Possible to be Authorized User on another's CC post filing???

[Florida30]

Hi all,

I have a question. I am planning on filing ch7 and will have no credit cards post filing but I will need access to credit for work/travel purposes.

Can I be added to someone else's credit card account as an authorized user?

If so, when can I do this, post filing? Or wait till discharge.

[Beeheery]

If you are just an authorized user, it doesnt matter. It isn't linked up to your social security number or anything. You simply get the card holder's credit card but with your name on it. That's all. If you have someone who will allow you to be an authorized user, don't wait. Just do it now. A JOINT account holder is another story however.

[Bankruptcy20]

if you are the BK'er, and you are going to be the AU on someone else's credit... is it better to:

1. become the AU before Chapter 7?
2. become the AU after BK?

I would think #2, no?

[Beeheery]

It doesnt matter if they do it before or after. it has nothing to do with that person's credit. they are only authorized to purchase on the other person's card. they have no legal obligation to pay it and it is absolutely untraceable. all they do is receive a duplicate card that is someone else's except it just has their name on it for identification purposes. that's it.

[Bankruptcy20]

Not sure if I agree with that... several CC report AU on the AU credit report (Amex being one of them, but several others do it as well). There's some threads here of people reporting AU getting their AU card on their credit report when they did NOT even provide a social security.

For me, all I've experienced from real world, is that AU's do sometimes show up on your AU credit score, if you sign something with a SS listed. Corporate Amex does not seem to show up though.

[Beeheery]

How in the world can they put it on your credit report w/o a social security #??? I didn't think that was possible????

[Florida30]

So if I got on someone's CC as an AU....it would appear on their report?

I wonder if it makes sense just to call the credit card and just ask right?

[Bankruptcy20]

Yes, always good to check on your credit report. Again, sometimes it seems to show and others times not (if you are an AU on someone else's credit). It does not show up on the primary credit, as why would it, if you think about it. Joint liability has it always show up on both.

[Iamtoobroke]

I am an authorized user on my mother's Sears account and have been one for years. It is listed on my credit report that I am an authorized user. It was not included in my bankruptcy as I am not financially responsible for the account. Sears has continued to allow me to be an authorized user with not one problem during this whole process and I have never heard one word from them. I am now post 341 awaiting discharge.

[Beeheery]

Iam....do you know how in the world they put it on your credit report w/o even knowing your social? i am just so confused by this!

[Flamingo]

How in the world can they put it on your credit report w/o a social security #??? I didn't think that was possible????

I became an authorized user on my hubby's department store credit card (Boscov's, a store in the mid-Atlantic area) within the past year that he opened in his name a few years ago. In order to do so, I had to provide my SS and sign. It appears on my credit reports that I am an authorized user. It appears many are doing that now or have been doing it for a while.

[StartingOver08]

I became an authorized user on my hubby's department store credit card (Boscov's, a store in the mid-Atlantic area) within the past year that he opened in his name a few years ago. In order to do so, I had to provide my SS and sign. It appears on my credit reports that I am an authorized user. It appears many are doing that now or have been doing it for a while.

If you signed, they made you jointly responsible.

[Iamtoobroke]

I had to provide my social too and sign. A letter was sent to my mom few years after I had been put on as an authorized user. Sears began requesting signatures from authorized users several years ago. The form I signed specifially stated that it was ONLY for security purposes-and specifially stated that I was signing only as an authorized user--no joint liability. They said they needed my signature on file. We read the form VERY carefully before signing and my mom has kept a copy all these years.

I am listed ONLY as an authorized user on all 3 of my credit reports. Never is the account listed as joint--and it is not listed as included in bankruptcy. It is still on my credit report after bankruptcy as authorized user only.

When I filed, I double-checked with Sears and they said I am ONLY an authorized user and that the account is not joint. The bill comes to my mother. My name is nowhere on the bill. They have allowed me to remain as an authorized user throughout my bankruptcy.

[Flamingo]

If you signed, they made you jointly responsible.

Nope...authorized user. Not a joint account.

[pak511]

My mother put me on her Sears Mastercard as an authorized user prior to my filing Chapter 7. She never gave them my SSN or DOB only my name and they sent the card to her address. Right after my 341 I checked my Credit Report and to my surprise her Mastercard was listed as an authorized user. I freaked out because I didn't want her credit to be affected by my fililng so I had her remove me. It still shows on my credit report but now says "relationship terminated".

I'm not sure but maybe they were able to put it on my credit report because the address on the account was once my address and appears as a prior address on my credit report.

I also experienced this with my son. I made him an authorized user on my AMEX card, didn't supply any SSN or DOB just name. I had him check his Credit Report after I filed and the AMEX account was on it listing him as an authorized user but not reflecting the IIB. I had to call AMEX (credit report department- didn't know they had a special department for credit reporting) to get them to remove him since the account was already closed. Nothing negative showed up on his Credit Report but I didn't want to take a chance and leave him connected to the account.

Funny thing is that my son and husband have the same name (different middle initials) so I wonder if I would have only gave them his first and last name if it would have shown on my husband's credit report?