Declined for a Walmart Credit Card - possible scam?

[Amethyst]

The title says it all. Whenever I order from Walmart.com, the site pushes their Master Card through Synchrony Bank. I finally bit and found that it gives 3% back on Walmart.com purchases, so I did the online application - giving up my SS# - and pushed the button. Usually I am instantly approved for a CC, but instead got the dreaded "Call this 877 number to discuss your application."

On calling, I had to give my SS# to a rep who asked questions, then turned me over to a Synchrony Bank rep, who again requested my SS# and asked more questions. She then requested my cell phone #, which I declined to give (I don't want any more ads on my phone). So she said to hang up my home phone and she would call me back with verification #'s. I did this. The phone rang. I picked it up. The connection was cut off.

Being a patient soul, I called the 877# again and was AGAIN asked for my SS#. The rep informed me that my application had been denied, and I would get a letter in the mail telling me why.

Anyone interested in hearing back, after said letter arrives?

Fortunately I have plenty of other CCs, but this was so strange, I thought I'd better report it. Does it sound like a scam?

 

[MichaelB]

Doesn't sound like a scam, more like a process that has too many steps and targeted toward a different market segment.

 

[SumDay]

Yes, I want to hear what the letter says.

No scam, just a poorly organized process that no one in their hierarchy has ever had to step through.

 

[Amethyst]

Are you saying my credit rating scared them off?

Doesn't sound like a scam, more like a process that has too many steps and targeted toward a different market segment.

 

[Aerides]

Not a scam, but probably some glitch or rule in their application process that backfired. Or yes somehow you fell outside whatever their criteria is - even if it defies normal sense.

Might be a good time to do a quick personal credit check, ensure everything looks normal for you, then await the letter.

 

[MichaelB]

Are you saying my credit rating scared them off?

Maybe their target segment is someone with a salary, or at least their decision matrix has salary as an important criteria, and pension / assets are not given the same weight.

 

[OldShooter]

Maybe they concluded that you would likely be paying the card off every month. IIRC in the industry they call us something like "free riders."

 

[redshift]

It's actually worse than that. They call us "deadbeats"!

 

[audreyh1]

It's actually worse than that. They call us "deadbeats"!

It’s their fault. They set up the parameters.

But many of us have greatly increased our use of credit cards due to the rewards offered, and they are thus making more money off of us, even if only in transaction fees.

 

[marko]

Maybe their target segment is someone with a salary, or at least their decision matrix has salary as an important criteria, and pension / assets are not given the same weight.

Yes.

I mentioned in another thread yesterday how we were denied a JetBlue CC because we checked the 'retired' box and our income (100% investments) seemed, ummmmm "not in line with a retired person's income". Denied. No recourse.

On the other hand, I was able to get a lease on a brand new Mercedes (with a hefty monthly payment) in minutes with zero hassle. As my salesman laughed: "That's how we got into this financial mess in the first place!"

 

[Amethyst]

They asked only for yearly income. Actually I still earn a salary, too.

Maybe their target segment is someone with a salary, or at least their decision matrix has salary as an important criteria, and pension / assets are not given the same weight.

 

[HadEnuff]

Maybe they concluded that you would likely be paying the card off every month. IIRC in the industry they call us something like "free riders."

It's actually worse than that. They call us "deadbeats"!

kind of what I was thinking...

 

[Just_Steve]

Synchrony Bank is the same bank that Lowes uses for their CC, Synchrony Bank is the absolutely worst bank I have ever felt with bar none.

 

[harley]

The title says it all. Whenever I order from Walmart.com, the site pushes their Master Card through Synchrony Bank. I finally bit and found that it gives 3% back on Walmart.com purchases, so I did the online application - giving up my SS# - and pushed the button. Usually I am instantly approved for a CC, but instead got the dreaded "Call this 877 number to discuss your application."

On calling, I had to give my SS# to a rep who asked questions, then turned me over to a Synchrony Bank rep, who again requested my SS# and asked more questions. She then requested my cell phone #, which I declined to give (I don't want any more ads on my phone). So she said to hang up my home phone and she would call me back with verification #'s. I did this. The phone rang. I picked it up. The connection was cut off.

Being a patient soul, I called the 877# again and was AGAIN asked for my SS#. The rep informed me that my application had been denied, and I would get a letter in the mail telling me why.

Anyone interested in hearing back, after said letter arrives?

Fortunately I have plenty of other CCs, but this was so strange, I thought I'd better report it. Does it sound like a scam?

Not a scam. Just a slur against you personally. They've decided you aren't classy enough to be a Walmart shopper.

j/k. I suspect it's just another indication of how screwed up many of their processes are. They are an amazing company as far as walking into their store and buying/returning items. But anything online or automated just doesn't seem to work well IME. They aren't making the transition to the virtual economy very gracefully.

 

[calmloki]

I play the card bonus game a bit harder than the gal - we recently got mailed separate Citi card solicitations. Mine offered a 50,000 bonus for a $4000 spend while hers was for 60,000 points with a $3000 spend. Methinks Citi has twigged to the game.

 

[Katsmeow]

Have you looked at your credit reports lately? There might be something that got on a credit report wrongly that caused the denial.

A couple of years ago I was buying a computer from Dell and was shocked to be declined. When I got the letter it became clear. DH had started the conversation with Dell and had started the application. Then I needed to talk to them about something and they supposedly switched the application to me. But...they submitted it to the bank with my name and DH's SS number. So, of course, it got rejected.

The denial letter will tell you the reason. But, if it was me, I would probably go ahead and check my credit reports. You might even ask the Walmart number which credit report they used so you would know what to look at.

 

[Amethyst]

I checked CreditKarma - score 830 with Transunion and 826 with Equifax. It did show a hard credit inquiry by Synchrony Bank. Which annoys me, b/c hard inquiries ding your rating and it was for nothing!

 

[Another Reader]

Synchrony operates a perfectly functional on-line bank. I have money with them. The Lowe's credit card? That site is a mess. It's hard to get to, difficult to pay a bill on and the payment often does not show up for two days or more. I pay for everything from Lowe's the minute I get home with the merchandise.

 

[audreyh1]

I am shocked, SHOCKED! I tell you!

Synchrony runs the Amazon store card business- I use that card heavily. Also use their online bank. I haven’t had difficulties.

I suppose Walmart has their criteria......

 

[Bestwifeever]

We were denied once because an error was made in entering our drivers license number by the store clerk, as explained in the denial letter. We were invited to reapply, which we did not. Maybe your denial is something stupid like this.

 

[youbet]

Not a scam. Just a slur against you personally. They've decided you aren't classy enough to be a Walmart shopper.

j/k. I suspect it's just another indication of how screwed up many of their processes are. They are an amazing company as far as walking into their store and buying/returning items. But anything online or automated just doesn't seem to work well IME. They aren't making the transition to the virtual economy very gracefully.

Interesting how some folks think this has anything significant to do with Walmart........

 

[IMATERP]

I was declined a JC Penney CC via Synchrony. The only reason we applied was to take advantage of a 40% mattress discount if we applied for the card. My wife tried three times and I tried twice and each time we were denied. The store manager felt sorry for us and gave us a 40% discount on our mattress - a Temperpedic Supreme Breeze. It was a painstaking process but we did end up getting a $4,000 mattress for $1,550. A great big hassle but we sleep well at night.

I

 

[TrvlBug]

DH was recently declined by Amazon cc (Chase) because we're not up to our eyeballs in debt...too much available credit .

 

[Newventurer]

Synchrony lost the WalMart CC account, it could be that they are in transition? I believe ‘what’s in your wallet’ won the business

 

[audreyh1]

Synchrony lost the WalMart CC account, it could be that they are in transition? I believe ‘what’s in your wallet’ won the business

A-hah!