Change Address to PO Box???

Discussion in 'Credit Talk' started by boomer, Jan 12, 2004.

  1. boomer

    boomer Well-Known Member

    I have been rebuilding credit over the past 3 years with great success, gone from a FICO of less than 500 to almost 700 now. Part of my solution was to take all financial matters away from my wife and handle them myself. I have been doing well until just tonight when I got hit with a $900 cell phone bill for a phone in my name but that I let her use! I thought that I might be missing a bill from December but between business trips and Christmas I wasn't sure. Now I find out that she must have grabbed it and thrown it away. I believe she has done this in the past but I usually check bills online especially if I can't find the hard copy. This is the final straw and I need to get a PO Box to ensure I get EVRYTHING I should through the mail. Will getting a PO Box at MailBoxes Etc. hurt my scores or future approvals? I am looking at buying a house by the end of the year and donâ??t want to jeopardize my chances.

    Thanks in advance for all of your wise input!
     
  2. GEORGE

    GEORGE Well-Known Member

    You should be able to change your address for ALL BILLS to a PO BOX...but it might show up on a credit report as a RED FLAG (NON RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS)

    YOU CAN KEEP THE "LEGAL" ADDRESS AND HAVE A DIFFERENT BILLING ADDRESS TOO FOR THE CREDITORS
     
  3. Geo

    Geo Well-Known Member

    No problem. I have used a PO Box at Mailboxes etc. for years. In fact I am living abroad US. I received all kind of pre-approved offers, Bal transfer checks, etc. everytime.

    one of my reports shows the PO Box address. but I have had no problem ever to pull them online or by mail or applying for credit.
     
  4. jam237

    jam237 Well-Known Member

    Remember the good old PAT ACT, to keep terrorists from getting a $200.00 target card to stock up on supplys, you may need to use the physical address when you apply, and then change the address to the PO BOX.

    Some companys may let you get away with applying with the PO BOX, but usually if you apply online you'll get an address error, or in the mail a provisional denial "we need your physical address to process your application."
     
  5. ontrack

    ontrack Well-Known Member

    Get a Virgin prepaid cell phone. $60 to buy, including $10 for prepaid calling, no multiyear contract. When it is used up you have to add more to use it again, via phone or web. Minimum $20 every 3 months. If you lose it, no one can run up charges on your account. I wouldn't give a kid a normal cell phone any more than I would give him a blank check as AU. (This presumes you don't "need" to make lots of calls, since the per minute charge is higher).
     
  6. Geo

    Geo Well-Known Member

    Jam237 is right. You should use a physical address with a telephone number when submit an application. Then you can change it to a PO Box address.

    That´s not true in all cases, For example I used my PO Box directly as showed on my credit reports when applied for Citi and BofA some years back and both were approved without questions or verifications.
     
  7. boomer

    boomer Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the responses. I will maintain my physical address but just want to use the PO Box as a mailing address to make sure I get ALL of my mail.
     
  8. Delego

    Delego Member

    If you are going through Mail Boxes ETc. (now UPS store) you will get a non P.O. Box address it will be that buildings address then #_?_ I did that 2 years ago when I started building credit, because of anticapted moving I wanted a stable address for my bills so I got one and it works fine. I do however apply in a physical home address because the one on my CR is the one lived at the last 9 years and lenders like that. When I get my first statement I transfer over to the Mail Box address. Just yesterday I recieved 3 pre-approvals on cards I don't want at that address. Good question!
     

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