Update On Establishing Credit With A New SSN (and issue with CCT)

Hi guys – I haven’t posted in a while but a lot has happened!

 

I thought this might be of help to anyone else starting out with a new SSN, because I was looking for this kind of info when I was in the same position.

 

Some of you know that I am from Ireland and didn’t have a credit report of my own – the rebuilding I have been doing for a year now was on DH’s behalf.

 

BUT, in Nov I submitted my permanent resident (“green card”) paperwork, on Feb 2nd we had our green card interview and were approved – I am now legal and can work, go to school, travel back and forth from Ireland, get a driving license, and get a social security number!  On March 1st I received my social security card, and have been getting moving on my own reports and scores!

 

It has taken a few weeks but I have been able to get my free reports from all 3 bureaus now, as well as my EQ and TU ficos.

 

I sent all my creditors and both institutions we bank with copies of my new SS card and my permanent resident card, and asked any that I applied to with using my ITIN (individual tax identification number) to import any credit history associated with that number to my new SSN.  I also sent a letter to the IRS ordering them to rescind my ITIN, as it can no longer be used now that I have a SSN.

 

I have 2 Cap One cards in my own name with $1500 and $500 CLs respectively – one has been open for 4 months, the other 2 months.  I had used my ITIN (individual tax identification number) when applying for these accounts, and upon me sending them copies of my new SS card and permanent resident card, they switched seamlessly.

 

I am an AU on DH’s Orchard bank card, opened in Feb 2009 and so no longer listed as new credit – I think this is what allowed me to have reports right away instead of having to wait 6 months.  I have sent them 3 letters now with copies of my SS card and Permanent Resident Card, but they have have had a freeze on the account for over a week now, until they can get it all worked out.

 

I am an AU on DH’s walmart card, opened in Oct 2009 – they seem to be reporting OK.

 

I am an AU on DH’s Old navy card, opened in Oct 2009 – well I was.  They put a note in the EX file that the account was disputed by the consumer (it wasn’t).  When I called them to say it wasn’t disputed, they had no idea what I should do.  I removed myself as an AU, then 2 days later the other CRAs listed it as under dispute.  It’s not a card we use and it’s only a $150 CL (with $0 balance) and is reporting a new credit still, so I figured the best thing to do was just close it – so DH did that.  It’s still listed as under dispute.  So adding my SSN to the mix turned that card completely crazy.

 

We have 2 credit union loans – one from 2003 that has been paid out, and one from Jan 2009 that will be paid out by Nov.  They only report to Equifax, and I did send them a letter with my details asking that they report on my file too, but so far they haven’t.  That would go a long way to lengthening my AAoA on EQ, but they are a small CU and we don’t bank with them any more (we moved from Long Island to upstate NY a year ago today, and they are a local LI specific CU), and I don’t know if they’ll bother.  The checking and savings accounts are joint, but I don’t know about the loans.

 

Both of our banks had us come in and sign a form, that was it.

 

I also wrote to each of the CRAs with copies of my SS card and permanent resident card.

 

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So, as a few here speculated, it is supposed to take 6 months from when you get your SSN to have a credit file, but if you are an AU on older accounts, then you can have a file right away. 

 

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Now, about CCT.  I use it for DH and like that you can get a fresh report every day.  At the outset they couldn’t verify my identity.  In fact, the very first report I was able to get was through TC – even before the free ones were available.  Finally I got all 3, but CCT (which is through EX) still can’t verify me.  I called them, they haven’t a clue what to do about it beyond writing to EX with my details, which I have already done.  Calling EX is fruitless, I can’t get a hold of a real person.  So I have no idea what to do there, it seems to be quite a bizarre thing.

 

Oh my scores are – EX fako 707, EQ fico 692, and TU fico 701.  They would be higher except the AAoA is so low.  There is actually a baddie on my EX file – a collection for $43 from Crafter’s Choice book club from Dec 2003.  It has been sent to RJM, I DVed them last week and if they get back to me I’ll pay – with the NY 5 year reporting rule for paid collections, it should come off right away.  But that’s the main reason I want to get my CCT membership going, so I can watch this collection to see if it comes off.

 

Exciting times – I’m so relieved to be legal and able to be a “real” person now, and DH and I went and viewed our first house yesterday!