primary tradelines FAQs

Primary Tradelines Do Not Equal Better Tradelines

Before we dive in, we want to make one thing clear.

You cannot buy primary tradelines to add to your credit report in the same way you can buy authorized user tradelines.

You may have heard otherwise, but we will break down exactly why this is simply not true, and what you should do instead.

There tends to be a lot of misinformation – some of it accidental, and some of it deliberate – surrounding the tradeline industry. That is particularly true regarding primary tradelines.

One of the most common misconceptions we see is that people think they can buy primary tradelines like authorized user tradelines. Before we begin, make sure you understand first what authorized user tradelines are and how they can help you.

Primary tradelines are not the problem; how they’re handled is the problem. While not all companies lie, the credit repair world seems to foster an environment ripe for abuse. This is especially true in an industry where consumers are already in a heightened state of concern for their compromised credit and financial situation.

That’s what we wanted to address: the truth about all the lies when it comes to primary tradelines.

What is a tradeline?

Here’s the quickest, most down-to-earth answer possible: tradelines are accounts in credit reports.

If you have good accounts, you have a good credit score. If you have accounts with negative information, you have a bad credit score. At its most basic level, having (or adding) good accounts to your credit report results in an increased credit score.

What is makes a tradeline “primary”?

definition of primary account holder
Definition of primary account holder.

Primary tradelines are an account on a credit report for which the primary account holder is  responsible.

This is in contrast to authorized user tradelines, where the account history reports on the authorized user’s credit report (as an authorized user… not a primary account holder). You cannot buy primary tradelines and add them to your credit report.

Every line of credit is a primary tradeline for the primary account holder. Auto loans, credit cards, mortgages – these are all lines of credit that are primary for the primary borrower. The authorized user or joint accounts exist when the primary holder of an account lists you as an authorized user or a joint account holder.

 

free primary tradelines
Examples of types of tradelines.

What is an authorized user tradeline?

Authorized user tradelines are simple in theory. You add individuals as authorized users to a credit account in good standing and their credit scores increase. Unlike primary tradelines, you can buy them and add them to your credit report.

“After paying a fee, you are listed as an authorized user on someone else’s credit card, someone with a healthy credit rating. You don’t actually get to use the card, but the credit history of that card appears on your credit report, making it more attractive.”

Brigitte Yuille – Debt Management Reporter for Bankrate

After the Equal Credit Opportunity Act passed in 1974 along with Federal Reserve Regulation B, people who hadn’t had the opportunity to build a reliable credit history were now able. This is because they were then eligible to become authorized users on primary accounts that were held in good standing.

The idea was that you could be added as an authorized user on a family member’s account and benefit from their positive credit history. However, not everyone has a friend or family member who is willing or able to add them as an authorized user.

Thus began the practice of buying and selling tradelines.

Our article on authorized user tradelines explains the subject in more detail.

 

tradelines meaning

Can you actually buy primary tradelines like authorized user tradelines?

The answer to this is that you should not buy primary tradelines, and we’ll explain exactly why.

When the concept of piggybacking off of authorized user tradelines became popular, the “I will one-up you” crowd took the basis of a working product and applied it (in theory) to other products. This is despite the fact it made no sense, was not founded in law, nor did they have any real way to operate it.

best primary tradelines
The straightforward answer: no.

Put quite directly, there is no such thing as seasoned primary tradelines. What I specifically mean is that you cannot purchase this type of tradeline and have them added to your credit report.

The majority of the time people “selling” primary tradelines are lying to you and just selling you authorized user tradelines disguised as something else. Which is deceitful, in and of itself.

The reason authorized user tradelines exist at all is the result of complicated federal laws. Specifically, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) of 1974 which was implemented by the Federal Reserve Board Regulation B. These laws only contemplate authorized user status on revolving tradelines… nothing else.

The real question is, “Is it in your best interest to purchase primary tradelines?”

Do you want to purchase primary tradelines when you can get them for free?

You can get primary tradelines for free by applying to a bank that is more likely to give you a chance, like Capital One or Chase Bank. Large banks like these will often approve some credit cards to primary users with zero credit or even bad credit.

There are many scams out there concerning primary tradelines. The legitimate sources are usually buried beneath a sea of propaganda and shady businesses. Get primary tradelines for free from a bank, and boost your credit score with authorized user tradelines from us.

Are primary tradelines better than authorized user tradelines?

There is no cut-and-dry answer to this question, so we will discuss both primary and authorized user tradelines. First of all, the question is more appropriately posed like this: “What do I need, authorized user tradelines, or primary tradelines?”

Primary tradelines are beneficial to your credit score when you have a lack of them. If you don’t have any credit cards in your name, authorized user tradelines can only help so much.

On the other hand, if you have a few young credit cards, have low limits, etc., authorized user tradelines can help place a longer credit history on your report and decrease your debt to credit ratio.

Again, it just depends on what you need. It’s best to just contact us and we can discuss your specific credit situation.

How to get Primary Tradelines

There are several legitimate, versus illegitimate, ways to get primary tradelines. If we haven’t made it clear enough already, if someone is offering to sell you primary tradelines, they are most likely trying to scam you. There are much better ways to go about it.

 

how to get primary tradelines without credit

Legitimate ways to get primary tradelines

There are several reasons for procuring primary tradelines. For example, if you want to start building credit, this is the first place to begin. Also, many banks require more than one tradeline to get approved for a business loan.

If you want to add primary tradelines to your credit file, don’t overthink it! It really is as simple as getting approved for a credit card or loan. If you aren’t able to do that, read on to see what your other options are.

The first, and best way is to get approved for a credit card or loan.

Once you get approved for any kind of credit card or loan, that becomes a primary tradeline listed on your credit report.

This could be:

  • an automobile loan
  • a mortgage
  • a student loan
  • or any kind of line of credit issued in your name primarily

As always, taking out a loan can be risky if you’re not prepared to make payments on time. It can be easy to be lured into a false sense of security.

Don’t get caught off guard when the unexpected happens. Always exercise caution before taking out a loan, and prepare for the unknown as best you can.

Some people have a difficult time getting approved for a credit card or a loan. That’s probably why you’re reading this article in the first place. If you haven’t had success in getting approved, we’ve outlined some steps below you can take to help start building a reliable credit history.

If you’re not qualified for a credit card or loan, try a secured credit card.

Yes, getting a secured card can help you establish credit. You simply give your bank money and they convert that money into a primary credit card in your name.

Most banks offer credit solely based on their belief that you will repay them (i.e. your “credit” worthiness). Whereas, banks offer secured credit cards based on the fact that you have “secured” future advances on the card with prepayment.

So, since there’s absolutely no risk, how does this establish credit? Well, you will make payments on the secured credit card just as you would on an unsecured credit card. The banks report your payment behavior to the credit bureaus.

Credit monitoring services, like FICO, use this information to generate your credit score. This usually takes about 6 months of payment history.

The downside to a secure credit card is that, unless you have a lot of cash laying around, you typically open a small secured card. That places you in a more adolescent bracket, in terms of credit scoring.

That is a concept deserving of its own article. Suffice it to say, use secured cards to break the mold.

But, you’ll eventually want to get into unsecured cards for maximum credit enhancement potential.

If secured credit cards are insufficient, try credit builder loans.

Credit builder loans are perfect for those just getting into the credit game. The good news is that you do not need to have good credit to get approved. The possible downside is that you need to prove you have enough income to make payments.

Another possible downside is that if you are already in debt, credit builder loans may not be enough to help you. Studies have indicated that these are best for people who have no debt history and are brand new to credit.

Credit builder loans can also be somewhat hard to find. They are usually offered by smaller establishments like credit unions or community banks.

Once you are approved, the money is held by the establishment until you finish making payments. In this way, there is very little risk to the bank.

While you make payments, the money accumulates as savings. Your payments are then reported to one or more of the major credit bureaus.

Once again, loans can backfire if you’re not prepared to make payments on time. Negative items on your credit report, such as late payments and overdue balances, will affect your credit score adversely. It can take a significant amount of time and effort to reverse.

Always exercise caution before committing to any kind of loan.

The latest trend… self-lending.

There has been a proliferation of self-lending companies in recent years. This is due to a gap in the market where certain people were considered “unscorable” by credit reporting bureaus. As a result, businesses found ways to create products to start scoring people.

The idea of self-lending is somewhat similar to a savings account. The difference is that it allows you to build credit and savings at the same time. Rather than receiving the loan upfront like in most cases, payments are made in installments. Once the loan is paid off, you receive access to the funds.

This is a relatively risk-free way for creditors to lend to consumers with little to no credit history. The consumer benefits by having the information reported to the three major crediting bureaus.

Convert your utility bills into credit and benefit from on-time payments.

Typically, utility bills only significantly affect credit scores if payments are made late or the account is delinquent. Paying your utility bills on time, however, typically won’t cause your score to go up. If you regularly make on-time payments for rent and utilities, there are ways to add these items to your credit profile so that you can reap the benefits of an increased credit score.

Extra debit card

By opening an account with Extra, you are essentially paying to have them facilitate a connection with each major credit bureau. In turn, your payment information gets reported and added to your credit profile. The Extra debit card acts like a credit card, and as long as your payments are on time, your credit score will go up.

Experian Boost

The benefit of Experian Boost is that it is free and works fast. The downside is that the positive increase is only reported to Experian. That means that if a lender pulls your report from the other reporting agencies, the boost from Experian won’t help.

Lastly, if you are a renter, you could ask your landlord to report your monthly payments. Landlords typically don’t report rental payments because there is a fee to do so. You could always offer to pay the fee for them if they are not willing. However, if you have to pay to do this, there are typically better ways to make the most of your money, such as the methods we mentioned above.

Illegitimate Ways

Tradelines, if acquired correctly, are perfectly legal within the scope of the law (for more information, check out our article Are Tradelines Legal?); however, there is plenty of opportunity to abuse the system and cross the line into illegal territory. Beware of the following practices, as they will only cause you more detriment in the long run.

Phantom Tradelines
department of justice sentences man for credit card fraud scam
From www.justice.gov.

On some occasions, certain individuals have been persecuted by the federal government for generating false information to send to credit bureaus to build out fraudulent identities.

They would then make it appear as if this “person” had excellent credit, and would then open up primary lines of credit using this “person’s” name.

Next, they sold these fake lines of credit as authorized tradelines, promising a more attractive credit rating. They sold these fake lines of credit for a significant profit, and even used the increased spending limits to rack up further debt for themselves.

Naturally, once the federal government caught on, these fraudsters faced significant penalties and prison time. However, it’s important to realize that there are still plenty of scam artists out there, so it’s important to know what to look for to make sure you are not getting taken advantange of.

Tradelines Procured Through Fraud
thief sentenced for using synthetic identity
Example of synthetic identity fraud.

Credit agreements are legally binding documents, so any time that you provide personal information to a lender, you are required to be 100% truthful about all the information provided.

Thankfully, in the modern digital era it has become much easier for lenders to vet information, but sometimes falsified documents can slip through the cracks. Not all lending requests are fully investigated, so some people may try to take advantage of this oversight.

It may be tempting to stretch certain details, such as exaggerating your income, but in doing so you would be committing fraud, which is a federal crime, and would likely face serious repercussions.

Using fake identities, such as CPNs (or Credit Privacy Numbers) is also a fraudulent practice and should never be utilized unless you’re ready to face serious consequences. Our article about CPNs explains this in further detail.

Let’s cut to the chase…

If you’re on this page, you’re probably looking for a shortcut to obtaining credit. Sometimes the best shortcut is really just to take the right steps to get back on track. We’ve outlined a few steps below on how to do exactly that:

  1. Pay your bills on time. Don’t take out any loans you’re not prepared to pay, and always be prepared for the unexpected.
  2. Get added as an authorized user to a primary account that is in good standing, either through a friend or family member, or through a professional tradeline company.
  3. Don’t get sidetracked by fraudulent tactics. As with most things in life, the right way is not always the easy way. Don’t risk taking legal shortcuts as they could just take you further away from your goals in the long run.
  4. Ask for a raise from your boss. It’s hard to build credit if you don’t have enough income.
  5. Know what your goal is, and take the most direct path to it. It is easy to get lost in a sea of confusing terms and jargon and make things far more difficult than they need to be. Get in touch with one of our professional advisors who can help outline your goals and take the appropriate steps to achieve them.
  6. Think holistically about your credit future and make good decisions. Slow and steady often wins the race. Examine your spending and lifestyle habits mindfully, and make changes as necessary.

In conclusion: don’t buy primary tradelines.

You cannot purchase “primary tradelines for sale.” Period. End of story. If someone says they are selling you primary tradelines, they are in actually just selling you authorized user tradelines, and taking advantage of your naiveté. Someone who willingly deceives you is not someone worthy of your trust.

It is such a ridiculous idea, too. For example, I have a lot of people with student loans. Want to buy one of them? There are mortgages and car loans out there. Want to pick up one for a few thousand dollars?

Even if it were possible (or legal) to purchase “primary” tradelines (like seasoned authorized user tradelines), you would be hurting yourself… not helping yourself. The result would be an increase in your debt and financial responsibilities, which would likely lower your debt to credit ratios and your chances of being approved for future lines of credit. This makes absolutely no sense, so stay away from people “selling” primary tradelines.

We advocate getting your own new primary line for free. Purchasing primary tradelines can be illegal. Most of the time, it is a scam.

If you are here to improve your credit in the most efficient way possible, that is what we do, and we do it with authorized user tradelines. Talk to one of our advisors today to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

134 thoughts on “Primary Tradelines”

    1. It doesn’t really exist the way you might expect. There are some ways: 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. So, I’d respectfully suggest you should start with your ultimate goal first, rather than an assumption of what you need to achieve that goal. For example, what if you could achieve that goal without “purchasing” primary tradelines? You should give us a call at 800-431-4741 to discuss your goals and we will let you know (for free) what we think. Thanks!

      Reply

  2. [removed] has Primary business trade lines that really helped my business get funded last year. …GOOD PEOPLE.

    Reply

    1. Hey Ron, can you tell me all about it? For example, how much they cost, how they reported (with debt and balances), did it have an impact on your credit, what type of lines (revolved, installment, etc.)?

      Reply

        1. Sorry for the late reply. I deleted the name because I didn’t want anyone to be harmed by a scammer. That wasn’t a “company,” it’s an individual representing, through unfair and deceptive tradeline practices, that he can offer “primary” tradelines for sale. This is legally impossible. Therefore, I do not want to advertise on our site illegal practices. Also, it isn’t even a practice that’s illegal that actually exists (like CPNs). Primary tradelines (for sale, that you can add like authorized user accounts) don’t exist at all. So, that person is literally just going to take your money and run.

          Reply

    3. I have a way to get you primaries.
      Auto Loan
      Credit line
      Mortgage as well. Reports up to 4 months afterwards paid as agreed for an extra fee.

      Reply

      1. Tell us more, Ron. Suppose I have a client that can borrow $250,000.00 (based on their income) for their home purchase. That is, the mortgage broker sees that they can afford $1,200.00 each month after calculating their income and expenses. Let’s suppose further that you added them to your primary tradelines, the auto loan and the mortgage. Since it is primary, those tradelines will be included in their monthly expenses, by say $500.00 or $1,000.00. Now, assuming you may have increased their credit score, you have killed their purchasing power and their loan is denied. Also, how is the mortgage servicer going to allow you to add someone onto the debt? How is the auto loan holder going to add someone onto the debt?

        Reply

  3. I have Primary Tradelines
    Mortgages ( $400k – $3.3M )
    Auto ( $56k – $151k )
    Bank Lines ($56k – $420k)
    contact me at [moderated]
    To obtain any of these tradelines… You must sign 3-6 Different Legal Documents that protects You and Company

    Reply

    1. Al, first, I’ve never see primaries in 7 years of being in the industry. They just don’t exist. Second, suppose they did exist… if you added these lines to someone’s file, you’d strangle their credit reports with debt and kill their purchasing power, defeating the purpose.

      Reply

      1. Check this (primary tradelines) page for details, but you can always call us at 800-431-4741 to get details about primary tradelines. We do not offer them, but we know a lot about them.

        Reply

      1. Unfortunately, we do not sell primary tradelines, but also, they don’t really exist (legally). If you’d like to discuss a broader range of credit solutions, call us at 800-431-4741. Thanks!

        Reply

    8. Contact me @ [moderated] inquiring about your post,thanks Jason Reed
      AL says:
      May 11, 2017 at 9:51 am
      I have Primary Tradelines
      Mortgages ( $400k – $3.3M )
      Auto ( $56k – $151k )
      Bank Lines ($56k – $420k)
      contact me at [moderated]
      To obtain any of these tradelines… You must sign 3-6 Different Legal Documents that protects You and Company

      Reply

        1. Give us a call to discuss pricing. Pricing depends on the tradeline purchased and the tradeline purchased depends on which tradeline you need. Which tradeline you need depends on your current credit report and score as well as your credit goal.

          Reply

        1. Hey Cru, just curious… are you reaching out for those primary tradelines mentioned above? If so, what do you plan to do if you got them?

          Reply

          1. Awesome, what is your website? Tell us all how your primary tradelines work. Tell us the process to clean Experian and TransUnion in 5 days.

    11. Hello Al, can you give Craig a call 704-891-1946 regarding primary tradelines if I’m not available please leave me a message and best time to call…
      Thank you!

      Reply

    16. Can you call me or e mail me to let me know how to put auto or bank lines($56 k-$42k can I do this for free ,[number]or e mail me [email], Michael, thank s

      Reply

      1. You cannot buy “primary” tradelines, and you don’t want to; you’d be responsible for payment on those accounts and that liability would kill your future purchasing power. Also, it’s unknown whether your credit scores would be positively affected. With authorized user accounts, you are not responsible for the debt, therefore, it doesn’t hurt your purchasing power. And, when you work with a legitimate company you will get quality tradelines with low balances and high limits with perfect payment history for many years.

        Reply

      1. Here’s everything you need to know: Primary tradelines for sale do not exist. If they did, they’d hurt you (click here to see my response to Leroy, below).

        If I could give you some unsolicited advice, I would suggest you start with your goal and ask people how to achieve that goal. Meaning, don’t start with what you think will achieve your goal (primaries, etc.). Just say: “I want x… can you help achieve that goal?” If you start with “Do you offer x product…” people may say yes or not WITHOUT regard to your goal. Also, you might buy something that either doesn’t work or that doesn’t help achieve your goal

        Reply

      1. Oscar, please read about primaries. You do not want primaries. First, they probably don’t exist. Second, to the extent they “exist,” they’re probably illegal (see here). Third, they’d kill your purchasing power (because you would be responsible for the balance, as a “primary” borrower). Should I continue? I am not telling you what to do or what not to do, but you should just focus on your goal and ask people what you can do to achieve that goal.

        Reply

    27. Hi al

      I need to purchase primary’s for my clients.
      Could you please email me or leave your contact Info

      Reply

      1. Unfortunately, primary tradelines cannot be purchased. However, you can purchase authorized user tradelines which may help you obtain your own primary tradelines. Let us know if we can help!

        Reply

          1. Hey Christopher. I tried to check out that site and ran into 3 security alerts, without reaching the page. I don’t recommend anyone else click that link. However, I have seen the kinds of products you’re discussing. But, it’s not paying money (or “buying”) a primary tradeline. It’s paying a fee for a primary tradeline you would otherwise be approved for… for free. In addition, in the types of situations you’re describing, you’re typically not able to use that primary account on anything other than the products being sold by the person who charged you for that primary tradeline.

            When people talk about primary tradelines, they’re saying “Hey, instead of adding me as an authorized user, can you make it show up as a primary account.” This isn’t possible. They ask because they think primary accounts are “better” than authorized user accounts, when it comes to credit score increases. In some ways they are (because it’s your account), but in some ways they’re not (because a balance on a primary account cuts into your purchasing power).

            Final thought: Those “jewlery” “primary” accounts have had a history with illegality and I’d caution everyone against it. For example, see here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/leader-international-200-million-credit-card-fraud-scam-sentenced-80-months-prison The defendants “…and his conspirators also relied upon complicit businesses, including several jewelry stores in the Jersey City, N.J., area, to extract money from the fraudulent cards.” They “….created and sold fake lines of credit for false identities… These fraudulent primary tradelines were then used to increase the credit limits on fraudulent cards, so that the conspirators could reap even larger profits.”

      1. Hey Tamra, No one has primary trade lines which you can purchase. You can apply for and be approved for a trade line which, in doing so makes it a primary trade line. However, you cannot purchase a primary trade line. I could go into more detail, or you can trust me. If you have more specific questions about this, I’d be happy to answer.

        Reply

    39. can you please email me your primary trade-line list
      Mortgages ( $400k – $3.3M )
      Auto ( $56k – $151k )
      Bank Lines ($56k – $420k
      Thank you

      Reply

  5. I just started looking into this for credit repair but from what I read I am confused. I do know that secured cards do help repair credit. I also know that catalog cards also improve credit. They may not have a large impact but it sounds you are giving out false information and that makes me personally not trust this site. I’m at a loss here

    Reply

    1. Erin, I am not going to personally attack your integrity on the basis that I disagree with you. I’d ask that you adhere to the same policy, especially since what I said above is correct, true and accurate.

      First, a secured credit card is not a credit enhancement technique. Sure, it could help someone go from NO credit file to A credit file, but that’s not an improvement, that’s a start.

      Secord, this isn’t opinion, it’s math. Credit scores are risk models. A “secured” credit card has zero risk. <--- it's secured by the amount you gave the bank; there is zero risk of you not paying them back, because you paid them back already (before you charged anything to the card). This does not make you any more credit worthy. The only caveat is that making payments over time can positively affect your credit score (even on a "secured" card). However, it isn't the application and approval for the secure card that made your score go up... it's your repayment behavior. Finally, if you’re say “I have seen someone get 3 points from a secured credit card, therefore, you’re wrong.” Then, I’d also disagree. When I am referring to improving credit, it is implied that we’re talking about to an economically significant extent, not fractional bits which result in no economic gain. I am saying that if you’re denied for a credit card, mortgage, car loan, etc., you’re not going to get approved by adding a secure credit card. Its doubtful your score will increase at all, but your approval chances are less likely to increase than your credit score.

      Reply

    2. I just re-read your post and thought of something else. Catalog cards and secured cards can help in one sliver of credit modeling; diversification of credit. However, it’s not that simple. For example, if you open a $200.00 secured credit card looking for a boost, you might be upset when you see your score go down, not up. Sure, you positively affected your “diversification of credit” (which is a FICO consideration), but you also just placed yourself in a adolescent score card bracket (which are very complicated FICO considerations). So, secured cards have a purpose (starting credit files, diversifying credit, etc.), but they don’t serve a purpose of increasing credit scores… especially not to an economically significant extent. In other words, your money would be better spent elsewhere.

      Reply

  7. Hmmm, very interesting! Im definitely interested in repairing my credit but sure where to start. I’m thankful to see that secured credit cards are not the route to go because that was the direction I was headed. If anyone one could give me some insight, I would greatly appreciate it.

    Reply

  8. I just started a buesiness. I remodled a provete house to become commerical. I have zero tradelines. I dont know where to start. I do not want to pay for credit it is dishonest. Can u help.

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    1. The only way to get credit is to pay for it. You open an account, charge to it, pay interest and the result is that you have credit. So, what’s the moral distinction between doing that quickly or slowly? That question is as hypothetical and philosophical as it is rhetorical. To answer your question, yes, we can help. We don’t “do tradelines,” we connect people with solutions. So, give us a call at 800-431-4741 because if we can’t help you, we know who can and will. Thanks!

      Reply

  10. I Have Primaries. 1 auto 1 revolving only post to Equifax
    $15k limit 3 years history 2/4 payments remaining.

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    1. That don’t exist, unfortunately. You can boost your score with authorized user tradelines and apply for your own primary line, though.

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    1. What do you mean? Listen, if you have information that can benefit people, by all means, post it and I’ll publish it. Further, if it’s legitimate, I’ll send you leads. Don’t tell me I’m bad… tell me why you’re good. Don’t try to tear me down, let’s help build each other up. If you’ve got the goods, let’s go help people. Deal?

      Reply

  14. A Matias you are such a hater you are editing people information so they can’t get in contact with Al. You probably blocked Al so he can’t reply. And you keep pushing these Au’s and truth be told I have Au’s true they boost your score but all the lenders I attempted to apply for said they disregard the au’s. So please stop being so thirsty for a sale and sit down. Secured cards do work to boost score in major way if you have no credit or low credit score. Also accounts like my jewelers does work it boosted my credit about 120 points when it was very low from 500’s to about 620. Hey Matias please don’t edit my post ppl need real information not just about your trade lines your so thirsty to sale

    Reply

    1. Hey TJ,

      Like everyone else on this site’s 939 comments and 75,000 words (more than 100 times any other tradeline website in the world), we do not “edit people information.” Except we might block out their private data if they left it in a public comment.

      TJ, we like helping people, so we take the information we’ve learned over the nearly 10 years of operations and over 32 years of combined experience in tradelines and relay our findings to people so they don’t make mistakes. In your case, you’re saying your single experience should be viewed as authoritative over our 10 years and 32 years of combined experience. I appreciate you wanting to help people, but I’d suggest you might be doing the opposite.

      While I appreciate hearing your experience, I would respectfully suggest that I’ve seen it all… all of it. There’s nothing you or anyone else is going to post that I have seen, heard of, thought of, had lawyers review, consult with people who procecute crimes, consult with lenders, etc. In stating this in passing, I’d respectully suggest that the following is not designed for my benefit, but yours and everyone else’s.

      I’ll explain.

      1) I agree with you that authorized user tradelines work, as we’ve written about in many places (such as here and produced a video here).
      2) It is also true that lenders can disregard AUs, especially if you’re abusing the process and not doing it correctly. This concept applies to everything in the universe. Parachuting doesn’t work if you don’t pull the string. Icecream doesn’t work if you shove it in your ear 🙂 And so on. So, yes, it is important to do authorized user’s correctly, which includes working with a legitimate tradelines company like us, and avoiding people – as you point out – who are only looking for a sale. In fact, we turn down about 55% of leads that come to us. For example, people get CPNs (which are illegal) and stuff them with AUs and expect banks to lend them money. That’s not the authorized user’s failure, it’s the people who had a poor strategy by someone who didn’t care to advise them. I also wrote here with a reference to underwriting guidelines on when lenders consider or disregard authorized user tradelines. So, if someone says “100% aus work” or “100% aus do not work,” they’re both wrong. In your case, you’ve made very conclusory statements (“all the lenders I attempted to apply for said they disregard the au’s”) which may or may not be true, but 100% chance is NOT true in all situations. It very well could be the case that you worked with a bad company that said “Yeah, trust me, it will work” when they shouldn’t have and you’re directing your frustration at tradelines rather than bad advice from an inferior company.
      3) As I’ve pointed on in this very comment section, secured cards are… well… secured. When you “secure” something, there’s no risk. A credit score is a risk model. What makes you think adding no risk will increase your risk model score? Secured cards are good for “checking the box” on having a primary account, especially if (and, in reality, only if) you can’t get approved for your own primary lines.
      4) It is possible that jewelers primary tradelines will boost your credit score. It is also believable that your score increased by 120 points. I can imagine this in the case that you had no primaries, so when you “checked the box” you satisfied a big portion of the scoring model. This may not be true for others. However, what you’re sugggesting may or may not be legal. As I’ve previously written (see below), the DOJ charged people for primary tradelines revolving around jewlrey. We’ve heard all of this stuff. I am not saying illegal stuff doesn’t work, I’m saying that illegal stuff is illegal. I often make the bank robbery analogy. Yup, it works to get money, but… well, it’s illegal. I’ll quote myself from a very recent comment on this page:

      Those “jewlery” “primary” accounts have had a history with illegality and I’d caution everyone against it. For example, see here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/leader-international-200-million-credit-card-fraud-scam-sentenced-80-months-prison/ The defendants “…and his conspirators also relied upon complicit businesses, including several jewelry stores in the Jersey City, N.J., area, to extract money from the fraudulent cards.” They “….created and sold fake lines of credit for false identities… These fraudulent primary tradelines were then used to increase the credit limits on fraudulent cards, so that the conspirators could reap even larger profits.”

      Reply

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