About our frequently asked questions.

The success of the frequently asked questions section was derived from the understanding that people dislike writing questions about their personal credit situations, despite the fact that they had hundreds, if not thousands, of questions.  In addition, people tend to want direct answers to direct questions (as opposed to reading through pages and pages of forums dedicated to similar topics).

In response, we’ve dedicated a series of pages to the questions we get asked most.  This is not just a frequently asked question page with stock questions and answers.  It was derived from years of extensive questions posed by clients as well as market research and recent keyword searches by you and others.

If questions are not answered under the categories below, then please ask and we will create a new page of questions.

 

LEGAL

 

1.) HAVE ANY COMPANIES BEEN SUED DIRECTLY FOR PIGGYBACKING CREDIT?

The answer is no, but tradeline companies have been sued for doing things that violate the CROA, TSR, and FTC Act.

2.) HAVE ANY CONSUMERS BEEN SUED FOR PIGGYBACKING CREDIT?

Again, no. Consumers have been sued for synthetic identity fraud that used piggybacking to enhance their false identities. But they weren’t sued directly for piggybacking.

3.) WILL AN AUTHORIZED USER’S CREDIT BEHAVIOR (GOOD OR BAD) AFFECT THE PRIMARY ACCOUNT HOLDER’S CREDIT REPORT AND SCORE?

No. It is a mischaracterization to believe that you’re taking information, putting it in a bag and shaking it to mix it all together. Accurately, what is happening is this: The primary account holder adds the authorized user at the bank. The bank reports information about that account to the credit bureaus. Nothing from the authorized user is being reported. Only information from the primary account holder (for only that specific account) is being reported. It’s a one-way street.

4.) IF AN AUTHORIZED USER’S CREDIT HAS SOME COLLECTIONS OR JUDGMENTS ON THEIR REPORT, WOULD TRADELINES STILL BOOST THEIR SCORE?

Yes, your score will go up, but… from what to what? Right? If you had a 700 and a collection or judgment brought it down to 500 and the tradeline brought it up to 575, that’s amazing, right? 75 point boost? Well, even so, you can’t get approved at 575 (for anything that I know of). So, it’s best to do a measured approach between credit repair (or debt settlement) and tradelines.

5.) IS BANKRUPTCY A GOOD OPTION?

It’s such a good question and the answer depends on a lot of things. For example, you probably wouldn’t want to invoke the power of bankruptcy for a $5,000.00 charged off a credit card. You’d want to reserve that extraordinary right massive debt for which you are unlikely to recover (like failed businesses, significantly upside-down mortgage, etc.).

6.) WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE PRIMARY USER ENDED UP DEFAULTING, SAY THROUGH SOME MAJOR CHANGE IN LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES? WOULD THE AUTHORIZED USER THEN BECOME EQUALLY LIABLE FOR THE CREDIT CARD DEBTS?

An authorized user is never responsible for the debt on the primary account. A primary account holder could mess up his or her account and negatively affect the authorized user’s credit score and if that happened, the authorized user can dispute the account off his or her credit report.

Now, in a non-business relationship (friends, family, etc.), there is more of a risk of that happening, but with us, the primary account holder is paid handsomely to keep their account in good standing.

5.) IS IT SAFE TO BUY TRADELINES?

If you are buying from a knowledgeable, reputable source, such as Superior Tradelines, then yes.

 

AUTHORIZED USER TRADELINES

 

1.) IS THERE SUCH A THING AS AN AUTOMOBILE AUTHORIZED USER TRADELINES?

No, authorized user tradelines and the practice of buying them for credit score improvement are related to credit cards and credit cards alone. They don’t work for auto loans.

2.) IS THERE SUCH A THING AS A MORTGAGE AUTHORIZED USER TRADELINES?

Same answer as above. Authorized user tradelines and the practice of buying them for credit score improvement are related to credit cards and credit cards alone.

3.) DO SEASONED TRADELINES HELP AFTER BANKRUPTCY?

That all depends on what state your credit was left in. If your credit was a mess, all your accounts were discharged, and you have relatively nothing on your credit report, then it could potentially help. But if you reaffirm your accounts, and you still have derogatory items after the bankruptcy, then tradelines wouldn’t help as much.

4.) HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR AN AUTHORIZED USER TRADELINE TO POST TO A CREDIT REPORT?

Typically within 30 days. Each tradeline reports once per month. If you order a tradeline on the 1st and it reports on the 20th, that tradeline is going to be posted in 20 days. The only time it takes longer to post is in the scenario that you order a tradeline too close to the report date and you have to wait until the next reporting cycle (1 month plus a few days, give or take).

So, if you order a tradeline, it should be on your report within 30 days, tops. If the tradelines do not post within 30 days, then the company either dropped the ball or there is something wrong with your credit report (security freezes, fraud alerts, etc.).

5.) DOES MAKING SOMEONE AN AUTHORIZED USER HELP THEIR CREDIT?

Not always, but it can if it’s done correctly. The tradeline has to be of sufficient quality with a high enough limit, low balance, and perfect payment history. Too many negative items on the report will prevent it from helping.

6.) CAN PIGGYBACKING CREDIT HURT YOUR CREDIT?

In some cases, it could. If the tradeline you’re added to has missed payments, high balance, and an imperfect payment history, the tradeline could actually hurt your credit.

7.) DO AUTHORIZED USER TRADELINES STILL WORK?

Yes, since 1974 the law has not changed. Despite all the propaganda about FICO 08, credit bureaus, etc., authorized user tradelines still work and we do this every single day.

8.) WHAT ARE SOME REASONS AUTHORIZED USER TRADELINES DO NOT REPORT?

There could be several reasons. There may have been data glitches at the bank, or the authorized user has security freezes or fraud alerts on their credit report which prevents the tradeline from showing up. It’s also possible that the authorized user was added too close to the reporting date, so the tradeline didn’t get on for that cycle.

There are many more reasons why tradelines do not post on an authorized users credit report, but we have yet to encounter a scenario in which we were unable to get the tradeline to post correctly.

9.) ARE PRIMARY TRADELINES BETTER THAN AUTHORIZED USER TRADELINES?

To cut to the chase – no. You cannot buy primary tradelines like authorized user tradelines. This is a common misconception, and we’ve written quite a bit about it here, if you’d like to learn more.

10.) CAN I ADD TOO MANY TRADELINES?

More tradelines = better score? Yes, but there’s limits. It is possible to add too many tradelines. A lot of clients ask how many tradelines to add for optimal credit score results. So, we wrote this article (and published a video regarding the same thing) to answer that question.

 

TRADELINES FOR BUSINESS

 

1. DO BUSINESS TRADELINES EXIST?

In a sense, yes, but probably not in the way you’re thinking. Tradelines mean “accounts” and business have “accounts” so yes, technically there are business tradelines. However, they do not exist in the way authorized user tradelines exist for personal accounts.

2. CAN I PURCHASE BUSINESS TRADELINES?

No. Business tradelines do not work in the same way as personal tradelines. You can, as a substitute, purchase authorized user tradelines for your personal account and begin repairing your credit score in that way. Then you may be eligible in the future to qualify for business loans, funding, or credit cards if the banks rely on your personal credit in order to lend to your business.

3. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BUSINESS TRADELINES AND AUTHORIZED USER TRADELINES?

A business tradeline is an account that a business would report to a credit agency such as Experian, Equifax, or Transunion. This would include things such as business credit cards or vendor accounts. Authorized user tradelines refers to the practice of becoming an authorized user on someone else’s account in order to increase your credit score. You cannot buy authorized user tradelines for businesses in the same way that you can buy authorized user tradelines for your personal credit score.

4. HOW MUCH IS IT TO BUY BUSINESS TRADELINES?

Again, you cannot buy business tradelines… However, authorized user tradelines for your personal account can run anywhere from a hundred dollars to several thousand, depending on your needs. It is best to talk to a professional consultant in order to determine the right amount of money to spend.

5. WHAT ARE SEASONED OR AUTHORIZED USER BUSINESS TRADELINES?

This is a common misconception – first of all, seasoned tradelines and authorized user tradelines are the same thing. They apply strictly to the personal side of your credit score. You cannot buy seasoned or authorized user tradelines for businesses in order to increase a business credit score. You can, however, buy them to increase your personal credit score.

6. IS IT POSSIBLE TO ESTABLISH BUSINESS CREDIT WITHOUT PERSONAL CREDIT?

Yes, it just takes forever. Banks have slammed on the breaks in terms of “business loans.” In fact, most banks won’t lend to you at all unless you have $5,000.000.00 in revenue. Contrary to this, in a way, the government does – sometimes – create programs to help fund business which “promises” the bank that the government will repay the loan if you do not. This could be a standard SBA loan, or special programs such as those that originated during Covid-19, such as EDIL, PPP, etc. Again, talking to a professional skilled and experienced in this area is your best bet.

This is why most business funding experts have focused their efforts on unsecured business lines of credit. These lines of credit are basically a credit card in the name of the company. The credit cards rely on the business owner’s (or signer’s) personal credit, rather than the business’s credit. This is the main way the business tradelines are created these days.

7. HOW MANY TRADELINES SHOULD A BUSINESS HAVE?

The Dun & Bradstreet Paydex scoring model (or DUNS number) requires at least two tradelines, and in some cases three, before your business is eligible for a credit score.

8. IS IT LEGAL TO BUY TRADELINES?

Yes, it is legal to purchase authorized user tradelines for your personal credit accounts, however, it is not possible (or legal) to buy business tradelines because it simply doesn’t work that way. Beware of anyone telling you otherwise.

9. ARE THERE BUSINESS TRADELINES WITH NO UPFRONT FEE?

No, there is no such thing as buying business tradelines, therefore, there is no such thing as buying them with no upfront fee. Typically you’ll see websites using this term as a form of “clickbait” knowing it’s what you want to hear. For example, some companies might say they offer tradelines with no upfront fee, and what they’re really saying is they’ll help you get them and then charge a fee for it later. Sneaky, sneaky!

The true way to make sure you don’t pay upfront for fees is to use an escrow system, like Credzu. Be sure to use escrow if you are going to buy anything in the personal or business credit or debt space.

10. WHERE CAN I GET A LIST OF TRADELINES FOR BUSINESS?

Business tradelines are accounts that you report to crediting agencies, such as Experian, Equifax, and Dun & Bradstreet. This could include things such as credit cards or vendor accounts.

 

PRIMARY TRADELINES

 

1. CAN I PURCHASE PRIMARY TRADELINES?

The real question is, do you want to purchase or buy primary tradelines when you can get them for free? There are some ways to buy them:

1) You can do secured credit cards, which isn’t the best idea because it doesn’t really have a large impact on your credit report (after all, if it is “secured,” you’re not showing risk… credit scores are a risk model).

2) There are some “catalogs” and other online stores, as “carecredit” type lines of credit, but those aren’t worth buying either. However, why do this when you can get some Capital One credit cards and/or Chase Bank credit cards with zero credit or even bad credit? Just get your primary lines for free (and don’t buy them), then boost your credit score with authorized user tradelines.

2. ARE EXPENSIVE PRIMARY TRADELINES BETTER?

No! Truthfully, the best primary tradelines are free, because the goal is to spend less money, right? If you absolutely cannot get approved for a credit card, there are ways to start building credit, such as paying for a secured credit card. However, most people are able to get approved for a primary tradeline with a low credit limit from a major bank.

3. DO SEASONED PRIMARY TRADELINES EXIST?

Yes, technically, seasoned primary tradelines exist. However, that is to say, a primary account holder with an account opened years ago, has a seasoned primary tradeline. If you are searching for seasoned primary tradelines, then you are most likely looking to add seasoned primary tradelines to your credit report to boost your score.

Adding primary tradelines is much more complicated than adding an authorized user tradeline. Stated gently, it is very difficult to sell primary tradelines… legally. Secondly, it is very hard to sell seasoned primary tradelines in profitably, so ask yourself why a company would or could exist considering these two limiting factors.

There are legal ways to do it and to make money, so I am not suggesting that everyone out there selling primary tradelines is a scam artist, but it is very difficult and we cannot recommend a single source for this process (and we have looked into it). You are better off buying seasoned authorized user tradelines and save yourself time and energy. At the end of the day, if you need a primary tradeline, just get your own for free, and boost your score with authorized user tradelines.

4. WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF PRIMARY TRADELINES?

Examples of primary tradelines are:

• credit cards
• mortgages
• auto loans
• student loans.

5. ARE PRIMARY TRADELINES LEGAL?

Primary tradelines are legal as far as they refer to credit accounts in your name, but there are things to watch out for. Purchasing tradelines with CPNs, for example, is illegal. We suggest you read our article “Are Tradelines Legal?” to protect yourself from fraud or scams.

6. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AUTHORIZED USER TRADELINES AND PRIMARY TRADELINES?

Primary tradelines are accounts in your credit report. The primary user is the person in whose name the account is under. The primary user can approve an authorized user on their account in some cases and the authorized user will benefit by the addition of the primary user’s positive (or negative) credit history, which will then directly affect their credit rating, usually within 30 days.

The practice of selling authorized user tradelines is becoming increasingly popular as people rely more and more on loans and lines of credit to meet their financial needs. Companies, or individuals, will offer authorized user tradelines for sale as a way to boost your credit score relatively quickly. Primary tradelines cannot be sold in the same way, however.

7. HOW DO I ADD PRIMARY TRADELINES TO MY CREDIT REPORT?

The easiest way to add primary tradelines to your credit report is to open a credit card or take out a loan. Most major banks will be happy to help you get connected to a card with a limit that is appropriate for you. However, it is important to be prepared for the financial responsibility that comes with maintaining a credit card or a loan.

Opening a line of credit will not benefit you in any way if you are late on payments and damage your credit score as a result. If you are going to take out a loan or a line of credit, be prepared to keep that account in good standing, and don’t take on more than you can handle at any given time.

8. HOW DO I ADD AUTHORIZED USER TRADELINES TO MY CREDIT REPORT?

There are two ways to go about this – one is through a friend or family member who has an account in good standing that is willing to add you as an authorized user. The other is to purchase tradelines from a reputable tradeline company, such as ourselves. We recommend going with professionals, just because with friends and family, you may not always get the tradeline you need to suit your goals.

We wrote some tips on how to pick the best tradeline companies to do business with.

 

TRADELINE COMPANIES