What makes the best tradelines companies… the best?

The tradelines industry can be a confusing and deceptive place for the uninformed, which is why we’ve created this handy guide to help answer common questions.

Choosing the right tradelines company is just as important as choosing the right tradelines. In an industry rife with abuse, getting educated is an important first step before making any important financial decisions. 

Luckily, we’ve covered all the bases and by the end of this article, you should have everything you need to feel confident in choosing the best tradeline company for you. 

Tradelines companies sell authorized user, or seasoned, tradelines. 

They typically have staff on hand, and work together to help people buy and sell tradelines. Their services will usually come with a fee. They must be compliant with Federal laws and regulations. 

A tradeline company could technically be considered a credit repair organization. By purchasing authorized user tradelines, you could experience an increase in your credit score that would take much, much longer to do organically. 

Good credit scores affect more than loans.

A good credit report can mean the difference between a lender approving your loan or denying it. For instance, if you have a low credit score, you might find that you need an edge in the competition to get approved for loans or for housing. Then, after approval, good credit scores can mean the difference between favorable and unfavorable interest rates.

Things that a high credit score could affect:

• Renting a property.
• Applying for a job.
• Utility bills.
• Opening a bank account.
• Lowering interest rates through refinancing
• Increased credit limit 

This is where tradeline companies come in – in a pinch, an individual can buy access into being an authorized user on someone else’s account, which is like renting someone else’s credit temporarily. These are called authorized user tradelines, seasoned tradelines,  or “piggybacking credit.” 

By piggybacking on someone else’s credit with better credit than yours, you can expect an increase in your credit score in a much shorter time than it would take to raise your score on your own. 

Good credit scores are achievable!

It’s true, the credit system in the United States is imperfect, to say the least. However, there are ways to benefit from those imperfections. Adding tradelines to your credit report is one of the ways to reduce the impact of the imperfections we face every day.

If you’re stuck with bad credit and looking to boost your credit score, then we highly encourage you to consider buying quality tradelines as a tool in your efforts. Good credit scores require a rounded-out approach and we will conduct a free credit report analysis to help you determine if tradelines are an appropriate option for your credit situations.

How do authorized user tradelines work?

Authorized user tradelines (also known as seasoned tradelines, or piggybacking) are a useful tool to help increase your credit score relatively quickly if used properly. 

Think of it this way: 

You’ve somehow ended up with a low credit score and maybe struggling to get qualified for a loan, or perhaps you can’t get approved for a home rental, or a credit card, because of a poor credit score. Someone else with a perfect payment history on their credit card – either an individual you know personally or through a tradeline company – can add you as an authorized user on their credit card. 

Then, you become an authorized user on the friend or family member’s account. After about 30 days your credit will be affected by the primary account holder’s positive payment history and debt utilization. The authorized user’s credit score is directly affected by the activity on the account by the primary account holder. 

If the primary account holder does not pay their bills on time, this information gets reported to the major credit bureaus and will also lead to a lower credit score for the authorized user. This could be bad news for the authorized user. An authorized user doesn’t have complete access to an account and cannot make changes themselves. 

Sometimes this is called “piggybacking” and in the simplest terms, it is like renting someone else’s perfect credit history which will then positively influence your credit score. 

But hold on, because it’s not that simple…

There can be risks associated with buying tradelines, and while it can be a helpful tool in the short term, there is no substitute for being responsible with your credit. That’s why we’re here to help walk you through the process. 

Check out our guide on authorized user tradelines before reading on.

How is it possible to “piggyback” on someone else’s credit score? 

In 1974, The Equal Opportunity Credit Act was implemented by Federal Reserve Regulation B. The result of that law and rule is that, effectively, it requires that if lenders report authorized user information for spouses of borrowers, they have to treat all authorized users on any account the same.

Initially, the practice was not for profit. Spouses and family members with a bad credit score used it as a way to “piggyback” off of one another’s credit in instances where some members weren’t able to build a reliable credit history, for example. Eventually, mortgage brokers used the concept to push consumers over the finish line to get them approved for loans. 

As a result, someone at some point realized that the industry could be commercialized and turned for a profit. Larger tradeline companies, such as Instant Credit Boosters, began to make a name for themselves, and the practice began to become more commonplace. 

After the 2008 housing bubble burst, many people were desperately in need of credit repair. Soon a handful of tradeline companies began to pop up, which made it possible to buy tradelines like any other commodity. 

Recently, the tradeline industry has grown exponentially. Currently, there are potentially thousands of tradeline companies currently in operation – which can make choosing the right one a daunting process. 

There’s a lot to consider with buying tradelines, and whether or not they are legal is chief among those considerations.

Is it better to become an authorized user through a friend or family, or through professional tradelines companies?  

There are several ways to become an authorized user on someone’s account. One way is to go through a professional tradeline company that provides this service for a profit. Another way is to become authorized by a family member or friend who is willing to share their good credit score.

There are several advantages vs. disadvantages to using a private individual vs. a corporation. 

Advantages to Using Friend/Family Members

• Friends and family typically won’t charge a fee (unless they’re jerks!)
• Other benefits have direct drawbacks, so not sure if we should consider them benefits or not. For example: You can certainly trust a family more than a stranger, but they may not know how to match you with the appropriate tradelines (or they may not have the “inventory” you need). This brings us to disadvantages… 

Disadvantages to Using Friend/Family Members

• Friends and family don’t always understand how the process works.
• You might end up with the wrong tradeline for your needs.
• Credit activity by the primary account holder can affect the authorized user’s credit score. That means that if friends or family are late on their payments, make any unexpected purchases, or suddenly have financial difficulties, your credit score could be affected negatively. Awkward!
• Mixing money and family/friends can be complicated, and it might not be worth risking irreparable damage to your relationship. Holiday dinners are painful enough already! 
• You may not know someone who is willing to add you as an authorized user, or who has good enough credit to be able to help. 

Advantages to Using Tradelines Companies

• Reputable tradeline companies are bonded and insured.
• Tradeline companies are compliant and knowledgeable of Federal laws and regulations and can help you avoid making costly legal mistakes.
• Brokers have the knowledge and experience to help guide you to the right tradelines for you so you don’t waste time on the wrong tradelines.
• A trusted organization is more likely to deliver quality results faster and spare you the headache of figuring out the process on your own.

Disadvantages to Using Tradelines Companies 

• They might not actually be a professional broker. There could be a potential to be deceived by a scam if proper research is not done ahead of time. 
• A brokerage service comes with fees. 

Why You’re Just Better Off With Reputable Tradelines Companies

Buying a tradeline from a reputable tradeline company could potentially cost more in the long run, but just like toilet paper and tattoos, there are certain things that you just don’t buy on a budget. Tradelines are one of those.

At first glance, buying a tradeline at $200 seems far more ideal than paying $500, but a “better” deal could be deceptive if it doesn’t deliver results.

If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Often, scammers will prey on vulnerability and lure potential consumers with outrageous savings, knowing full well that they’re kicking people while they’re down. 

Sometimes it is better to pay more initially so that you are ensured bonafide results. 

Clearly, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages in buying tradelines from a professional tradeline company. Going with a trustworthy organization with the right knowledge can prevent you from making costly mistakes and help get you to where you need to be faster and more effectively.  

The burning question… what criteria makes good tradelines companies?

Tradelines are only some aspects of a particular company worth considering before making a decision. Like every new purchase you make, the more the study you do gives you more peace of mind. 

Different companies offer different types of tradelines. Make sure they can offer you a credit limit that will suit your needs. Reputable tradeline companies should be bonded and insured. 

There are many things to consider when buying tradelines. Several characteristics for a tradeline firm which everyone should consider are:

Honesty & Transparency

Firstly, the credit industry unfortunately is a place where vulnerable consumers are easily deceived. It is important to place your trust in the right place. A good company should have a plethora of educational resources for the consumer to consult.

Staff should be knowledgeable of, and compliant with, any relevant laws pertaining to the credit repair industry. Never, ever deal with anyone who seems willing to compromise on integrity. 

Beware of scammers posing as legitimate companies. See our section below on what not to look for.

Knowledgeable Staff

Secondly, tradeline companies should never guarantee certain credit scores, but they should take time to understand what you want and how they can help you get it. A good tradeline company should have a professional advisor on staff to answer questions. 

Customer support should be responsive and readily available to break down the process and help put you at ease. Look for real people, with real experience.

Experience in the Industry

Thirdly, experience and reputation are everything. How long have they been in business? The best tradeline companies will never be discreet about their history. Look for someone who has been in the credit industry long enough to have withstood the test of time.

Many fraudulent companies will reopen under various names to avoid detection, and therefore won’t have much of a traceable history. A reliable organization will preferably have several years of successful enterprise behind them.

Always check for reviews or first-hand testimonials. This is usually one of the most reliable ways to determine a company’s reputation, however, the practice of buying fake reviews is unfortunately becoming more and more common. 

Use your best judgment when scanning reviews – if an organization is only a year old but has thousands of five-star reviews, there’s a good chance some of those reviews were acquired deceptively.

Physical Address

Next, make sure you stay away from any tradeline companies with websites that have no contact information. These results might indicate that the company is disreputable or fraudulent. The best companies are upfront about their experiences, processes and information. You shouldn’t have to hunt for this material.

Do they list a physical address listed for their building? Not all companies will have a physical location, however, if you’re wondering if a business actually exists or not, this might be a good first place to look.

In fact, any contradictory or inaccurate information on the website should be a deal-breaker. The website should appear professional, with quality content, and contain plenty of useful information.

Verify Business Records

At its shortest, it takes 10 minutes to build a website (not a good one, but you know what I mean). Moreover, it’s much more time-consuming, expensive and revealing to start a new business. Make sure the company you intend to use is a legitimate and an actively registered business in the State within which they claim to operate.

Again, whip out the google machine and type in the state followed by “business record search”. From there, you should be able to find and navigate the State’s business records for a particular business.

Agreements & CROA Compliance

Finally, no matter the state of operation, all tradeline companies have to comply with certain requirements under the Credit Repair Organizations Act (yes, tradeline companies are “Credit Repair Organizations” under the act).

For example, providing an agreement with a complete description of the services to be performed, providing you a Rights Statement pursuant to state and federal law, etc. Make sure you receive an agreement, in writing, before hiring a tradeline company.

The tradelines industry is as deceptive as it is powerful…

Red flags aren’t just for dating. There are many scammers out there posing as legitimate companies, as well as numerous other deceptive practices to look out for when choosing a tradeline company. 

The following criteria doesn’t necessarily mean that a company is fraudulent, but it may indicate that further research may be required since they may not be the most direct way to reach your goals. 

Beware of tradeline “companies” that are brand new, have unbelievable “deals”, or don’t have real humans available to answer your questions and walk you through the process. But just because you’re dealing with a real human doesn’t always mean that you’re going to get real results.

Craigslist

Listen – we forbid you from purchasing tradelines from Craigslist. Sure, some guy named Greg in Milwaukee might have a killer deal on seasoned tradelines that seems too good to pass up, but how can you be guaranteed that the tradeline he’s selling has a perfect payment history? Or that he has your best interest in mind? 

There is no regulating agency that oversees Craigslist sales and if you lose your money in a scam, you are plain out of luck. 

If you are looking for some used furniture or maybe a secondhand bicycle, Craigslist is a perfectly fine place to look. But we cannot stress enough that this is not a reliable place to purchase tradelines. In fact, you are almost certain to be scammed.

Facebook Groups

Similar to Craigslist, tradelines are occasionally advertised for sale in various groups on Facebook. Once again, there is no way to verify the authenticity of a seller’s claims, or to get any kind of guarantee of protection. Furthermore, the information being circulated in these groups may be inaccurate or even intentionally unlawful. 

Facebook is notorious for failing to fact-check claims made on the site. At their best, these groups might not always be a reliable source of information, and at their worst, they could be outright dangerous or even illegal. 

A quick search on Facebook reveals a multitude of groups boldly advertising practices that are clearly illegal, such as CPNs, or credit profile numbers. 

CPNs simply do not exist. You will likely break the law just trying to obtain one and you will absolutely break the law if you ever try to use one. The good news is that you don’t need a CPN. 

For more information on why CPNs are dangerous and illegal, check out our article on CPNs and Tradelines. 

Useless Aggregators

This term has increased in popularity over the past several years. To aggregate means to bring together and collect in one body; an aggregator is someone who aggregates (duh…). 

Website aggregators will commonly have titles like: 

• “5 Best Tradelines Companies”
• “Best Tradelines Companies of 2021”
• “Best Place to Buy Authorized User Tradelines” 

The website itself is not providing the service that it is advertising – it is simply compiling lists of common search terms trying to funnel web activity towards certain websites or ad spots. 

Some companies want to take traffic from sellers of tradelines to promote their products and services or to sell YOU as a lead to tradeline companies. These companies may appear to provide valuable information, but ultimately, their goal is simply to drive traffic to the ads posted on their website. 

You may be able to glean some useful information from these websites, and even eventually find your way to a tradelines provider, but you could just be wasting your time when there are quicker, more reliable ways to reach your goals.

I’m ready to buy tradelines from a reputable tradelines company. Where do I go from here?

Now that you’re an expert on buying tradelines, let’s get you started. The next step is to talk to one of our professional advisors today to get you on the right path to achieving your goals, without any risk or hassle. Call us or comment below with any questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do companies get people to agree to offer their tradelines?

Ten or fifteen years ago it was difficult because not a lot of information about tradelines was available, but now the practice is more prominent. Lots of success stories have been reported, and so more companies started offering their services. People often seek out the best tradeline companies and offer their tradelines to those companies.

2. What incentive is there for them (individuals and companies) to offer their tradelines for sale?

Money! Some individuals may make a little extra cash on the side and capitalize on their good credit by selling tradelines. Many companies are able to turn a lucrative profit. 

3. Do you need a license to sell tradelines? 

Tradelines fall under credit repair services, so tradeline sales are regulated by Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA), Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), and state versions of those laws and rules. There are no federal requirements for licenses, but there are some state requirements, such as in California.

4. Can I sell my authorized user tradelines to a company?

Yes, some companies will sell your tradelines, including Superior Tradelines. Ask one of our associates about our vendor program for more information. 

5. Can I sell my personal authorized user tradelines without an agency?

By selling your tradelines, you effectively become a credit repair organization subject to all those rules and laws. The laws are written in such a way that you become responsible and might as well just become a credit repair company. It is possible, but it is not without risks. 

6. Are there tradelines companies that will teach me to buy and sell tradelines?

First find a good company to work with. Use the steps we outlined above to find someone trustworthy and reputable. They will want success for themselves and for you, and they should be training and educating you on all these things because they will profit from educating you as well.

7. Do I need a certain credit score to qualify to sell tradelines?

Not necessarily. The most important thing is that the tradeline that you are selling has a perfect payment history with no missed payments; with the balance never being over the limit; the account is not in dispute status; and the balance of the card during the time of enrollment has to be kept at or below 10%.

You can have bad accounts on your credit report which is OK, but as long as the account you enrolled is perfect, then it qualifies.

8. How much does it cost to hire a professional tradelines companies?

If it’s a low-quality company, you may pay a really low amount but not get much in return. Or the tradeline is so insignificant it won’t really make much of a difference. Then some people overcharge and tack on extra unnecessary fees, and that won’t help you either.

The sweet spot would be a legitimate company that does things in-house and has its own inventory. You could probably expect to pay around  $500-1000 per tradeline, but that can vary greatly.

9. If I refer people to Superior Tradelines, will I get paid for the referrals?

Possibly! We have an affiliate program and a referral program available if you qualify. Talk to one of our associates for more information.

10. What is the most important factor in determining the best tradeline companies? 

If we had to choose, we would say the most important factor is time in business. If they have operated for under one year, they are just getting started out and just won’t know the industry well enough. After two years a company really starts to know what they’re doing, but we don’t suggest going with anyone with less than 5-10 years of experience. After five years of experience a tradeline company could be considered a legitimate professional.

11. Do you have a reseller program for tradelines?

Yes, we have a reseller program! We call it an affiliate program. This program is designed for people who have clients that need better credit scores by adding tradelines to their credit report.

Credit repair companies, mortgage brokers, real estate agents, car salesmen, etc., are all industries that benefit from our affiliate program.

Once you’re approved for our affiliate program, you can purchase our tradelines for your clients at a flat rate. This rate is negotiated between you and the representative with whom you work at Superior Tradelines LLC. Getting started with the affiliate program is easy, just click the image (and fill out the form shown) below.

In addition to credit repair companies, we also work with real estate agents who have clients who need better credit scores.