Immigration credit line questions

[Anonymous]

I have a question. Suppose someone who just came into the country on a VISA has opened a checking acc't at a bank without giving them a SS#, because they do not yet have one (they are here on employment related VISA and getting their worker's permit soon, along with ss#). They accidentally overdrew their acc't and were charged late fees which are not paid yet.

Once they get their SS#, they are planning to apply for a credit card and are worried about these late fees giving them bad credit history and less credit line. They've been told that without SS# to track, credit bureaus cannot track them and they will not even know about this acct. I offered to ask for another opinion. So the questions are:

1. if there's no ss# on overdrawn checking acct, how can overdrawing it impact on credit history, i.e. how do credit companies know whom to assign the bad history to? how is credit histor tracked and assigned? through ss#, address, name (the latter two seem to be too impermanent to be relied on, at least to me)

2. when applying for credit card, how does the credit co. check salary if the individual has no previous official employment hitory in this country; do they need to provide some kind of proof from employer of what they will be mking?

Thanks for helping my immigrant friend

[illegal_alien]

To answer your first question, I would guess that credit bureau could easily get info from bank 'cause they have record of his DOB, name etc (from Passport). I don't know the legality of it though, but for some reason "skip-tracers" have a way to find out such info easily.

Second question, usually credit card companies do not check the employment history. They give out a credit card to almost everyone; well it depends on what brand is it and how much is the fees etc. But he should have no problem getting a decent one albeit with lower limit (maybe < $500). One thing though, most companies require one to be a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident (that's what he would be).

That's all. Welcome to the wonderful world of credit!!

[Anonymous]

But with a date of birth, a name and an address, (one where the person no longer lives at), how can anyone ascertain that this is in fact the person who had late fees on their acc't? I mean, if a person comes into the country on a visa, can credit bureaus trace them, for example, through the INS?

I think my friend got bad advice from his relative, who said he cannot be traced and that the late fee won't matter. I'm just trying to prove to him that the advice was bad so I need some hard evidence, preferably legal (I'm a law student so I need hard facts:))

[illegal_alien]

<blockquote>Originally posted by egoist

But with a date of birth, a name and an address, (one where the person no longer lives at), how can anyone ascertain that this is in fact the person who had late fees on their acc't? I mean, if a person comes into the country on a visa, can credit bureaus trace them, for example, through the INS?</blockquote>

While I don't claim to know the legal mumbo-jumbo, I will try to explain what I think will happen. I do know that banks keep track of people's banking history with system called CHEX which is similar like credit reporting agency but more stricter. If (again, that's if) credit bureaus can pull info from CHEX, it will at least raise red flag on someone. But I doubt, credit card companies would go that extreme for someone starting new. Even if they do, he can act dumb. I doubt INS is allowed to give info to private businesses or vice-versa. Because if they would, then thousands of people working illegally would be jobless!!!

[Edit by ßillcollector on Tuesday, 19, 2002 @ 06:15 PM]

[kimber6337]

chexsystems sucks big green frogs!

[Swede]

<blockquote>Originally posted by kimber6337

chexsystems sucks big green frogs!

</blockquote>

Hahaha

[georgiaboy]

I could verywell be wrong on this, but I thought I had read in the FCRA that one must me a natural citizen in order for anyone to make reports on them???????????????????????

[Swede]

<blockquote>Originally posted by georgiaboy

I could verywell be wrong on this, but I thought I had read in the FCRA that one must me a natural citizen in order for anyone to make reports on them???????????????????????

</blockquote>

Hell--I must not only be UN-natural but also UNlucky then ....

[k12503]

I have a friend in a similar situation. Idon't know if she was lucky or what but when she did get her SSN and her credit cards, none of the negative bank info was on it. Its been three years and she just stopped recieving letters fom the bank and her credit report only shows her credit card accounts. Just adding my two cents in.

As for the info on employment history, my friend had none and she was approved very easily. She had no employment history, or salry to speak of. Then again she was aa student and it is easier for a student to get approved for a CC . Hwever, they did not require any proof when she was applying as she applied for the card over the internet. She had low limits to begin with but over time they increased her limit as she was never late with a payment.

[Edit by k12503 on Wednesday, 20, 2002 @ 06:23 PM]

[Anonymous]

egoist: the advice she got was good. No need to worry about overdraft problems as they are too negligable, and no bank will bother to report them or share their info. I came to US with a student visda and deposited $20,000 in the bank the first day, and still wasn't able to get $100 credit. But after a while, got student cards even though my bank account had closed because of overdraft. Later on my credit limits raised every year. I told them I was a citizen on each application and always jacked up my non-existing salary!. (I had to, otherwise they would reject me. All the foreighn students did the same thing back then)If credit reports was taking Bank Balances into consideration they would give everyone Credit who has some cash in the bank. But they don't.

[Edit by lejyoner on Friday, 22, 2002 @ 11:06 PM]

[illegal_alien]

<blockquote>Originally posted by lejyoner

I told them I was a citizen on each application and always jacked up my non-existing salary!. (I had to, otherwise they would reject me. All the foreighn students did the same thing back then).

</blockquote>

That was my point in earlier posting too regarding employment. Businesses, even if they know about the status of foreign students, don't question if someone is a real citizen or not. It's just a loophole 'cause you can't suspect somebody is not a citizen and deny employment. Same goes with credit cards too. It's all about money....