SSN-less credit card?
June 2, 2011 11:10 AM Subscribe
(Credit Card/Bureau/Banking experts!) Advantages/Disadvantages of getting a credit card without a SSN?
In the US, apparently, it is possible to get a credit card without turning over your SSN.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
While the notion certainly has its appeal, how useful is it really? For example, an evildoer could still open accounts using your SSN (stolen or discovered at random), and though the debts might not be tied to your SSN-less credit file, you would still probably end up getting hassled by resourceful creditors.
In the US, apparently, it is possible to get a credit card without turning over your SSN.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
While the notion certainly has its appeal, how useful is it really? For example, an evildoer could still open accounts using your SSN (stolen or discovered at random), and though the debts might not be tied to your SSN-less credit file, you would still probably end up getting hassled by resourceful creditors.
For example, an evildoer could still open accounts using your SSN (stolen or discovered at random), and though the debts might not be tied to your SSN-less credit file, you would still probably end up getting hassled by resourceful creditors.
If you're concerned about identity theft, a much more practical way to lock down your credit is to use a credit freeze. The SSN-less credit cards are mainly useful for people who do not have SSNs in the first place.
posted by burnmp3s at 11:35 AM on June 2, 2011
If you're concerned about identity theft, a much more practical way to lock down your credit is to use a credit freeze. The SSN-less credit cards are mainly useful for people who do not have SSNs in the first place.
posted by burnmp3s at 11:35 AM on June 2, 2011
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If you have a common name, common street address, move around a lot, the SSN in your report makes it easier to identify you with that report specifically, and that makes automated requests for your report run easier. No SSN might mean that "immediate financing" takes a little longer while the lender figures out which "Jane Doe" report without an SSN belongs to you and which one doesn't.
Also a small (but not zero) chance that your credit history could get munged up with someone else's.
Purely for the sake of discussion, if one's intent were to avoid paying debts (I'm assuming that's not *your* intent), it might put a speedbump in the way of bill collectors finding you, but probably only temporarily.
posted by gimonca at 11:28 AM on June 2, 2011