
So at least anecdotally, the strategy seems to be working for us. What about you? Have you had any kind of success “waiting it out” rather than calling the reconsideration line?
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
I always call except Barclays as it’s been established they have no love for me. My wife the same way and does not like to call (or use the correct card for the purchase but that’s another post…). I have learned that if she makes the call or is the one that starts to talk to CSR she can tell them she would like me to complete the discussion and in essence is giving the CSR her permission for me to deal with it. Works every time, allows her to NOT have to have the conversation and allows me to do the convincing or changes.
In fact AMEX let her set me up as an approved “account manager” so I can even initiate the calls to them on card matters. The have on occasion needed her to approve something but I simply hand her the phone and after a quick identity verification I get the phone back.
Yeah I’ve thought about doing that (having her start the call, identify and then pass the phone over) but have never actually done that.
Just last week I successfully got my wife approved for the US Air CC by calling Barclays recon for her. I even started the call, then asked if it were OK for her to come on and give me permission, then I finished the call. I would say recon calls are one of the biggest YMMV areas in this game. Great social engineering skills help!
I have had 3 or four cards that I got pending or denied. One I called and they wouldn’t budge. The other three I just let be and a couple weeks later they all appeared in the mail. Even the one I was denied for.
American express sucks!! No reconn. If a,bankruptcy shows up till 10 years later and it don’t show up no matter how good your credit is now !#!!!!!!!
Seriously? You complain that a company won’t give a rewards credit card after you’ve had a bankruptcy?
Yes, after 10 years she should certainly be reconsidered.
Amex gave me a rewards card five years after a BK. They are probably tougher if you declare bk on them. They let me keep a 10k card that I had prior to bk as well.
Why did you write this post? Its just dumb.
Why did you read it? That’s even dumber. Why did you write about it? That’s dumber still. (If you think something is “dumb”–even though the rest of the population doesn’t–why bother reading it and on top of that, why bother commenting on it?)
My tu score 724 eq 726 all of my accounts are in good standing never late yet Barclays denied me outright
I want to know what happened when you called on your wife’s behalf. I *may* have done something similar, lol. I’m feeling the guilt, help a brother out.
I couldn’t keep it together without laughing so I had to quickly give an excuse and hang up 🙂
How soon after you receive the pending notice do you call?