@Anonymous wrote:
What should I do? Will the bank report my account together with my SSN to EQ?
I'm sorry for your struggles. It's hard enough when things go as they should, but when someone else's bad credit begins to affect you, it makes it that much worse. But good job for staying with it.
Unfortunately, you're going to be at somewhat of a disadvantage until you're a permanent resident. Banks and other institutions are going to be less likely grant you credit than they will be for an otherwise equally qualified resident. In general that makes a certain amount of sense, but individually it's frustrating. And since the credit bureaus really work for the lenders (not the consumers), you're going to experience the same frustrations with them.
So what can you do?
1. Clean up any issues. It sounds like you're on top of that, but make sure. Get your credit reports from all three bureaus and make sure everything is right and fair.
2. Continue to build credit slowly. I assume you're young (because you're a student, although that doesn't have to be the case). This is a long-term game, and you're starting early. You should make sure that you will be able to convert the secured credit card into an unsecured card once you have credit to qualify. That's important because the age of your oldest account and your average age of accounts is something you can't ever go back and increase. They just have to age. So make sure that you'll be able to keep and use that card for your whole life (without it needing to be secured forever). If you won't be able to convert it, find another one that you will. Besides that, just make sure you don't get yourself into credit trouble. Keep everything paid off every month, and make sure you never miss or make a late payment.
If you do these two things, you will be fine in the long run. In fact, you'll be a long way ahead of most people. And that should be your focus -- not whether you're able to get a particular card at this point in your life.
