If you are asking the question above, you are looking for financial miracles. When banks issue credit card accounts they are taking a calculated risk.
A credit card is a type of loan. Instead of providing you with the money to pay for your car or providing funds to buy furniture for your home, the credit lender provides a line of credit that allows you to spend on whatever you want to buy.
The spending limit on your credit card enables you to buy clothing on sale on a whim, take friends to lunch and pick up the tab, buy tickets to a new show even though payday is two weeks a away and your bank account is running low.
Asking “Can I get a major credit card without having someone investigating my credit file?” when you talk to a lender is waving a red flag that says “I have credit problems”.
Any major credit lender checks credit before anything else when considering your new credit card application.
If you know your credit score is low and you have problems that show up in your credit file, you do not want to apply for standard credit card offers from major banks.
They will not approve your application and submitting those applications that are denied is a further black mark in your credit file.
Asking the Wrong Question
Where can I get a credit card without having the credit company performing a credit check on me? You are asking the wrong question. A better question would be how to get a credit card in spite of bad credit in your credit file.
It’s hard to imagine today but 30 years ago you could talk to your local bank manager about your credit problems, explain the circumstances, and walk out with an approved credit card.
The spending limit might not have been high but that could be changed with only a few months of using the card and making timely payments.
That scenario isn’t possible today. The emergence of credit rating agencies as the primary information of creditworthiness of all consumers and the automation of banking and lending has changed the landscape.
Locally owned banks are a dying breed today as large financial institutions have bought out or merged to become even larger.
Banks no longer make credit decisions based on knowing you as a customer. Major logos such as Visa and MasterCard have led to streamlined methods of issuing credit cards and the individual is judged by looking at his credit score.
Asking the Right Question
Replace “How can I get a card without having a lender checking my credit file?” with the question “How can I obtain a credit card in spite of my bad credit?” and you will find credit cards are available to you.
There are an increasing number of lenders working in what is known as the sub-prime lending market today. This is a direct result of the effect of a bad economy and high unemployment that has led many consumers to have credit problems.
Many of the sub-prime credit lenders are willing to provide a second chance to those who are credit challenged. Spending limits may be as low as $300-500 and interest rates will be higher than for standard credit lenders.
However, even though your credit file does not qualify you for a loan or major credit card, these lenders will take a chance on you.
Choose a lender that advertises cards for people with bad credit. Make certain the lender reports monthly to the three major credit bureaus.
When you make application for a new card, most sub-prime lenders will evaluate your application and will offer you the best option available to you.
If may be an unsecured credit card that will help you rebuild credit or you may need to provide funds for a secured card. The secured credit card also can be reported to credit bureaus and can be used to rebuild damaged credit.
Summary
You can’t get a credit card without having the lender performing a credit check on you, period! However, you can get a credit card from some lenders in spite of bad credit.
