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Curinos - Loan Shops - Newbie

April 06, 2023 02:00PM
Hope Everyone is having a good Thursday ! Do ya'll have any advice, tips, alerts, things to watch out for in regards to the Loan Shops ? I'm considering doing one. Thanks for reading this =)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/2023 06:44PM by JustPris.
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April 06, 2023 02:19PM
I do all sorts of bank shops. In my opinion Curinos shops require considerable banking and finance shop experience. How many similar shops have you already completed? More important, how many have you done where you visit a bank and sit down to discuss loan products ?

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/2023 08:54PM by walesmaven.
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April 06, 2023 05:56PM
I have done several of the loan shops in the past. I find them very easy to do but then I am very familiar with financial products. I know some people faint at the site of anything with numbers or math in it. These shops are not for those. I have not done the current one for school related loans but for the one I did pre pandemic I am still getting emails and even snail mail from some of the lenders I contacted.
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April 06, 2023 06:33PM
As a tip, these inquiries can either be a hard or soft pull on your credit. If it is a hard pull, that can ding your credit score, so if you are in the market for a mortgage, auto loan, etc be sure your credit can absorb the impact (I.E, if you have an 800 score and do a few inquiries, that shouldn't be a big deal, but if you are at 620 and need to finance something, then maybe reconsider doing the loan shops).
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April 06, 2023 08:26PM
joanna81 shares--As a tip, these inquiries can either be a hard or soft pull on your credit. If it is a hard pull, that can ding your credit score, so if you are in the market for a mortgage, auto loan, etc be sure your credit can absorb the impact (I.E, if you have an 800 score and do a few inquiries, that shouldn't be a big deal, but if you are at 620 and need to finance something, then maybe reconsider doing the loan shops).

Bob agrees--I could not have commented more concisely or accurately.
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April 07, 2023 02:39AM
I was told that they were all soft pulls. I think Curinos actually believed that. Some of the inquiries were actually hard pulls but I didn't know until after the fact.
@joanna81 wrote:

As a tip, these inquiries can either be a hard or soft pull on your credit. If it is a hard pull, that can ding your credit score, so if you are in the market for a mortgage, auto loan, etc be sure your credit can absorb the impact (I.E, if you have an 800 score and do a few inquiries, that shouldn't be a big deal, but if you are at 620 and need to finance something, then maybe reconsider doing the loan shops).

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
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April 07, 2023 03:03AM
I don't have a whole lot of experience with these shops. So, I truly appreciate the disclaimer.
@walesmaven wrote:

I do all sorts of bank shops. In my opinion Curinos shops require considerable banking and finance shop experience. How many similar shops have you already completed? More important, how many have you done where you visit a bank and sit down to discuss loan products ?


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/07/2023 03:07AM by JustPris.
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April 07, 2023 03:08AM
That's so crazy ! So this could really hurt your credit score ! And why would they say soft, and then it in actuality be a hard pull ! Gosh !
@myst4au wrote:

I was told that they were all soft pulls. I think Curinos actually believed that. Some of the inquiries were actually hard pulls but I didn't know until after the fact.
@joanna81 wrote:

As a tip, these inquiries can either be a hard or soft pull on your credit. If it is a hard pull, that can ding your credit score, so if you are in the market for a mortgage, auto loan, etc be sure your credit can absorb the impact (I.E, if you have an 800 score and do a few inquiries, that shouldn't be a big deal, but if you are at 620 and need to finance something, then maybe reconsider doing the loan shops).
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April 07, 2023 03:09AM
Thank you all so much for your time and patience in responding. I really appreciate you all. Thank you =)
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April 07, 2023 04:27AM
JustPris,

As Joanna posted, it is a matter of your current score AND a possible/probable need for credit. If the score is, as an example, 650, BUT, you have not the slightest need, now or in the immediate future, consider the shops. They are zero drive time or expense and a report that is epitome of simplicity. I completed seven in Feb.; all at my computer, in approx. three hrs. Yesterday, I was paid $210, which averages at $70 per hour.

If you try one and decide not to re-apply, you will never be in the position of wondering "What if." Having been self-employed 59 yrs., I would rather try and fail on a dozen occasions that to wonder "what if" once.
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April 07, 2023 12:06PM
JustPris,
If these are the shops that Bob describes,, go for it! I had assumed that they were the more complex in-person visits to spend up to 30 minutes talking with a banker, plus a fairly complex report.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Reply
April 09, 2023 02:17PM
shopperbob and walesmaven - I've looked over and asked the scheduler questions. I'm going to try one and see how it goes. Feels like eggshells, but if it pays off, it'll be good. Thank you both so much! This advice is so very helpful to us newbies. Wow ! 59 years !! I'm at the 6 month mark LOL You are truly a veteran in this field, and I'm honored to receive advice =)
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April 09, 2023 02:40PM
JustPris,
I know that for me, and I suspect for shopper Bob, it is just a matter of "paying it forward."

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Reply
April 09, 2023 05:32PM
JustPris,

From my notifier--Judy, the scheduler--Marcus, contact--Brianna and savior of errors--Frank, all have been the absolute epitome of assistance over my yrs. with the company.
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April 10, 2023 03:10AM
Another suggestion: Get a separate email that you use just for these shops, otherwise you will be receiving a stream of emails from these companies, cluttering your regular email box for years afterwards. Trying to purge your details from their systems won't always work.
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April 10, 2023 12:43PM
Getting a separate email for just bank shops or for each bank, will only make it harder to keep up with MS opportunities. If you mean a separate email just for ALL MS correspondence, that is what some MSers do. I have never found that necessary in nearly 20 years of MS work.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Reply
April 10, 2023 01:05PM
@myst4au wrote:

I was told that they were all soft pulls. I think Curinos actually believed that. Some of the inquiries were actually hard pulls but I didn't know until after the fact.

Hi Myst4au!

We do carefully review if the shops are hard or soft pulls. The sites will have a disclaimer saying that they are checking your credit but it will not impact your credit score for all soft pulls. If you can let me know which lender you were told was a soft pull and actually showed up as a hard pull that would be amazing so we can update our guidelines. If you did notify the scheduler of the hard pull they should have compensated you for the hard pull as well.

Thank You!

Briana Baca
Data Collection Manager
Curinos

Briana.Goldman@Curinos.com

“Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it.” —Jane Wagner
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April 10, 2023 02:35PM
Thank you for your reply. I will be in further contact.

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
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April 10, 2023 03:59PM
Briana,
So many of your shops seem to require an iphone recently. Is there progress on making them Android-friendly in the near future? I am locked out of the iphone-only shops and am sure that some of your other frequent shoppers are too.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Reply
April 10, 2023 05:26PM
Hi Walesmaven! We would love to use Android phones but they actually block screen sharing, so that is why we are unable to use them for shops. I do highly suggest shoppers buy an older iPhone online. It does not need to be connected to a phone account and it can be used over wifi. A bonus is that it is tax deductible at the end of the year.

Briana Baca
Data Collection Manager
Curinos

Briana.Goldman@Curinos.com

“Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it.” —Jane Wagner


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/2023 05:27PM by MSFDINF.
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April 10, 2023 05:50PM
Briana,
Many thanks for that tip. I will look into it.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Reply
April 10, 2023 10:19PM
I performed a set of "jobs" and one of them was a hard pull a while back. When I accepted them, I was advised they were soft inquiries. I completed them all with exception of going further with the hard pull and was paid. I love Curinos, all day long. They are my all time favorite.
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April 11, 2023 12:42PM
So I've done the exact same thing. I was worried I'd get demerits due to not accepting the hard pull. But the scheduler was so very polite, and calmed my concerns. All they did was remove it from my list. So... yay ! Thanks, Curinos !
@Madetoshop wrote:

I performed a set of "jobs" and one of them was a hard pull a while back. When I accepted them, I was advised they were soft inquiries. I completed them all with exception of going further with the hard pull and was paid. I love Curinos, all day long. They are my all time favorite.
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April 11, 2023 08:27PM
On the subject of hard credit pulls, I only have a recollection of two; one in 2018 and the second last year. Each dropped my score from the low 800s to the 790 area for a few months. Even if it had been for yrs., I would have still completed the job. In my opinion, one should only be concerned about hard pulls IF you have or anticipate a need AND your score is already low.

Folks, the work is akin to shooting wingless ducks in a rain barrel.
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April 11, 2023 09:03PM
In my previous life, I was a loan officer. I am still scarred by the time my "720 credit score client" opened a store credit card to get 10% off her purchase. Unfortunately, 720 was exactly what she needed to qualify for "the perfect loan".

I intend to live forever. So far, so good.


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/2023 10:56PM by stilllearning.
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April 24, 2023 12:25AM
@walesmaven wrote:

Getting a separate email for just bank shops or for each bank, will only make it harder to keep up with MS opportunities. If you mean a separate email just for ALL MS correspondence, that is what some MSers do. I have never found that necessary in nearly 20 years of MS work.

The separate email is not for interacting with the MS company. The separate email is used to give to the bank/ loan companies you are shopping, so they can send the loan terms and rates to you. Since you won't actually be making a loan, they will be emailing you from now til kingdom come trying to get you to borrow from them. Clicking unsubscribe links in their emails don't always work.
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