topic Re: SSN for authorised users in Credit Cards

SSN for authorised users

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 04:17:47 GMT

Just added an authorised user to my credit card. However, they did not ask for his social security number. He has no credit history at all and doesnt have other cards/accounts so this would be useful to build credit. How do i add the SSN for a citibank card? Also, his address is the same as mine, would this cause any problems in credit score reporting for him? read about it somewhere. Can i simply call citibank and ask them to add his social security number to the authorised user account?

Re: SSN for authorised users

myjourney — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 04:20:46 GMT

Welcome to the forum

Yes it will help build credit and by you having the same address the system will find and add AU via public info ....school record, DL, etc etc

Re: SSN for authorised users

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 04:23:56 GMT

thanks for the prompt reply and the welcome! When i added the AU in citi website. they didnt ask for the ssn of AU. How do i add the ssn now?

Re: SSN for authorised users

myjourney — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 04:28:58 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
thanks for the prompt reply and the welcome! When i added the AU in citi website. they didnt ask for the ssn of AU. How do i add the ssn now?

No need to they will associate the person based on public information based on that address and residents names that appear to that address....trust me they have access to all public records, census info etc etc

Now had that been Amex they would have asked for SS numbers in most cases

Re: SSN for authorised users

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 04:34:39 GMT

ok the reason i am asking is because the AU just received his ssn recenrly and he is new to the US. He did go to school here in the past so there are records im sure but they are not tied to his ssn. So that is why i was wondering if without the ssn, will the bank be able to find the ssn and report.. Although he is getting his DL in a few days, so thats gonna be tied to his ssn i suppose. Also, how can he check whether it is getting reported or not?

Re: SSN for authorised users

myjourney — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 04:36:32 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
ok the reason i am asking is because the AU just received his ssn recenrly and he is new to the US. He did go to school here in the past so there are records im sure but they are not tied to his ssn. So that is why i was wondering if without the ssn, will the bank be able to find the ssn and report.. Although he is getting his DL in a few days, so thats gonna be tied to his ssn i suppose. Also, how can he check whether it is getting reported or not?

Give it a month and pull reports but if it eases your mind you can call and add SS#

Re: SSN for authorised users

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 04:37:46 GMT

haha yea probably wil end up doing that. Thanks a ton! Such quick replies. I like this forum!

Re: SSN for authorised users

myjourney — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 04:40:33 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
haha yea probably wil end up doing that. Thanks a ton! Such quick replies. I like this forum!

Again welcome and don't be a stranger

Re: SSN for authorised users

takeshi74 — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 14:29:15 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
How do i add the SSN for a citibank card?

You don't. Either the creditor requires it or the creditor does not. You can't add it if the creditor does not request it,

Re: SSN for authorised users

mikelo22 — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 14:43:37 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Just added an authorised user to my credit card. However, they did not ask for his social security number. He has no credit history at all and doesnt have other cards/accounts so this would be useful to build credit. How do i add the SSN for a citibank card? Also, his address is the same as mine, would this cause any problems in credit score reporting for him? read about it somewhere. Can i simply call citibank and ask them to add his social security number to the authorised user account?

I've added AU's to my Chase and Citi cards and I haven't had a problem with it appearing on the AU's report. Like someone said above, so long as they live at the same address, it's pretty easy for lenders to identify AU's. Alternatively, even if they don't live with you now, so long as they lived at the same address as you in the past, the AU can still be pretty easily located via public records.

If, however, the AU lives at a different address, then it may be more difficult to identify him/her. However, I've never had this situation crop up before personally, so I'm not sure if the Lender would be willing to add the AU's SSN to ensure they are identified. I can't imagine they wouldn't be accomodating on this issue. They understand the motivation behind building up someone else's credit profile.

I would warn that there may be a delay in it appearing on the AU's credit report. I think it took a good three months for Chase to show the AU on my CSP. Citi was a bit quicker.

Note: If you want to contact Citi regarding this issue, do it via SM. I would not recommend trying with the regular CSR's. Citi's frontline CSR's are notoriously difficult to deal with. So if you call, ask to get it escalated to someone higher. Otherwise, an SM should suffice.

Re: SSN for authorised users

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 14:46:41 GMT

I see. Thanks for the info! I will try calling and request them to add ssn and see what they say. Ya they know the motive i guess but its not illegal or unethical is it? Its common practice for parents to do it to build their children's credit, isn't it? If they don't, ill just check the credit report in a few months.