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Anyone Have This Problem? or Trans Union Hell

Anyone Have This Problem? or Trans Union Hell

Old Mar 9th 2004, 6:56 pm
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Default Anyone Have This Problem? or Trans Union Hell

Just curious and of course we're beating our head up against a wall, so wanting to moan as well. We've been over here in the US for 2 months now, I'm the USC and hubs is the UKC. We haven't tried to apply for any type of credit until now. Last week we decided to get a cell phone, things being what they are we found it might be useful, although they're a ripoff over here, but that's another topic. Anyway, hubby decided he'd apply to start establishing his credit - sounded like a good idea. We went down to Radio Shack and found a good cell phone, tried setting it up through Verizon through Radio Shack and guess what, hubby doesn't exsist. According to Verizon his social security number doesn't exsist. Ok, so we call Social Security 5 million times, yep it does exsist. So Verizon says, well you have to contact Trans Union to sort it out with them - well guess what, you can't contact Trans Union on the phone without a credit report, but hey hubby can't get a credit report - because he doesn't exsist. His social security number prefix is 732, which are newer numbers and for immigrants. However, the credit reporting agencies don't seem to recognize the numbers. Lovely. Up until this time we have not had any problems because we're living with parents, and my bank account was already established, he's on it, so no problem with SS numbers that way. Now that we are wanting to buy things, rent things (like a residence) we see that this will be a real problem.
Ok, here's the question - has anyone who has recently entered the US found this problem? Or even others that have been here, have you had this problem when applying for credit. I've did a search and found nothing. So, just curious. Thanks for any replies!
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Old Mar 9th 2004, 7:05 pm
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Default Re: Anyone Have This Problem? or Trans Union Hell

Originally posted by AmerLisa
Just curious and of course we're beating our head up against a wall, so wanting to moan as well. We've been over here in the US for 2 months now, I'm the USC and hubs is the UKC. We haven't tried to apply for any type of credit until now. Last week we decided to get a cell phone, things being what they are we found it might be useful, although they're a ripoff over here, but that's another topic. Anyway, hubby decided he'd apply to start establishing his credit - sounded like a good idea. We went down to Radio Shack and found a good cell phone, tried setting it up through Verizon through Radio Shack and guess what, hubby doesn't exsist. According to Verizon his social security number doesn't exsist. Ok, so we call Social Security 5 million times, yep it does exsist. So Verizon says, well you have to contact Trans Union to sort it out with them - well guess what, you can't contact Trans Union on the phone without a credit report, but hey hubby can't get a credit report - because he doesn't exsist. His social security number prefix is 732, which are newer numbers and for immigrants. However, the credit reporting agencies don't seem to recognize the numbers. Lovely. Up until this time we have not had any problems because we're living with parents, and my bank account was already established, he's on it, so no problem with SS numbers that way. Now that we are wanting to buy things, rent things (like a residence) we see that this will be a real problem.
Ok, here's the question - has anyone who has recently entered the US found this problem? Or even others that have been here, have you had this problem when applying for credit. I've did a search and found nothing. So, just curious. Thanks for any replies!

Maybe there's some help here? There are quite a few phone numbers. Good luck.

http://www.transunion.com/index.jsp
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Old Mar 9th 2004, 8:51 pm
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Default Re: Anyone Have This Problem? or Trans Union Hell

Originally posted by AmerLisa
Just curious and of course we're beating our head up against a wall, so wanting to moan as well. We've been over here in the US for 2 months now, I'm the USC and hubs is the UKC. We haven't tried to apply for any type of credit until now. Last week we decided to get a cell phone, things being what they are we found it might be useful, although they're a ripoff over here, but that's another topic. Anyway, hubby decided he'd apply to start establishing his credit - sounded like a good idea. We went down to Radio Shack and found a good cell phone, tried setting it up through Verizon through Radio Shack and guess what, hubby doesn't exsist. According to Verizon his social security number doesn't exsist. Ok, so we call Social Security 5 million times, yep it does exsist. So Verizon says, well you have to contact Trans Union to sort it out with them - well guess what, you can't contact Trans Union on the phone without a credit report, but hey hubby can't get a credit report - because he doesn't exsist. His social security number prefix is 732, which are newer numbers and for immigrants. However, the credit reporting agencies don't seem to recognize the numbers. Lovely. Up until this time we have not had any problems because we're living with parents, and my bank account was already established, he's on it, so no problem with SS numbers that way. Now that we are wanting to buy things, rent things (like a residence) we see that this will be a real problem.
Ok, here's the question - has anyone who has recently entered the US found this problem? Or even others that have been here, have you had this problem when applying for credit. I've did a search and found nothing. So, just curious. Thanks for any replies!
Sounds like Radio Shack uses Transunion as their preferred credit bureau.

Do you have to get the cellphone from Radio Shack? I ask 'cos I got one of those triple bureau credit reports for myself in Jan 03.

It contained my credit reports from Experian, Equifax and Transunion. I could compare each bureau's credit report, side-by-side. It was very interesting reading 'cos I could see who had the most information, whose was most accurate and whose was the most up-to-date.

I'm afraid Transunion's report was the crappiest because it had the least information and thus lacked the most recent information. For ther purposes of a borrower (me), like your husband, of the three, Transunion's credit report was least helpful in getting me credit.

So, I would suggest, if at all possible, your husband shopping elsewhere for a cellphone. Hopefully other cellphone retailers don't use Transunion.

Last edited by NC Penguin; Mar 9th 2004 at 8:58 pm.
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Old Mar 9th 2004, 8:55 pm
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Thanks Lion, however we've been there done that. Again, you can't contact Trans Union unless you have a credit report in front of you - and hubby can't get a credit report, because his SSN doesn't exist according to Trans Union - its us hitting a wall every time. We have written a letter to them, hopefully we'll sort things out this way, but I can believe that we would be the only one going through this mess. Certainly there have been quite a few new immigrants since we've arrived, just wondering if anyone else is hitting the same wall. Thanks for the information anyway.
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Old Mar 9th 2004, 9:40 pm
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When We arrived in the US I could not get a cell phone for about 12 months or so, even then they wanted me to 'cough up' a $300 security deposit.
I asked the guy what the problem was " It wasn't as if I was black or something" He didn't find that very amusing He gave me some speach about them not discriminating against people based on race. Well as far as I was concerned he was discriminating against me because I was an immigrant.
I gave up with them and got the wife to get one with 'Altell'
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Old Mar 10th 2004, 2:47 am
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Default Re: Anyone Have This Problem? or Trans Union Hell

Originally posted by AmerLisa
Just curious and of course we're beating our head up against a wall, so wanting to moan as well. We've been over here in the US for 2 months now, I'm the USC and hubs is the UKC. We haven't tried to apply for any type of credit until now. Last week we decided to get a cell phone, things being what they are we found it might be useful, although they're a ripoff over here, but that's another topic. Anyway, hubby decided he'd apply to start establishing his credit - sounded like a good idea. We went down to Radio Shack and found a good cell phone, tried setting it up through Verizon through Radio Shack and guess what, hubby doesn't exsist. According to Verizon his social security number doesn't exsist. Ok, so we call Social Security 5 million times, yep it does exsist. So Verizon says, well you have to contact Trans Union to sort it out with them - well guess what, you can't contact Trans Union on the phone without a credit report, but hey hubby can't get a credit report - because he doesn't exsist. His social security number prefix is 732, which are newer numbers and for immigrants. However, the credit reporting agencies don't seem to recognize the numbers. Lovely. Up until this time we have not had any problems because we're living with parents, and my bank account was already established, he's on it, so no problem with SS numbers that way. Now that we are wanting to buy things, rent things (like a residence) we see that this will be a real problem.
Ok, here's the question - has anyone who has recently entered the US found this problem? Or even others that have been here, have you had this problem when applying for credit. I've did a search and found nothing. So, just curious. Thanks for any replies!
You sure the SSN number prefix is related to immigrants? My number doesnt begin with 732. I got it last november and its got the same prefix as my wife(USC) which is the state prefix for mississippi apparently. did others get this 732 number?am i just wierd then or lucky? i have yet to apply for credit as i dont have a job yet so no experience to share on that front.
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Old Mar 10th 2004, 3:53 am
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Default Re: Anyone Have This Problem? or Trans Union Hell

Social security show your number as :
729-733 Enumeration at Entry

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/foia/stateweb.html
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Old Mar 10th 2004, 7:04 pm
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Originally posted by AmerLisa
Thanks Lion, however we've been there done that. Again, you can't contact Trans Union unless you have a credit report in front of you -
Lisa,
get some info on Credit Bureaus and how to reach them here: www.clarkhoward.com
Clark will show you how to straighten them out
Great weather at the coast this week, hmmm?
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Old Mar 11th 2004, 2:44 am
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Thanks for the replies guys.

Hey Duncs, don't despair, we've been here for 2 months now and haven't any jobs. We're only half heartedly looking for them as we are in a really bad place for employment.
That leads me into the next response, yes Meau its great weather here, we were in Newport today and except for the breeze it was beautiful! Really lousy place for jobs though, but what are you going to do when you're living with parents? Anyway, hubs applied for a job in Newport, if it doesn't come through we'll be heading up to Seattle. Are you here on the Oregon coast somewhere?
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Old Mar 11th 2004, 5:37 pm
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Originally posted by AmerLisa
That leads me into the next response, yes Meau its great weather here, we were in Newport today and except for the breeze it was beautiful! Really lousy place for jobs though, but what are you going to do when you're living with parents? Anyway, hubs applied for a job in Newport, if it doesn't come through we'll be heading up to Seattle. Are you here on the Oregon coast somewhere?
Yeah, the coast can be a hard place to make a living. At least you have biggish Nport nearby! We lived up the road a piece from you last year and are back in PDX now. I still commute to the coast some weeks for my work (which I find totally ironic). As you know, most jobs are in the service industry/retail, which can be hard to support yourself on. What about something at that casino? They're always busy Also, tourist season is gearing up and you may find more opportunities as these weeks go by.

Thinking back to your original difficulty in this thread, you may just have to bite the bullet for awhile. There have been many good ideas posted here over the years re: establishing credit. It has not been an issue for us; rather than fight City Hall (the almighty credit reporting bureaus), we've just added my UKC onto as many accounts as we can. We've not had a need to open any new accounts or activities for this to come up for us. I have not yet run a credit report for him, but have been thinking about doing so as I'm curious what has amassed in the past year that he's been an LPR. I forget if you husband came in on a K3 or CR-1 visa. If K3 pending adjustment, I can only imagine that it's even harder for you

Best of luck to you both! Don't forget that Seattle can be mighty expensive, too <g>
mo
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