Benefits of being added as an auth user with a high CL?

[Fizzled]

I added my girlfriend (who had no previous credit history) to my Capital One and Amex BCP cards.

The Capital One gave her ~7 years of credit history. The Amex only started reporting since the month after she got the card.

She's been AU on both accounts for about 1.5 years. During that time, she got a small unsecured loan (~$700) for the benefit of her sister (she paid the monthlies), but also to boost some TLs in her name. Balance paid and reported.

Fast forward to date. Util less than 1%. She has a ~760 Equifax and ~770 TU. She was denied a Barclaycard Ring MC, cited for lack of history and proportion of AU accounts. She also tried for a Discover IT student card (that only supposed to need "Fair" credit). - she was declined but offered the opporuntity for a co-joint signer. I joint signed that one over conference call with Discover. Approved for $3k limit.

They hard pulled her credit once, and soft pulled me.

Basically, your scores will definitely boost being added as an AU. However, the issuer may or may not look favorably on what's probably perceived to be an artificially inflated score.

[CreditCuriosity]

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@Fizzled wrote:

I added my girlfriend (who had no previous credit history) to my Capital One and Amex BCP cards.

The Capital One gave her ~7 years of credit history. The Amex only started reporting since the month after she got the card.

She's been AU on both accounts for about 1.5 years. During that time, she got a small unsecured loan (~$700) for the benefit of her sister (she paid the monthlies), but also to boost some TLs in her name. Balance paid and reported.

Fast forward to date. Util less than 1%. She has a ~760 Equifax and ~770 TU. She was denied a Barclaycard Ring MC, cited for lack of history and proportion of AU accounts. She also tried for a Discover IT student card (that only supposed to need "Fair" credit). - she was declined but offered the opporuntity for a co-joint signer. I joint signed that one over conference call with Discover. Approved for $3k limit.

They hard pulled her credit once, and soft pulled me.

Basically, your scores will definitely boost being added as an AU. However, the issuer may or may not look favorably on what's probably perceived to be an artificially inflated score.

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How long ago did you add her?  The reason I ask is since 08 has rolled out and more lender are using it, supposibly it really doesn't do much to help your score, but if lets say you had her as an AU on your account 6 months ago or something during 04 or whatever version was used then she got some history and score from that is my guess?  Someone please correct me if i am wrong?

[Fizzled]

I added to accounts 1.5 years ago.

IIRC, they didn't eliminate AUs, they started screening for fraudulent AUs whose sole purpose is to inflate scores. Legit AUs still count.

[MoreRewards]

How do they determine legit vs non?

[Fizzled]

I'm not sure. However, I know it's included in my AU's score. Otherwise she wouldn't be in the mid 700s for FICO08s