The Master Credit Card & Authorized User AU Social Security Number SSN Thread

[BobWang]

Just adding another CBer to BofA, and I noticed the explicit language holding AUs responsible for their charges

 

You can designate any person as an authorized user of your account. This is a great way to extend your credit line to family and other people you trust. An authorized user will receive his or her own credit card, providing full access to your account. To add an authorized user, complete this form, then click Submit.

 

Authorized User Name:

Type the name exactly as you wish it to appear on the card (maximum 26 characters, including spaces):

 

First Name *

 

 

M.I.

 

 

Last Name *

 

Suffix (Jr/Sr/etc.)

 

 

Additional Information:

Provide the following information about the new authorized user:

 

* What is this person's relationship to the Primary cardholder?

 

Spouse of BOB WANG

 

Other

 

Social Security Number:

Date of Birth:

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Home Phone Number:

(including area code)

Work Phone Number:

(including area code)

 

 

Reminder: An authorized user will have full charging privileges on your account, but may be responsible only for the repayment of the charges he or she made on the account. For security reasons, the new card will be sent to your billing address.

[SparkyinCA]

Just adding a data point for BobWang. Apparently I am the guinea pig for WFB since no one else has reported on it.

 

I was added as an AU on my Mom's WFB Visa Platinum Rewards card last month on 11/9/12. $17k credit line. Her statement cut 2 days ago and it updated to my EQ last night.

 

WFB did not ask for my SSN and we do live at the same address. They are certainly slow at mailing out the AU card. Haven't received it yet (3 weeks now) but

at least it reported to EQ so far (my lowest score). Will post if it shows up on my other CR's in a few days. This added a whopping 5 pts to my EQ FICO. My highest CL was $1500.

Edited December 4, 2012 by SparkyinCA

[BobWang]

ASK

American Express (5 AUs)

Bank of America (9 AUs, Reports AUs to all 3 CRAs)

Barclays

Capital One (5 AUs, When calling, Asks for Employer, Address, DOB, mother's maiden name)

Citi

HSBC (If Capital One issues it)

NFCU

PenFed (Mail back pdf, DOB & Relationship)

RBS

UMB (Snail mail form for AUs, Relationship)

USAA (Phone, DOB & Relationship, AU also becomes USAA member)

US Bank (4 AUs, Fax pdf form back)

 

 

DON'T ASK

Barclays (When done online)

CFNA (Firestone)

Chase (Report AUs at same address)

Discover Card (9 AUs, Report AUs at same address)

GEMB (4 AUs)

Lexus

Macy's (8 AUs, Report AUs at same address)

State Farm

US Bank (No ask if you call in)

Wells Fargo (Reports even if not at same address)

 

 

CAN GIVE

?

 

 

CAN'T GIVE

HSBC (non-Capital One) will not take SSN of AU (Will report if AU has same address) (May no longer add AUs)

[Dmt]

Has anyone tried Elan Financial, they do a lot of local banks. One that I've been with for a long time and had a secured card with them for a long time. Has anyone tried adding an AU to it? Does it report? Etc...

[sully1975]

Isn't Elan like US BANK?

[BobWang]

Is your mom concerned about you misusing the cards? As has been mentioned, you may want to reassure her by stating that you don't want the physical card/she can shred them after she activates the card.

 

Also, I'm not sure citi AU cards report (don't even need a social). Go with AMEX if possible if this is the case.

 

 

Citi and AMEX AU's DO report. And do ask for SS. At leat with Citi AA and AMEX Blue. Any others, I am not sure of.

I just added an AU on a citi card. No SS# was required. Strange.

[BobWang]

ASK

American Express (5 AUs)

Bank of America (9 AUs, Reports AUs to all 3 CRAs)

Barclays

Capital One (5 AUs, When calling, Asks for Employer, Address, DOB, mother's maiden name)

Citi (YMMV)

HSBC (If Capital One issues it)

NFCU

PenFed (Mail back pdf, DOB & Relationship)

RBS

UMB (Snail mail form for AUs, Relationship)

USAA (Phone, DOB & Relationship, AU also becomes USAA member)

US Bank (4 AUs, Fax pdf form back)

 

 

DON'T ASK

Barclays (When done online)

CFNA (Firestone)

Chase (Report AUs at same address)

Citi (YMMV)

Discover Card (9 AUs, Report AUs at same address)

GEMB (4 AUs)

Lexus

Macy's (8 AUs, Report AUs at same address)

State Farm

US Bank (No ask if you call in)

Wells Fargo (Reports even if not at same address)

 

 

CAN GIVE

?

 

 

CAN'T GIVE

HSBC (non-Capital One) will not take SSN of AU (Will report if AU has same address) (May no longer add AUs)

[Zio]

My wife has a Lane Bryant card that's issued by Comenity Bank. She has 2 years of on-time payments. I asked to add me as an au to boost

my score. On the website, you can add 4 authorized users. They asked for names and relationship to the cardholder. That's it. Hopefully, it will report.

[BobWang]

ASK

American Express (5 AUs)

Bank of America (9 AUs, Reports AUs to all 3 CRAs)

Barclays

Capital One (5 AUs, When calling, Asks for Employer, Address, DOB, mother's maiden name)

Citi (YMMV)

HSBC (If Capital One issues it)

NFCU

PenFed (Mail back pdf, DOB & Relationship)

RBS

UMB (Snail mail form for AUs, Relationship)

USAA (Phone, DOB & Relationship, AU also becomes USAA member)

US Bank (4 AUs, Fax pdf form back)

 

 

DON'T ASK

Barclays (When done online)

CFNA (Firestone)

Chase (Report AUs at same address)

Citi (YMMV)

Comenity Bank (4 AUs, asks for relationship)

Discover Card (9 AUs, Report AUs at same address)

GEMB (4 AUs)

Lane Bryant [Comenity Bank (4 AUs, asks for relationship)]

Lexus

Macy's (8 AUs, Report AUs at same address)

State Farm

US Bank (No ask if you call in)

Wells Fargo (Reports even if not at same address)

 

 

CAN GIVE

?

 

 

CAN'T GIVE

HSBC (non-Capital One) will not take SSN of AU (Will report if AU has same address) (May no longer add AUs)

[tnlarue26]

-Victoria Secret (called and requested a card for DH as AU they didn't ask for SSN, they said they don't report but guess what popped up on his report )

 

-Express (called did the same requesting DH as AU and they said the same as VS....guess what happened....yea it's reporting )

 

DH's AU accounts showed up before the actual accounts showed up on mine....straaaaange.

[tifozi]

AU accounts may not help any more.

I like Walmart because they are relatively forgiving, and they'll give you a TransUnion FICO 08, which does NOT use non-spousal AU accounts.

 

Hey Bob

 

GEMB/Walmart -> So does not report the TL on AU's report? I am guessing no way to add SSN while registration of AU, so no TU08 FICO for AU ?(what a backdoor this would be if it worked!)

[BobWang]

AU accounts may not help any more.

I like Walmart because they are relatively forgiving, and they'll give you a TransUnion FICO 08, which does NOT use non-spousal AU accounts.

 

Hey Bob

 

GEMB/Walmart -> So does not report the TL on AU's report? I am guessing no way to add SSN while registration of AU, so no TU08 FICO for AU ?(what a backdoor this would be if it worked!)

tif, GECRB may still report AUs, even non-spouses.

 

It's just that Wally's TU FICO 8 did not include non-spousal AUs in my limited experience.

[BobWang]

ASK

American Express (5 AUs)

Bank of America (9 AUs, Reports AUs to all 3 CRAs)

Barclays

Capital One (5 AUs, When calling, Asks for Employer, Address, DOB, mother's maiden name)

Citi (YMMV)

HSBC (If Capital One issues it)

NFCU

PenFed (Mail back pdf, DOB & Relationship)

RBS

UMB (Snail mail form for AUs, Relationship)

USAA (Phone, DOB & Relationship, AU also becomes USAA member)

US Bank (4 AUs, Fax pdf form back)

 

 

DON'T ASK

Barclays (When done online)

CFNA (Firestone)

Chase (Report AUs at same address)

Citi (YMMV)

Comenity Bank (4 AUs, asks for relationship)

Discover Card (9 AUs, Report AUs at same address)

Express (Reports spousal AUs)

GEMB (4 AUs)

Lane Bryant [Comenity Bank (4 AUs, asks for relationship)]

Lexus

Macy's (8 AUs, Report AUs at same address)

State Farm

US Bank (No ask if you call in)

Victoria's Secret (Reports spousal AUs)

Wells Fargo (Reports even if not at same address)

 

 

CAN GIVE

?

 

 

CAN'T GIVE

HSBC (non-Capital One) will not take SSN of AU (Will report if AU has same address) (May no longer add AUs)

[dogmeat]

Nordstrom siggy Visa asked for DW name only over phone, and sent card in the mail.

[BobWang]

ASK

American Express (5 AUs)

Bank of America (9 AUs, Reports AUs to all 3 CRAs)

Barclays

Capital One (5 AUs, When calling, Asks for Employer, Address, DOB, mother's maiden name)

Citi (YMMV)

HSBC (If Capital One issues it)

NFCU

PenFed (Mail back pdf, DOB & Relationship)

RBS

UMB (Snail mail form for AUs, Relationship)

USAA (Phone, DOB & Relationship, AU also becomes USAA member)

US Bank (4 AUs, Fax pdf form back)

 

 

DON'T ASK

Barclays (When done online)

CFNA (Firestone)

Chase (Report AUs at same address)

Citi (YMMV)

Comenity Bank (4 AUs, asks for relationship)

Discover Card (9 AUs, Report AUs at same address)

Express (Reports spousal AUs)

GEMB (4 AUs)

Lane Bryant [Comenity Bank (4 AUs, asks for relationship)]

Lexus

Macy's (8 AUs, Report AUs at same address)

Nordstrom Visa Siggy (via phone)

State Farm

US Bank (No ask if you call in)

Victoria's Secret (Reports spousal AUs)

Wells Fargo (Reports even if not at same address)

 

 

CAN GIVE

?

 

 

CAN'T GIVE

HSBC (non-Capital One) will not take SSN of AU (Will report if AU has same address) (May no longer add AUs)

[BobWang]

^

[CreditHawk]

Isn't Elan like US BANK?

 

Yes, Elan is issued by Elavon which is owned by US Bank. Its offered by small banks that don't have a card program, but is underwritten just like a US Bank Card.

[credit god]

Has anyone tried Elan Financial, they do a lot of local banks. One that I've been with for a long time and had a secured card with them for a long time. Has anyone tried adding an AU to it? Does it report? Etc...

Elan is FIA....FIA does BofA....BofA does report AU's.

[kls0654]

How will I know if I was add to my Friend Card as an AU or not ?

 

I see it listed on all of my 3 Credit Reports , but how do I know if this cards are getting included in my FICO Score or not ?

[BobWang]

If an account appears on your report, it almost certainly is factored in by FICO.

 

HOWEVER, the only way to know for sure is to have a FICO score BEFORE the account is added,

 

and to see a change AFTER the account is added.

[kls0654]

Thanks for your reply

 

This is my concern , since I did not checked before adding, I will never ever know

 

Except if I remove it & wait 1 month till its got reported to the CRA , & then I check again my FICO , and after this I add again & check again , then finely I will know.... Right ?

 

Is there any faster way ?

[BobWang]

The only way to know is to experiment as you are suggesting.

 

e.g., I added a girl totally unrelated to me, and even though the account appeared on her TransUnion report, Walmart's FICO 08 seemed to ignore it.

[BobWang]

If being added as an AU put you into a different bucket for scoring purposes, it may take MANY months to be put back into your old bucket.

[kls0654]

Yes I will have to make the experiment my self

 

I am afraid the same thing , even it shows up on my CR it don't mean anything.

 

When I check mt FICO Score on WallMart I got only 662 & the say the reason is since my AAOA are too young

 

So If I do only mines my average is only 1.4 years but if I include my friends I have an average of 4.8 years

[BobWang]

Yes I will have to make the experiment my self

 

I am afraid the same thing , even it shows up on my CR it don't mean anything.

 

When I check mt FICO Score on WallMart I got only 662 & the say the reason is since my AAOA are too young

 

So If I do only mines my average is only 1.4 years but if I include my friends I have an average of 4.8 years

 

Then your Walmart FICO experience is like my AU's,

 

account appears, but doesn't seem to have a positive benefit.