Declined Shell gasoline card application

This is a nicely worded letter so I felt compelled to let you know
that Citibank has a reconsideration number. Most likely your denial
was based off of a computer simulation. The number is 800-950-5114.
Ask for a recon.

At the same time I have studied the FICO scoring system and 30% of
that score is your debt load. Any time you let your balances be above
35% of your total credit line your credit scores will plummet. if your
near 75% or above you are considered maxed out and a huge credit risk
no matter the credit company. There are several ways you can fix this
problem so that you don't see it in the future.

1. Call your current companies and find out what the statement report
date is and pay the day before, making your reported balance 0% (even
though its best score wise to let one report between 3-7%).

2. Do number 1 for one month and call your current companies and ask
them for a Credit Limit increase, explaining to them that you want to
use the card and you Pay in full, but that you cannot do this if you
do not have a high enough credit limit to use it without hurting your
score. (A customer service rep cannot more than likely do this
adequately and you will have to talk to a supervisor or underwriter
depending on the company.)

I wish you the best of luck.

Christopher,

You should try writing to directly to Citibank - the bank that issues
the credit card. I had a similar problem about 4 years ago when I
applied for a card with MBNA. I was originally declined and really
took offense to this. I sent them a letter explaining my situation and
low and behold I was issued a credit card with a credit limit more
than I actually needed.

If you have a good credit score, you should be able to get a credit
card.

You sound like a good customer to me.I have never considered it an
honor to spend my money with any merchant,that alone should make you a
dandy guy to them.

I've never heard of the carrying balance at the end of a billing
cycle hurting anyone but the inquiries for credit definitely do and
that's wrong.

Why should merchants checking to see if you have a good credit
history before issuing you a card be damaging? It just doesn't make
sense.

At last check my Beacon score was 768,I asked one of my cards for a
higher line and they declined so I asked Discover (whom I had never
dealt with and they gave me 8 times the first cards limit.I let the
first know and they sent a letter stating they were sorry and would
match Discover-I said "thanks but I don't need it now"

I've trid to teach my kids the importance of good credit,not only
does it make life easier it's just the right thing to do to handle
money matters responsibly but my oldest (18 in March-SERENITY NOW!)
isn't doing so great.He thinks there a magic money fairy putting funds
in behind his debit card.But...momma's name ins't on that account
anymore so he's on his own.

Teenagers,can't kill em' cause they'll stink up the neighborhood.

When I saw the name of the person who wrote this letter (Christopher
W.), the first thing I thought of was, "I bet it's Christopher
Walken." And now, I can't read the letter without hearing it in
Christopher Walken's voice. Which is just amusing the heck out of me.

Sorry, that has nothing to do with anything. Please, carry on as you
were.

Just something else for you to consider:

When you apply to sit for your state's bar exam, you also have to
submit a character and fitness application. As the bar undertakes
their investigation, one of the things they are going to do is pull a
credit report on you. Remember ethics rule 1:15? That's why.

that you have an explanation for the concerns they have with your
credit report, you're focusing on the wrong group here.

You can make promises till you're blue in the face,Citi doesnt care.
All that matters to them is that score and they aren't likely to "take
your word" on an extension of credit.

What you should do, since you are aware of these circumstances (namely
the student loans) you should contact all 3 bureaus and file a
notation explaining this. That will give creditors an opportunity to
evaluate that part of your report more accurately.

But your high account balances usually indicates a higher than average
debt to income ratio. That means a larger than typical percentage of
your income already goes to debt and adding to that could put you in
financial trouble if you ever lost your income. You likely have some
hefty student loans (esp. for a J.D.) and that is going to be factored
in with your other debt.

Good luck in school!

Ack!

It's not an honor for you to have their credit card, it's their honor
to have your money.

That Shell Credit Card is a mess! The left hand does not know what
the right hand is doing. Last fall they had a promotion if you
purchased 100 gallons of gas in 90 days you would get a 25 dollar gift
card. I was like OK a no brainer for me. I am going to easily hit
that requirement. I applied and got the card. I reached my 100
gallons of gas and had the receipts to proove it. I waited a few
weeks then called to inquire when I would get my 25 dollar gift card.
We can't find that promotion.

My gut told me I was going to have a problem with this so I had taken
digital pictures of the promtional offer signs on the pumps. I also
had saved the promotional inserts from the pump.

Needless to say I was issued 25 dollars by Citibank as a credit and
never got the gift card. That card is managed by Citibank but the
promotions are coming from Shell. CS said they didn't even have the
promotion in their computers when I called.

I had sent an on online inquiry and saved that about the promotion so
there was little they could say. I personally have to wonder how many
people applied and forgot about the gift card, or assumed they never
hit the required purchase.

Anyway you are probably better off without this card. After I got my
25 dollar credit I put that card away for good! I don't think Citi was
the problem it was SHELL!

I agree with Keith and Chris on this one. You do not seem like a bad
risk to me from what I read and I would think they would give you the
card.

It's really nobody's business what balances OP carries. OP, pay your
$$$ before the statement date, not the due date so the amount reports
correctly.

I was declined a Shell card due to excessive inquiries on TU (at 7).
I called them and explained that 4 were due to heloc shopping and two
were for a new auto. Since these were in a very short amount of time,
they should be counted as one inquiry each. Time for a manual
review!

No problem, reconsideration given. I received my shell card within 10
days. Be aware that this caused one additional hard inquiry, which is
now gone.

Evidently Citibank/Shell does not share the same sentiment as you do
as it being an honor for you to be their customer.

But it was a good try. And once you get all your credit up to par then
try again...but to keep trying keeps adding more negatives to your
report.

Save your money and do what some of us regular people do and get a
bank card/checking account. Both are good ways to keep tract of money
you actually have to spend and will help keep you budgeted.

Some people are just not able to use credit cards as they should
be...purchase and pay off each month.
I am one of those people and I am proud to say that it took my years
to get my accounts built back up but it was well worth the effort.
I know what my limits are financially and stay within these.

Good luck in school.

You need to cancel all your credit cards and live on what you earn.
If you play with the snakes, you will eventually get bit.


Good Day

The only thing to know about using a credit card is that you pay it
off every month. If you do, you will never have any problem obtaining
new credit.

Keith is little Mr. Know It All, yet he still hasn't figured out how
to use online banking. How odd. Only on the internet.

The credit card companies don't really want people paying off the card
each month. They make less money that way, much less. Thus, you
carrying over a balance is in their favor. Using the card
responsibly, keeping up with your payments (even if they are not
full), paying more than the minimum, etc are all good ways to show
that you are a good customer for them.

Donno, you know very well that the issue I had with online banking was
not that I "hadn't figured out how to use it". If you have a complaint
with me, fine. But at least make it a valid one. You're just being
childish.