topic Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior in Credit Cards

Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

W261w261 — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 01:04:39 GMT

If I put on my son as an AU on one of my Amex cards, and he continues his irresponsible credit ways, **but does not mess with my Amex account**, can that somehow come back to bite me, with Amex, or in any other way? Thx

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

CreditCrusader — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 01:09:45 GMT

@W261w261 wrote:
If I put on my son as an AU on one of my Amex cards, and he continues his irresponsible credit ways, **but does not mess with my Amex account**, can that somehow come back to bite me, with Amex, or in any other way? Thx

Forgive me for asking the obvious question, but why would you take the risk?

I love my kids, but I'd never allow one who was proven to be irresponsible with credit to even scratch the ability to torpedo my hard-earned credit.

Better to work with him to rebuild his own credit organically. It's never too late for him to earn that AMEX on his own!

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 01:28:38 GMT

His actions will not have any negative consequences on your credit. As long as you don't allow him to utilize the Amex. As long as your not directly affiliated with any accounts that are associated with him it won't matter. Unfortunately your positive accounts will so very little if anything to help his situation until he decides to do the right thing

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

Yasselife — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 01:30:12 GMT

My experience has been with Chase; many yrs ago I added my ex-gf as AU to help her with her credit, her credit had many collections at the time and probably her habits have not change. I haven't had any issues with Chase because I always kept both cards, and I haven't bothered on calling chase to remove her because I don't mind helping her as long as it doesn't affect me.

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

Jnbmom — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 01:38:51 GMT

@CreditCrusader wrote:
@W261w261 wrote:
If I put on my son as an AU on one of my Amex cards, and he continues his irresponsible credit ways, **but does not mess with my Amex account**, can that somehow come back to bite me, with Amex, or in any other way? Thx
Forgive me for asking the obvious question, but why would you take the risk?

I love my kids, but I'd never allow one who was proven to be irresponsible with credit to even scratch the ability to torpedo my hard-earned credit.

Better to work with him to rebuild his own credit organically. It's never too late for him to earn that AMEX on his own!

I have to agree here . I would not add him even if you have total control . He needs to address his issues and adding him won't really help his credit . It's great you want to help but I would just guide him and not add him to your account .

I love my kiddies help them every way possible but told them don't ever ask me to co-sign anything . Only child I would consider is our daughter she is beyond responsible and heck when she's finished grad school she's going to make more than us😊which is always what you wanna see.

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

simplynoir — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 01:40:58 GMT

Well, the good news is if you decide to go through with this AMEX allows the primary a great deal of control as far what the AU's card can do. You can set limits to the lowest (think it's $300), lock the card, and have alerts set if all else fails

Do want to note, however, that your child will not inherit the age of your AMEX card if you add them. It will report as a new account on their reports

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

Yasselife — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 01:41:51 GMT

But his question is if it will affect him, not if he should do it. I'm certain it won't and it does help with scores/history, aaoa

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

CreditCrusader — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 01:58:37 GMT

@Yasselife wrote:
But his question is if it will affect him, not if he should do it. I'm certain it won't and it does help with scores/history, aaoa

It only takes one irresponsible act to damage credit history...and the AU doesn't have to be holding the card to do that damage.

So, the OP can take all the precautions he wants, but as long as someone is an AU, the potential for disaster exists...and unlike matters of fraud, he'll own the fallout because adding an AU is 100% voluntary.

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

Yasselife — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 02:07:44 GMT

And how could that be possible if the AU doesn't have the physical card/number or any information? (Mod cut - @Yasselife this piece cannot be discussed here per the myFICO Forums TOS), why would they if there's no risk?

you do know the cards get send to my address, right?

I am not doubting, I want to be informed as well because We share same situation

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

FinStar — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 02:05:44 GMT

@W261w261 - you can add me as AU. I have good credit behavior 😜😇. Hopefully your limits are high enough 💀

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

Yasselife — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 02:07:56 GMT

I've heard the only concern is to explain or show is a relative, by having same address, etc.

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 02:20:32 GMT

@W261w261 wrote:
If I put on my son as an AU on one of my Amex cards, and he continues his irresponsible credit ways, **but does not mess with my Amex account**, can that somehow come back to bite me, with Amex, or in any other way? Thx

I can't see how adding your son to your Amex card helps him.

Your payment history and account age will not be transferred to him; as previously stated Amex will report the account as a new account on his credit reports so its doesn't give him any immediate benefit. The only place he will gain is from your on-time payments going forward.

Amex is the wrong choice to add him as an AU; they stopped backdating accounts in March 2015.

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

Yasselife — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 02:19:48 GMT

What if his son can't get approved for any prime card or maybe even secured cards if his credit is severely damaged? I can see how a positive acct without annual fee could help.

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

CreditCrusader — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 02:38:46 GMT

@Yasselife wrote:
What if his son can't get approved for any prime card or maybe even secured cards if his credit is severely damaged? I can see how a positive acct without annual fee could help.

Then he does what many of us did: Start small and build his way up.

But in the end, it's the OP's decision to make and risk to take.

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

jnbowmar — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 03:21:36 GMT

My parents never helped us by adding me or my brother to their good credit cards, even tho it posed them no risk and would have made us less dependent on them, to this day I think they knew they could but liked having that power that being the only one having good credit provides.

It certainly cost them to help us financially then giving us good credit which wouldn't have cost them a dime.

I had to add my brother of authorized user or he wouldn't have any credit.

Really surprised people on the fico forum say don't take the non-existent "risk"

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

Loquat — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 03:33:41 GMT

OP I can’t speak of what could possibly happen but I will say that I was an AU on several Amex cards when my credit was less than stellar and then I ended up filing BK13 to boot.

None of the primary Amex card holders were affected by my decision and less than stellar credit behavior at the time.

So if my data point speaks to anything is that even when the AU has terrible credit, Amex doesn’t seem to care as long as you’re covering any charges that they make. Their credit and irresponsible behavior shouldn’t have any affect on your account unless he starts to spend recklessly in rapid fashion on the AU card.

If you’re adding him and holding the card then I don’t see any problem.

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

FinStar — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 03:34:57 GMT

@jnbowmar wrote:
Really surprised people on the fico forum say don't take the non-existent "risk"

Just to chime in on this particular statement @jnbowmar.

These forums offer a variety diverse opinions from every angle and on a variety of topics based on anecdotal or collective experiences. So, I'm not sure if there is to be a "surprise" since members are offering their thoughts/suggestions on the OP's question.

Ultimately, it's up to the OP to make that decision whether they quantify the feedback or not.

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

W261w261 — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 13:09:21 GMT

Wow. Lots of responses. Thank you everybody.

I should have explained a little more. My son works at a popular retailer, who allows him a meaningful employee discount. But he has to use his own card. He has 2 brothers. They have their own needs. You can see where this is going. But now that I'm writing it out here it presents for the half-baked idea that it is: practically risk-free (to me), but ethically somewhat shady, and probably risky to my son, although "everybody does it." I'm going to pass.

Re: Adding an AU with bad credit behavior

sourpuss29 — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 10:49:10 GMT

@CreditCrusader wrote:
@W261w261 wrote:
If I put on my son as an AU on one of my Amex cards, and he continues his irresponsible credit ways, **but does not mess with my Amex account**, can that somehow come back to bite me, with Amex, or in any other way? Thx
Forgive me for asking the obvious question, but why would you take the risk?

I love my kids, but I'd never allow one who was proven to be irresponsible with credit to even scratch the ability to torpedo my hard-earned credit.

Better to work with him to rebuild his own credit organically. It's never too late for him to earn that AMEX on his own!

This is EXACTLY how I look at it.

I have a 28 year old son whom, when starting my rebuild back in 2019, I tried to advise as it pertains to how to get his credit back on track as well. Due to his being hard-headed and thinking he's smarter than me (ha!), he TOTALLY disregarded everything I told him; went rogue; and applied for six subprime cards, which further tanked his scores. He had the audacity to ask me to add him as an AU on my BCE last year (nope!), and asked again to be added when I was approved for the Custom Cash (double NOPE!). It may sound harsh, but I'm not willing to allow him to piggyback on my good credit when he has gone out of the way to keep his in the toilet.