Hey
I’ve had a credit card for years, always paid on time etc. I recently took out a PayPal credit to purchase an item as it had 4 months no interest to pay it back. Stupidly I thought it was like a finance option not an actual credit card. My credit score also dropped off by 15 this month because of that. Is this usual?
Also I wanted to switch my credit card from nationwide to American Express. Now I’m worried if I apply for another credit card now that will negatively impact my score. Or will it stay same if I cancel my other one first…
Bit of a minefield I’m afraid - I doubt anyone could give you a definitive answer.
Applying for an Amex will add a hard credit check to your credit file and has the potential to affect your score (it’s not a certainty, but multiple hard checks in a short space of time will lower your score).
You said it dropped by 15 recently - Are we talking 999 down to 984 or a lower score?
If you are still in the “excellent” range, I’d imagine you’d be OK to apply for an Amex.
How many hard credit checks are on your file currently?
Thought that might be the case. Tried hard searching on google but just couldn’t find what I was looking for.
No, not that sort of level haha. 490 down to 475. I think there’s about 5 checks since October according to clearscore. Majority of these were insurance comparison sites for car insurance. Can’t see the PayPal one on there mind you.
You’d be best ignoring any credit ‘scores’. They might be slightly useful and a general overview, but they have no meaning when applying for credit - all credit providers have their own eligibility criteria, which credit reference agencies don’t know. They’re essentially guessing.
These are soft checks which can’t be seen by credit providers, and can be ignored.
Searches and checks can take over 6 weeks to appear. You’ll might be good applying for an Amex - as always it’s hit and miss.
Ah, don’t be worried about the 999 reference, that was to do with Experian (have you checked that one?).
ClearScore is a different credit agency, and there is a chance that PayPal won’t report to them, so it will never show up (no idea if that’s the case here, as @Liam_W said, it could just take a while).
On ClearScore, there is a section for your Report.
If you click on “Searches”, the “Credit Application Searches” are your “hard checks”, which can have an impact on your score, the rest are “soft searches” which won’t.
Worthwhile checking Experian as well though (it’s free).
Thanks for the advice. I’ve just checked Experian and it is 999
Now to decide which type of American Express to go for haha. The Gold looks enticing especially as it’s free for the first year, and I’m sure I’ve read somewhere that American Express is going to be some how linked into the monzo app soon? This is basically my main reason to look at American Express, which will then lead to me switching full monzo
Amex have an eligibility checker that just does a soft check and let’s you know what card(s) you’d be accepted for. If you’re thinking of the Platinum Everyday Cashback card, DM me and I’ll send you a link so we both get a reward
Also, PayPal’s finance option isn’t a credit card but it is a rolling credit facility.
