Friend added me to their card

[Anonymous]

I have been tryng to build my credit. A friend of mine has excellent credit (in the 800's) and I read here that you can have someone with great credit add you to their account and get a card in your name. My friedn did this in January and recieved the new card in my name. She keeps it and has been using it occasionally for purchases.  I just checked all three credit scores yesterday and it doesn't show up on any of them. Why is that and what can I do?

[Anonymous]

This could be for a variety of reasons:

1.  Not all creditors report AU accounts, though most do.

2.  Unless the cc your friend added you to required your social security number, it probably won't link to you because you are not at a common address, or that the account address is not your address of record.

3.  Some creditors don't immediately report the AU, it may take a month or two if the above two don't apply.

4.  If the account does link up and finally report to the CR, it will report the friend's address as a new address for you.

Also, your friend has no need to spend using the card in your name.  The card issued in your name is the same account as the card issued in their name.  When your friend uses the account in any way, the account is reported to the account holder's credit and AU credit, if AU is reported and if AU can be linked to CR by address and/or ss#.

So, if your friend put your name on a card, but the account address is not yours and the account does not have your social security number as the AU, then chances are it may not find its way to your CR.

Message Edited by txjohn on 03-31-2009 08:20 PM