Credit Check Stupidity

[L3X]

I went into the local ATT store today and asked to do a credit check so I wouldn't have to on Friday, unfortunately the lady said that I could do it today but I would have to do it AGAIN on Friday. WHAT?

Didn't ATT say in the website to come in early and get the credit check done!!! I'm printing out info on the ATT site and going back in there.

update - just spoke with another rep, he said the lady didn't know what she was talking about and all she needed to do was start the activation, do the credit-check, and then save it for later.

Why don't these ATT people know what is going on?

 

[GoCubsGo]

You do realize that in order to be an AT&T sales rep you're not required to be all that intelligent? There's really nothing to what these people do and I've learned that if they don't have the answer they'll make one up instead of asking someone else.

You are right and so is the second AT&T rep. You can get your credit ran early and the file can be save for 30 days. I had to switch some things around requiring me to have my credit ran. There was a problem with my report that I had to clear (fraud alert) before I could go on. It took about 25 days and once I was done I was good to go and didn't need another credit check. Honestly, they probably should have ran it again because I can do a ton of damage in 25 days, but they didn't.

 

[L3X]

I guess the words of wisdom here are, make sure you talk to someone who knows how run the credit check and then save the transaction. I should have called ahead and talked to someone ahead of time.

 

[MacGeek7]

I can kinda see where they are coming from with the credit check but at the same time if you don't pay your monthly bill why wouldn't they just terminate your service until you pay?

 

[Andrmgic]

I can kinda see where they are coming from with the credit check but at the same time if you don't pay your monthly bill why wouldn't they just terminate your service until you pay?

I think they will after a certain point... but I think you have to have missed 2 months payments before they actually threaten you with service termination.

 

[arkitect]

I can kinda see where they are coming from with the credit check but at the same time if you don't pay your monthly bill why wouldn't they just terminate your service until you pay?

It is not just the call charges… they are subsidising the iPhone so they need some form of security.

 

[scorpio07]

From what I have read on the AT@T website and based on the video the whole point of doing a credit check before Friday is to see if you need a deposit. This will give people who may need a deposit time to get the money together if they are still interested. I mean who wants to stand in line waiting to get the Iphone only to be told they need a $150 deposit.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I think they will after a certain point... but I think you have to have missed 2 months payments before they actually threaten you with service termination.

I think it varies. Now I've been an AT&T/Cingular customer for 8 years. Up until a year ago I was on the plan with another person, I was the "RAU" apparently. When I switched to my own account they said that my status as a long-time customer wouldn't change. Not that you get anything but I had asked all the same. The basis of that is if something were to go wrong, for example I went to Canada and told them to get me on the appropriate plan. They failed and my bill was $800. They waived the bill for me after I had nicely hashed out the details of the conversation I had the week before. Now, on my new account it is weird. The first month since my payment due date changed I had missed it by two days. They started calling me on the second day the payment was due. It wasn't a money thing, it was a mistake. They said that my payment is due on the 10th, I have until the 20th and they terminate service. I don't want to test their threats out so I just pay on the 10th.

 

[davidlw]

I would suggest that you do a credit check only 1 time. Each time that you do a credit check it makes a mark on your score and it will lower your score.

 

[Nate Dogg]

LOL thats funny I was just looking around and the thread title caught my eye because the same thing happened to me( I went Friday). The 2 idiot ladies in there dont have a clue!! This convinced me!! I'm going to the apple store!

 

[dansante]

You should only have to do the credit check once, and it is actually good for 90 days. Don't know if that's a change from before or not. The 90-day expiration information is on those internal AT&T docs that were posted the other day. I had mine run and they gave me a register print-out with a credit check number on it indicating that no deposit is due. On the printout, there's also a date through which the credit check is valid, and it is 90 days from when I had it run. It also says "Status: PAID", which since I didn't owe a deposit makes sense, but it looks like maybe you could pay your deposit ahead of time if you wanted to?

Also, I know the AT&T reps have been taking some bashing, and often with good reason it seems, but the store I went to was great. Although the rep didn't have any idea what I was talking about when I walked in asking for a credit check, he asked around, looked something up and then said he could do the check and give me a receipt with a confirmation number. Still, if the store you go to doesn't seem like they're going to have a way for you to prove the credit check was done, I wouldn't have it run - you don't want two hits on your credit.

 

[cWeems]

every credit check ran is saved in the computer for 30 days, not some or a few, all.... but yes, the second time they will have to do a 'credit check' as its listed in the computer but if its w/ in that 30 day period it will just immediately find the previous decision and base it off that... not actually running the credit again.

chill everyone ur pretty lil credit score wont be damaged lol

 

[marksman]

It is not just the call charges… they are subsidising the iPhone so they need some form of security.

Yeah the credit check is more of an issue to deal with the phone subsidy which is essentially a loan.

 

[neiltc13]

I know it might be hard for you guys to understand, but iPhone is merely one product among many. The sheer range of items which AT&T sells in its stores means that employees can't possibly know everything about every one.

 

[brendanryder]

they do credit checks cus they want to make sure they can get ur monies

 

[Kupe]

I can kinda see where they are coming from with the credit check but at the same time if you don't pay your monthly bill why wouldn't they just terminate your service until you pay?

People who think like that are the precise reason why AT&T performs credit checks.