I have not applied for a credit card in years and have basically no active positive tradelines. I am thinking of being added to some accounts as an authorized user. I plan either to get added by friends and family or--if it comes to it--offering to pay someone to add me. But I have never been able to tell anyone definitively that it would be difficult for me to damage their credit. My plan is to never get a card from them at all. Without one, can I credibly tell them there is NO way for me to charge anything? How can I set it up in a way that they (especially if it is a stranger) are comfortable that it is a very low risk thing? And, I'm curious, has anyone ever paid someone--that they didn't know--to add them as an AU?
BE CAREFUL...if they BK it will go on your credit report that "YOU" had a BK!!! You will be able to have it REMOVED...but it is a HASSLE...
I think its downright nuts how people seek to get authorized on accounts from people that they have a casual to a weak relationship with. Friends and significant others fall into this category. As far as damaging their accounts..you cant if you have no card to make charges with.
Johnnyjc, I don't think of some of my friends or my significant other as weak realtionships, but I get your point. And I can understand their concern. That is why I want to be able to re-assure them that I can't do any damage as an AU. Thanks for the info. I didn't think I could do much without a card.
benkind, The authorized user cards are sent to the primary cardholder's address only. Whoever sponsors you as an AU on their cards, can simply cut the AU cards up as soon as they come ... Any credit history on the credit card is reflected on both credit reports from that point in time forward, so if the primary card holder regularly uses his/her card, that history can be reflected on your file too. The activity need not necessarily be on the authorized user's card. -- lakpr
I am an authorized user on my ex-husband's card. He requested that I be removed a few years ago with the bank and he thought that this had happened since he never gets sent a card for me at his address. I have never lived at his address yet his address and the fact that the card is now 30 days overdue is now on my credit report. I called the bank in question to ask that I be removed and they told me that my ex has to call with that request. I said "he already did 3 years ago!" Supposedly back then he even asked that credit acct to be closed and a new one opened without my name! So now I have to deal with this bullsh* after I had worked very dilligently to raise my credit score over the past two years! So now even thought my score is in danger of being trashed, I have to depend on my ex to resolve it. And he is hesitant to call the bank now because he is late on the payment! That is a pitfall of being an AU.
