Hardware upgrade requires credit check

[dtibar]

I just did a hardware upgrade and got myself a new phone recently. I then noticed my credit score went down quite significantly. I called Fido customer service asking if there was a credit check done. The girl on the other end of the phone didn't know. About 45 minutes later, I found out that indeed there is a credit check done when doing a hardware upgrade. There was nothing clearly stating this when I upgraded online. I think it should be VERY clear to anyone wanting to do a hardware upgrade that they will pull your credit report, even if you've been paying your bills on time with Fido for 13 years. There is a post on here stating that there is no credit check done when upgrading your phone. If this is not true, it should be removed. I feel slighted, as this was not clear when going through the process online. I'm not sure why I'm still with Fido... I've been treated like this before by them with bad customer service. 

[FidoSaira]

Hey @dtibar,

Thank you for the details, I appreciate it.

A device upgrade does require a credit check if your previous one was expired. It helps determine if you are approved for a device financing or not. Although, if you have an account history with us, the check is internal.

Did you confirm with the Credit Bureau that it was Fido that impacted your credit score to be sure?

We do value your feedback about this.