A system and method for applying for a credit card, preferably at a point of sale, is disclosed. The system employs an automated interactive voice response system preferably sponsored by a credit card issuer. The user calls into the system using a standard telephone, and enters credit assessment information about the customer using the key pad of the telephone in response to verbal questions posed by the system. In one embodiment, only numeric information concerning the customer is entered, such as the customer's social security number. This credit assessment information is used to retrieve a credit report or score from a credit bureau database, which is used by the system to electronically decide whether to issue credit and to what extent and to establish a customer account. The system verbally provides information to the user regarding the credit assessment so that the customer's credit purchase can be quickly consummated.