A weird experience with Lowes

[daughtersrus]

Yesterday I called our local Lowes to check stock on a snow thrower. The clerk in the seasonal dept verified that it was in stock and asked if I wanted her to hold it. Most of the stores here have been sold out so I said "Sure". She then asked for the name and home phone#. I gave her DH's because I wasn't sure if he was going by himself to pick it up. The clerk then asked for his middle initial. I thought that was very strange but gave it to her. At the end of the conversation, she says "You are approved for a Lowes credit card. Would you like to put this purchase on it?". I was shocked with the question and responded "No".

In all of my years, I have never had a conversation like this when I asked a store to hold something for me. How did she approve DH for a credit card with only knowing his name and home phone # and not even asking if we wanted a card?

We picked up the snow thrower, paid cash and asked to speak to a manager. He was busy and we were in a hurry so we left without talking to him.

 

[c4a]

Yesterday I called our local Lowes to check stock on a snow thrower. The clerk in the seasonal dept verified that it was in stock and asked if I wanted her to hold it. Most of the stores here have been sold out so I said "Sure". She then asked for the name and home phone#. I gave her DH's because I wasn't sure if he was going by himself to pick it up. The clerk then asked for his middle initial. I thought that was very strange but gave it to her. At the end of the conversation, she says "You are approved for a Lowes credit card. Would you like to put this purchase on it?". I was shocked with the question and responded "No".

In all of my years, I have never had a conversation like this when I asked a store to hold something for me. How did she approve DH for a credit card with only knowing his name and home phone # and not even asking if we wanted a card?

We picked up the snow thrower, paid cash and asked to speak to a manager. He was busy and we were in a hurry so we left without talking to him.[/QUOTE

]

Are you a frequent shopper at Lowe's (couple times a year or more?) ? Your hubby would be in their computer if you bought anything needing a warranty more than likely. Still kind of unnerves a person, though...big brother, ability of other's to use one's credit, ease of obtaining credit.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Assuming that Lowe's systems are similar to those we have at Home Depot, most likely the person misspoke and you were PRE-approved. To approve an application we have to have certain pieces of information such as a social security number and a driver's license number to verify a person's identity to submit for approval. Yes, approval can be automatic in many cases, but I'd be surprised if it was an actual approval without your say-so.

I'd contact the Lowe's again just to make sure.

 

[C.Ann]

That's odd..

Recently DD's DH got an awesome deal on a snowblower from Craigslist.. It was used 3 times (the guy bought it for his upper deck and then realized it was too big and too much of a hassle to lug it up and down the stairs).. Darn thing looks brand-spanking new and works great.. Retails for $680 and my son-in-law got it for $240 !!!!! The guy needed cash right away to pay for car repairs..

Between buying and selling, we're all in love with Craigslist - LOL..

 

[jemgumby]

My DH used to work for Lowes and he said if they were putting the information in the computer for the hold so you all could come in and buy it and pick up when they put in the phone number it will cross reference it with GE Capital (who handles Lowe's credit ) and if you guys have credit through GE Capital it will automatically do the search and do a pre-approved credit. Hope this helps! He says it happens all the time.

 

[daughtersrus]

Thanks for the replies. We've never made any big purchases at Lowes before this one (it was a $599 snow thrower) or bought anything with a warranty. We've bought some lumber, plants, paint... but that's about it.

I didn't think that we had an account with GE Capital but I pulled a copy of our credit reports just to be sure. Nothing came up with this company.

I'm also assuming that she meant pre-approved but still, how do you pre-approve someone based on a name and phone #? It's a little unnerving to say the least. I thought that credit is supposed to be harder to get but it sure doesn't seem like it.

DH has the same name as his dad (different middle name). About 8 years ago, I noticed that all of the pre-approved offers started coming with his dad's middle initial. After weeks of dealing with the credit bureaus, we found out DH's SS# at all of the credit bureaus were showing his dad's name, birth date and address (one that DH had never lived at). It took months to get corrected. We found out that a furniture company where we both had purchased items from in the past, had merged the two files because the names were the same. Our last name is not common so I can only imagine what happened to all of the John Smiths that had accounts with them. After reading about GE, I was afraid that something like this had happened again but it doesn't appear so.

Thanks again!

 

[FroggyinArk]

Assuming that Lowe's systems are similar to those we have at Home Depot, most likely the person misspoke and you were PRE-approved. To approve an application we have to have certain pieces of information such as a social security number and a driver's license number to verify a person's identity to submit for approval. Yes, approval can be automatic in many cases, but I'd be surprised if it was an actual approval without your say-so.

I'd contact the Lowe's again just to make sure.

obis right. its a pre approval not an auto approval. you still have to fill out app with ss number etc to get approved. and as for the mifddle initial and phone number, we store all our custommer info by phone number. there was likely another "john smith" and she needed to verify which one was which.

Thanks for the replies. We've never made any big purchases at Lowes before this one (it was a $599 snow thrower) or bought anything with a warranty. We've bought some lumber, plants, paint... but that's about it.

I didn't think that we had an account with GE Capital but I pulled a copy of our credit reports just to be sure. Nothing came up with this company.

I'm also assuming that she meant pre-approved but still, how do you pre-approve someone based on a name and phone #? It's a little unnerving to say the least. I thought that credit is supposed to be harder to get but it sure doesn't seem like it.

DH has the same name as his dad (different middle name). About 8 years ago, I noticed that all of the pre-approved offers started coming with his dad's middle initial. After weeks of dealing with the credit bureaus, we found out DH's SS# at all of the credit bureaus were showing his dad's name, birth date and address (one that DH had never lived at). It took months to get corrected. We found out that a furniture company where we both had purchased items from in the past, had merged the two files because the names were the same. Our last name is not common so I can only imagine what happened to all of the John Smiths that had accounts with them. After reading about GE, I was afraid that something like this had happened again but it doesn't appear so.

Thanks again!

likely the midle initial was due to two john smiths