Authorized User Accounts Not Reporting To All 3 Credit Bureaus?

[Anonymous]

I am trying to understand why my Authorized User accounts are not reporting to all 3 credit bureaus.

I have a subscription to MyFico and regularly pull my free report on the 1st of each month.

Each report shows my 3 Authorized User accounts and where they are being reported:

Jpmcb - Card Service - EQ TU EX

Jpmcb Card Services - TU EX

Syncb/Jcp - EX

I understand Authorized User accounts do very little for your scores however, in the case of "Syncb/Jcp", the utilization does seem to play a role. When the card reports a small balance (always under $50) my Experian score goes up about 14 points and subsequently when the card reports a $0 balance those 14 points go away. I have seen this happen time and time again.

Can anyone explain why they don't all report to all 3 bureaus?

Is there anything I can do to have them report to all 3?

The JCP card is especially troublesome because it's over 20 years old with a perfect record and I would like this on all 3 reports even if it won't change my actual AAoA.

Thank you for your time.

[Anonymous]

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/credit-cards/credit-card-authorized-users-build-credit/

https://www.valuepenguin.com/authorized-users-and-credit-cards-benefits-risks

• Synchrony (Only Experian & TransUnion)

I'm guessing some of it might be activity related / lack of use.  I know I have issuers that don't report if I don't use them for a period of time.  Double check the accounts are being used each statement period which will force an update and if it's still not updating then you will need to start with the creditor and move to the CRA to resolve it.

[Anonymous]

Even if the card hasn’t been used in a while and hasn’t been updated in a while, the account should still be on the report regardless of the last update date.

Some financial institutions only report/subscribe to certain credit bureaus but the ones you list should report to all three. I would contact the lender and bring it to their attention. Maybe there is an issue that they don’t have your date of birth or don’t have it correct, there seems to be a glitch somewhere, so contact your creditor and pose that question.

It could be as simple as they have your Social Security number incorrect or even that your account at the bureau was frozen or locked.

[Anonymous]

Okay thank you guys I appreciate the input.

I'll make sure my information is correct on the accounts that don't seem to be reporting properly.

Just to clarify, the cards that are issused to Authorized Users are essentially just a formality in the sense of someone using them to help establish credit. The AU card never actually need be used correct? I don't believe any of mine have been used. I'm not sure if there was an activation process with any of the cards either.

[Anonymous]

No they don’t necessarily have to be used but it would probably be a good idea to use them a couple times because that’s the reason they included the anti-abuse algorithm in FICO eight and nine, people would pay someone to get on the account but they would never receive/use the card. So the card never being used could be a flag. I would use it at least once or twice. But that’s just my humble opinion.

[Anonymous]

Okay I see, I thought the card having my name on it was strictly a formality but there must be some other tracking involved at the transaction level to differenciate if it was the primary card used or if it was an authorised user card being swiped.

Thank you for all your help, I'll make another post if I figure out whats going on or if anything changes.

[Anonymous]

That would probably depend on the credit card issuer whether or not there’s any transaction level tracking. Typically AU cards to have the same number as the primary card. But my point is we don’t really know what all they do and we know the anti-abuse flag was instituted in FICO 8 and later, so it can’t hurt to use it once or twice since what they are trying to blacklist are the ones that are not used and are instead trade-line rented.

I can’t tell you how or if they track it, I’m just saying I think it would be best to use it a couple times to show that’s not the case.

[Anonymous]

Makes sense birdman I appreciate all the information. Thank you evereyone for your input, I'll get back here as soon as I figure out what's going on or if anything changes. I'll find out if the cards didn't meet a paper shredder and get them used a few times