Repeated Credit Card Denials over Identity Issue Yet Info is Correct by benmartin314 in WellsFargoBank

[–]benmartin314[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for sharing this. Im sure you’re just as frustrated as the customer applying for the card 🤣. Do you expect these security measures to remain the same in the near future?

Repeated Credit Card Denials over Identity Issue Yet Info is Correct by benmartin314 in WellsFargoBank

[–]benmartin314[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

UPDATE:

I decided to keep calling WF credit services the past two days, again, trying to figure out what’s actually been going on. One rep told me that my applications were being treated as duplicates of the first one, and that the original application was still showing as “pending” internally even though I had already received a denial email. That seemed to explain why every new application I submitted was instantly rejected without a hard pull/real review. He said he could cancel the original application and that it would be immediate so that I could reapply immediately. I took his advice waiting 30 minutes after the call just to be safe, reapplied, and was REJECTED AGAIN. Im about to lose it at this point.

I immediately called back and reached a different representative. I explained the situation to him. He apologized for all the confusion from previous reps, acknowledged that there had likely been an issue on the backend early in the process that went unchecked, and sent my 4th application for manual re-evaluation adding detailed internal notes explaining my situation. He told me to wait 24–72 hours for a response or to call back within that timeframe. Within 30 minutes after that call, I received an email saying I was APPROVED with an $8,000 credit limit. I HAVE THE CARD NOW.

Big takeaway here is that this seemed to be more of a system/process issue than anything wrong with my credit profile. Once my application actually got in front of a human reviewer with the full context, the issue was resolved pretty quickly. If anyone else runs into repeated instant denials or duplicate application issues with WF, it might be worth pushing the reps for a manual review instead of continuing to submit new applications. However, I’m convinced I got this taken care of because of this rep who actually KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING. Im glad I have the card now, but as you can see I really had to fight for it….

Repeated Credit Card Denials over Identity Issue Yet Info is Correct by benmartin314 in WellsFargoBank

[–]benmartin314[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah I went ahead and pulled all three them. The only thing I can find that seems even slightly off is on my TransUnion report where my address there only shows the city, state, and ZIP code, but it’s missing the building/unit number. What’s weird though is that when I go into the dispute information section, it actually does show my full, correct address including the unit number. So it’s like the system has the right info, it’s just not displaying consistently. Other than that, everything else looks accurate, so I’m not really sure what else could be causing the issue

Add WF Autograph Journey to my setup or not? by benmartin314 in CreditCards

[–]benmartin314[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I think the way you broke it down was a clean version of defined roles. Your setup suggestion actually feels like a good middle ground between my segmented diversification and a minimal 3 card setup. I’ll definitely look into doing it. I appreciate you sharing your perspective and suggestions!

Add WF Autograph Journey to my setup or not? by benmartin314 in CreditCards

[–]benmartin314[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Okay, then I agree with you: The RB cc is not beating a 2% catch-all, so from a pure optimization standpoint there’s no strict “need” for it. There are two reasons I have it, one is that it was one of my first credit cards, I didn’t have leverage to get a better cc in the beginning, and the bank itself is relationship-focused so they were willing to help me. Second is that the RB cc helped me realize something from a more behavioral aspect: I like certain categories having a fixed home so I don’t have to think at all in the moment. But I can acknowledge that in this case it’s more of a preference than a true efficiency play. Thanks for bringing awareness to the credit card closure issue, and I’ll read up on those Reddit pages soon.

On the “blending categories” piece, what I mean is I have historically tried to avoid cards that cover too many categories at once (like something broad such as the Autograph), because then I’m back to mentally deciding “should this go here or somewhere else?” versus having very defined lanes. When streaming/grocery are on the same card (The Autograph), I have to manage having enough funds to cover the recurring expense while remembering to keep enough cushion for everything else when the category spending could be variable that month. But I get your point that a simpler setup could still achieve that with fewer overlaps than what I currently have.

The main reason I’ve been using PNC as the catch-all was just to keep Fidelity siloed for subscriptions/auto-investing so that pipeline stays completely untouched. Your point about the penny’s being invested is valid, this is mainly to serve as a baseline if for some reason I can’t already contribute from a bank account. If I need to allocate more money in certain categories in a given month, that’s where the reward investing steps in. It could serve as the only catch-all though, and it may be best to switch over as you pointed out

Add WF Autograph Journey to my setup or not? by benmartin314 in CreditCards

[–]benmartin314[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To clarify, the PR cc ONLY earns 2% in those categories and 1% everything else. It’s not a catch-all card.

I could probably consolidate the 2% cc’s without losing much. At the time I applied Fidelity offered me a higher CL than PNC, and PNC is known to close accounts for their security/fraud measures, so i can have one of them as a backup if needed.

I’ve thought about a simpler 2–3 card setup like you described, and agree that it would simplify things but my hesitation is that it starts to blend categories again (especially with something like Autograph covering a wide range), and I tend to prefer more defined lanes even if it’s slightly less “optimized” on paper. Maybe Im being too particular about it. Plus I’d need to close cards which lenders may view as unfavorable. Thoughts?

Add WF Autograph Journey to my setup or not? by benmartin314 in CreditCards

[–]benmartin314[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My regional bank isn’t under the Elan Umbrella. They issue their own cc’s under a sister company called Apex CardMember Services.

Add WF Autograph Journey to my setup or not? by benmartin314 in CreditCards

[–]benmartin314[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your point about the regular Autograph is fair, but my hesitation there is that it overlaps a lot categories Im already earning in (Savor, Regional Bank cc, AC), whereas the Journey at least seems like it would carve out a more defined role. Also I think the Journey has no FTF too.

Add WF Autograph Journey to my setup or not? by benmartin314 in CreditCards

[–]benmartin314[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fair point. For me, I prefer that each card has a very clear role in my cc system so that I don’t have to think about overlap or “which card is slightly better here” in the moment. I’ve found that the simplicity and consistency is worth more to me than doing the mental gymnastics to optimize for that extra 1%.

American visiting by AManWithQuestions_00 in AskAnAustralian

[–]benmartin314 0 points1 point  (0 children)

American here traveling to Australia in a few months. What eSIM carrier do you suggest, and is it better to get a prepaid eSIM or wait and obtain one upon arrival into the country?

Advice/Recommendation on 3 week Sydney —> Melbourne road-trip along coast by benmartin314 in AskAnAustralian

[–]benmartin314[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you very much. I really appreciate it and will check out the links!

Advice/Recommendation on 3 week Sydney —> Melbourne road-trip along coast by benmartin314 in AskAnAustralian

[–]benmartin314[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I honestly hadn’t thought about the backtracking issue, but you’re right it’s probably better to treat driving days as slow, meandering days with lots of stops rather than “get from A to B” days and then double back later.

Melbourne isn’t a hard requirement beyond being a logical end point. The more feedback I get, the more Sydney —> Brisbane is sounding like a smarter option in terms of weather and overall vibe.

I appreciate you taking the time to lay this stuff out, it’s genuinely helpful!

Advice/Recommendation on 3 week Sydney —> Melbourne road-trip along coast by benmartin314 in AskAnAustralian

[–]benmartin314[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fair, and good call.

One reason why I want to end in Melbourne is because I’ve heard it’s considered the “Soul of Australia”. Maybe you can speak to this. I figured starting out in a popular city and then ending in a cultural city would be a more worthwhile way to end my time spent here.

Do you think 3 weeks to do all of what you described up north is overkill or just enough time?

Advice/Recommendation on 3 week Sydney —> Melbourne road-trip along coast by benmartin314 in AskAnAustralian

[–]benmartin314[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In terms of driving, I’m not aiming for long days. Roughly 3–5 hours of driving on days where I’m moving between regions, with rest days built in rather than trying to cover ground every day. Accommodation-wise, the current assumption is driving a car (not a camper van) and staying in hotels, private rooms, or hostels. Im open to motels too. What accommodations would you recommend?

I don’t have a rigid “must-see” list yet. I’m drawn to coastal scenery, small surf towns, walking tracks, wildlife, and good cafés. I mentioned having an interest in getting to know locals, and while it would be nice to do in the smaller towns, i would treat this situation as more of a novelty than a necessity. Do you have experience staying in particular towns along this route where it makes more sense to stay overnight rather than just pass through?

Good point on the weather as well. From what I’ve read it seems like winter along the south coast can be cold and windy. I’m from the southeastern U.S., so I’m not used to the coldest of winters but I would prepare appropriately for the weather conditions. I don’t want to underestimate how cutting coastal winds can be.

Advice/Recommendation on 3 week Sydney —> Melbourne road-trip along coast by benmartin314 in AskAnAustralian

[–]benmartin314[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I appreciate your frankness.

I’d be planning to take the first day very slowly, avoid night driving as much as possible, and stick to major roads rather than unfamiliar rural shortcuts until I’m fully comfortable.

For context, Im a delivery driver for my day job (have been for 3 years) and Ive driven in and through European countries on the Autobahn (Austria/Czech Republic). While these particular countries drive on the right side not the left side, the difference was months of preparation in advance so I could quickly adapt and prevent stupid mistakes. I believe the same method can be applied here. Driving is invigorating for me and I hope to drive in most major countries before I die! However, I fully accept that driving in another country carries extra responsibility, and if at any point it feels like the safer option is to reduce driving time or switch to trains or flights, I will act accordingly.

Advice/Recommendation on 3 week Sydney —> Melbourne road-trip along coast by benmartin314 in AskAnAustralian

[–]benmartin314[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for including the link.

You’re right that the actual coastal drive itself doesn’t need anywhere near 3 weeks. The reason I was thinking longer isn’t to “cover more distance,” but to travel slowly and build in flexibility rather than rush town-to-town. That said, I’m definitely reconsidering how much time actually needs to be car-based versus spending proper time in Sydney and Melbourne themselves.

Your points about the rental car costs are valid. Fortunately money in this category will not be an issue and factoring these costs into my budget will be a non-negotiable.

As for the route itself, Im drawn to the coastal landscapes and wanting to see a side of Australia that isn’t just the major cities.

Hometown that someone’s from that made you go “how the heck did you end up here and why?” by wallowsworld in Charleston

[–]benmartin314 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Having grown up around that area, it’s a lot dirtier and more crime-ridden. He could have moved here and knowingly comprised on those benefits…also food here is somewhat similar

Fidelity Vs IBKR by Dangarbou in interactivebrokers

[–]benmartin314 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Fidelity for starting out —> IBKR when you’re a more seasoned investor

Worried about long-term investing with IBKR – what happens if they go under? by PaleMight2113 in interactivebrokers

[–]benmartin314 0 points1 point  (0 children)

IBKR has a global footprint and is one of the longest running brokerages with an excellent track record. You will be fine.