Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I purchase primary tradelines?
The real question is, do you want to purchase or buy primary tradelines when you can get them for free? There are some ways to buy them:
1) You can do secured credit cards, which isn’t the best idea because it doesn’t really have a large impact on your credit report (after all, if it is “secured,” you’re not showing risk… credit scores are a risk model).
2) There are some “catalogs” and other online stores, as “carecredit” type lines of credit, but those aren’t worth buying either. However, why do this when you can get some Capital One credit cards and/or Chase Bank credit cards with zero credit or even bad credit? Just get your primary lines for free (and don’t buy them), then boost your credit score with authorized user tradelines.
2. Are expensive primary tradelines better?
No! Truthfully, the best primary tradelines are free, because the goal is to spend less money, right? If you absolutely cannot get approved for a credit card, there are ways to start building credit, such as paying for a secured credit card. However, most people are able to get approved for a primary tradeline with a low credit limit from a major bank.
3. Do seasoned primary tradelines exist?
Yes, technically, seasoned primary tradelines exist. However, that is to say, a primary account holder with an account opened years ago, has a seasoned primary tradeline. If you are searching for seasoned primary tradelines, then you are most likely looking to add seasoned primary tradelines to your credit report to boost your score.
Adding primary tradelines is much more complicated than adding an authorized user tradeline. Stated gently, it is very difficult to sell primary tradelines… legally. Secondly, it is very hard to sell seasoned primary tradelines in profitably, so ask yourself why a company would or could exist considering these two limiting factors.
There are legal ways to do it and to make money, so I am not suggesting that everyone out there selling primary tradelines is a scam artist, but it is very difficult and we cannot recommend a single source for this process (and we have looked into it). You are better off buying seasoned authorized user tradelines and save yourself time and energy. At the end of the day, if you need a primary tradeline, just get your own for free, and boost your score with authorized user tradelines.
4. What are examples of primary tradelines?
Examples of primary tradelines are:
- credit cards
- mortgages
- auto loans
- student loans.
5. Are primary tradelines legal?
Primary tradelines are legal as far as they refer to credit accounts in your name, but there are things to watch out for. Purchasing tradelines with CPNs, for example, is illegal. We suggest you read our article “Are Tradelines Legal?” to protect yourself from fraud or scams.
6. What is the difference between authorized user tradelines and primary tradelines?
Primary tradelines are accounts in your credit report. The primary user is the person in whose name the account is under. The primary user can approve an authorized user on their account in some cases and the authorized user will benefit by the addition of the primary user’s positive (or negative) credit history, which will then directly affect their credit rating, usually within 30 days.
The practice of selling authorized user tradelines is becoming increasingly popular as people rely more and more on loans and lines of credit to meet their financial needs. Companies, or individuals, will offer authorized user tradelines for sale as a way to boost your credit score relatively quickly. Primary tradelines cannot be sold in the same way, however.
7. How do I add primary tradelines to my credit report?
The easiest way to add primary tradelines to your credit report is to open a credit card or take out a loan. Most major banks will be happy to help you get connected to a card with a limit that is appropriate for you. However, it is important to be prepared for the financial responsibility that comes with maintaining a credit card or a loan.
Opening a line of credit will not benefit you in any way if you are late on payments and damage your credit score as a result. If you are going to take out a loan or a line of credit, be prepared to keep that account in good standing, and don’t take on more than you can handle at any given time.
8. How do I add authorized user tradelines to my credit report?
There are two ways to go about this – one is through a friend or family member who has an account in good standing that is willing to add you as an authorized user. The other is to purchase tradelines from a reputable tradeline company, such as ourselves. We recommend going with professionals, just because with friends and family, you may not always get the tradeline you need to suit your goals.
We wrote some tips on how to pick the best tradeline companies to do business with.
