What is Belk/Synchrony Bank On My Credit Report

Is Belk/Synchrony Bank on your credit report as a hard inquiry?

The most likely reason for an entry from Belk Synchrony is a credit card application.

A hard inquiry could lower your credit score, staying on your report for two years.

If you didn’t apply for a Belk credit card, you should take the steps necessary to get it deleted from your credit report.

In the guide below, we’ll break down hard inquiries and give you a few tips for getting Belk Synchrony off your report if it’s there by mistake.

Belk/Synchrony Bank On My Credit Report

Belk/Synchrony Bank may show up on your report if you apply for a Belk retail credit card.

Synchrony is the bank that issues these rewards cards. Belk is one of the dozens of retailers that Synchrony Bank has a partnership with.

They also offer cards for shoppers at:

• ABT
• Badcock
• Banana Republic
• BP
• TJ Maxx
• Toys R Us
• And several more

How Long Will a Hard Inquiry Stay on Your Credit Report?

The amount of time an inquiry stays on your report and the level of damage it does to your credit score depends on a few factors.

First, you should understand the difference between soft and hard credit checks.

A soft credit pull is a less invasive inquiry that doesn’t impact your score.

It happens when you:

• Access your credit score
• Get pre-approved for a loan offer or credit card
• Submit to an employer’s credit check

It differs from a hard inquiry, which goes on your credit report for 2 years.

Hard pulls happen when you apply for funding such as a mortgage, car loan, or credit card.

They allow lenders to access your credit reports from any or all of the credit bureaus.

While one hard pull should only have a small effect on your credit score, numerous inquiries can suggest to the credit bureaus that your finances are unstable, leading to a steeper drop in your score.

That’s why you should apply for new credit prudently. Check into the approval requirements before you apply for a credit card or loan to save yourself from an unnecessary inquiry.

You can also lower the effects of a hard inquiry by limiting your applications to a small window of time when you’re comparing multiple offers.

For instance, if you’re looking for a mortgage, you should complete all your applications within 14 days of one another—that way, your score won’t be penalized with each individual application and inquiry.

Get a Free Copy of Your Credit Report

How to Get Belk Synchrony off Your Credit Report

A single hard inquiry from Belk shouldn’t have much of an impact on your score, but there are a few instances that could warrant a hard inquiry’s removal from your credit report.

If you applied for a Belk card, the inquiry on your report is legitimate and most likely won’t be removed from your report.

However, if you did not apply for a retail credit card, you could be the victim of identity theft or faulty reporting.

Either way, here are two approaches you can take to right the situation.

Dispute the Hard Inquiry with Synchrony and the Bureaus

You should never leave an inaccurate entry undisputed on your credit report.

If something is amiss and you have no idea why Belk Synchrony showed up on your report, it is important to dispute the debt.

You can start by getting in touch with Synchrony to get answers about the entry and close out a credit account if one has been opened fraudulently.

In this case, you should dispute the entry with the affected credit bureaus as well. You may call to dispute the entry, file a dispute online, or send a letter.

They should right the situation, removing the entry from your credit report altogether.

Time is of the essence with disputes, so it’s important to stay alert to new entries on your report.

If you haven’t already, consider registering for a free credit monitoring service such as Credit Sesame or Credit Karma.

They will send you updates on your score and any new entries on your report. You’ll also find helpful resources for improving your score.

Additionally, you can grab a free copy of your credit report each year at annualcreditreport.com for a more in-depth look at what lenders see when you apply for credit.

Pay for Professional Help

Whether you suspect fraud or a reporting error, you don’t have to confront the credit bureaus or Synchrony Bank on your own.

A credit repair company can help you look into Belk/Synchrony Bank’s entry and dispute it if it’s inaccurate.

They can also manage more challenging credit issues, determining all the factors that are bringing down your score and helping you to improve them.

If you’re facing the problems below, credit repair services can be a great asset:

• Bankruptcy
• Charge offs
• Collections-stage debt
• Foreclosures
• Judgment
• Poor payment history
• Liens
• Repossessions

Repairing your credit can be a time-consuming hassle. More than that, it can feel completely overwhelming when you’re facing serious issues like the ones above.

Calling on experts can eliminate the stress and get your score back on track, fast.

If you aren’t sure where to start looking for help, we’ve curated a list of the best credit repair companies on the market.

Ads by Money. We may be compensated when you click on this ad.
Ad
Find Locally Licensed Experts Select your state to get started Hawaii Alaska Florida South Carolina Georgia Alabama North Carolina Tennessee RI Rhode Island CT Connecticut MA Massachusetts Maine NH New Hampshire VT Vermont New York NJ New Jersey DE Delaware MD Maryland West Virginia Ohio Michigan Arizona Nevada Utah Colorado New Mexico South Dakota Iowa Indiana Illinois Minnesota Wisconsin Missouri Louisiana Virginia DC Washington DC Idaho California North Dakota Washington Oregon Montana Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Pennsylvania Kentucky Mississippi Arkansas Texas Contact an Expert
 

Getting Belk Synchrony off Your Credit Report

Bottom line: If you haven’t applied for a Belk credit card and came across Belk/Synchrony Bank on your report, you should dispute it quickly or get a credit repair company to help.

However, if you did apply for a card, you can relax. While it can be painful to see your score drop even though you’ve used credit responsibly, credit inquiries are a necessary part of getting new credit.

Moreover, a credit inquiry will be off your report in two years, becoming less impactful as the months go by.

If you were approved for a Belk Synchrony card, the best way to make up for the points lost in the application process is to use the card to your benefit.

Keep your overall credit utilization under 30%, or under 10% if you really want to improve your score, and make timely payments.