So I was checking out at Amazon last night and it said I could get $100 off my purchase by applying for the Amazon credit card. I thought this would be a good test since I froze my credit info at 4 of the credit reporting agencies, so I was surprised when a few seconds after filling out the all to easy application, I was accepted.
So Amazon is either using some other credit agency, I need to get my info frozen there as well, or they accepted me based on my purchase history with them.
That’s pretty concerning. I get a warm feeling when I forget to unfreeze my reports and whatever application I’m going through gets delayed. The feeling of security far outweighs any annoyance.
I wouldn’t put it past Amazon to have their own internal credit reporting database. Then the question becomes, is Amazon being regulated in the same way as Experian/Transunion/Equifax?
In Canada the Amazon CC recently switched from one bank to another (they don’t manage their own, at least not here.) Here, it’s branded MBNA but that is just a brand of the Toronto Dominion Bank (TD Bank.)
Just checked with an American friend, and he says they use Chase Bank in the USA. I strongly suspect they know more about you from your purchase history than any bank ever could, so they can calculate their own credit score. So in essence the bank is probably paying Amazon for bringing them qualified customers… using an Amazon credit approval process. It’s probably worked so well for them that Chase doesn’t bother checking credit scores. As for how they will now report on you now that you’re a customer, read that very fine print on your application process.
Edit: You may already be a Chase customer also…?