Your FIT Card Pre-Approval Was Not Approved — What Does It Mean?

Receiving a pre-approved offer for the FIT^™ Platinum Mastercard^® can make it seem like approval is almost certain. However, a pre-approved or pre-screened offer does not necessarily mean the application will receive final approval.

If you used the offer you received and were not approved, the decision means that the issuer did not approve your application based on the information available when you applied. Here is what that means and what you can do next.

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You Received the Offer for a Reason

The FIT Card offer was not necessarily sent at random. Credit card companies can use information from credit reporting agencies to identify consumers who may fit the characteristics they are looking for when sending promotional offers.

That is why receiving a pre-approved offer can be encouraging if you are trying to establish or rebuild your credit. But the information used to select you for the mailing is not necessarily the same as the complete information reviewed when you submit an application.

Why Were You Not Approved?

There can be several reasons an application is not approved even after a consumer receives a pre-approved offer. The issuer may consider information from your credit report, income, existing obligations, application information, and other eligibility criteria when making the final decision.

Your credit profile may also have changed since the information used to select you for the offer was obtained. A new account, higher balances, a recently reported late payment, or another change in your credit information can affect the outcome.

It is also possible for information provided on the application to differ from information in your credit file or for additional verification to be required before an account can be opened.

Pre-Approved Does Not Mean Guaranteed

This is one of the most important things to understand about credit card mail offers. The words “pre-approved” or similar language on an offer can indicate that you were selected to receive an invitation to apply, but it does not eliminate the issuer's final application review.

In other words, receiving the letter and submitting the application are two different stages of the process. The invitation gets you to the application; it does not necessarily guarantee the result.

What Should You Do After a Denial?

If your FIT Card application was not approved, look at the information you receive from the issuer explaining the decision. That can give you a better idea of what prevented the application from being approved.

You can also review your credit reports to make sure the information being reported about you is accurate. If you find an error, you can contact the appropriate credit bureau to dispute it.

There is also no reason to assume that being denied for one credit card means you will be denied for every card. Different credit card issuers use different approval requirements, so another card may have eligibility criteria that better match your current credit profile.

Looking for Another Credit Card?

If you still need a credit card after the FIT Card application was not approved, you may want to see what other cards you could qualify for rather than simply submitting another application at random.

The credit card tool below can help you look for offers based on your information. You can check available options without automatically committing to another credit card application.

Using a tool that shows potential offers can be a useful next step because you may find that another issuer has an offer that is a better match for your current credit profile.

Will the FIT Card Denial Hurt Your Credit?

The effect on your credit depends on what occurred during the application process and whether a hard inquiry was made. A pre-screened marketing offer by itself is not the same thing as submitting a full credit card application.

If you are unsure whether a hard inquiry was made, check the credit report associated with the application. Your application decision and the presence or absence of an inquiry are separate questions.

Should You Apply Again?

There is generally little reason to immediately submit repeated applications without first understanding why the original application was not approved. If something has changed in your credit profile, income, or financial circumstances, waiting until your situation is different may make more sense than repeatedly applying for the same offer.

If you believe the decision was based on inaccurate information, correcting that information is another reason to address the issue before applying again.

Final Thoughts

Getting a FIT Card pre-approved offer and then being told you were not approved can be confusing, but the two things are not necessarily contradictory. The offer is an invitation to apply based on information available before the full application, while the final decision is made after the issuer evaluates the application.

If you were not approved, take a look at the reason for the decision, review your credit information, and consider other credit card offers that may be available for your situation.