Do credit cards actually verify employment?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: AA, UA, SQ, VA, QF, AF, BA
Posts: 2,865
Do credit cards actually verify employment?
I am employed in Australia, not the USA but I do have a SSN, a USA address, bank account and one B of A Visa card. If I just pretend my employer is a USA one, do they actually call them to check? Or if the rest of your application looks good, do they just approve it?
Obviously I am after a nice bonus like the AA Citibank one or failing that the US Barclay card. The SPG Amex would be nice.
My credit history in both Australia and the USA is excellent, always pay on time.
Obviously I am after a nice bonus like the AA Citibank one or failing that the US Barclay card. The SPG Amex would be nice.
My credit history in both Australia and the USA is excellent, always pay on time.
#3
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
US card issuers generally have not verified employment for a couple decades, but recent experience is not necessarily indicative of future practice. Card issuers are now required to "consider" whether the applicant has sufficient income to support debt, and it's too soon to know how each bank will implement this requirement. They are permitted to use an estimate of income provided by a credit bureau, but they might also ask for electronic access to your US income tax returns. Some relevant discussion here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/other...lications.html
Is your BAEC account also linked to a USA address? BA enforces rules that prohibit (for example) a BAEC account registered in the UK from receiving miles from a USA-issued credit card.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/other...lications.html
Is your BAEC account also linked to a USA address? BA enforces rules that prohibit (for example) a BAEC account registered in the UK from receiving miles from a USA-issued credit card.
Last edited by mia; Feb 15, 2010 at 9:28 am Reason: Insert missing "not" in first sentence.
#7
Senior Moderator; Moderator, Eco-Conscious Travel, United and Flyertalk Cares
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Fulltime travel/mostly Europe
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I haven't known of anyone verifying directly, but several years ago Amex at first wouldn't issue a card because the phone number listed under employer could not be confirmed with directory assistance. They concluded that the employer did not exist.
I explained that it was unlisted because it's a federal government agency that has no interaction with the public and does not take calls from the public. The government agency is a large and well-known one, but the agent at Amex had never heard of it.
I said it was a bit odd Amex didn't believe this agency existed, yet provided 1000s of employees of the agency with cards for their government travel, and that I was holding one of those cards.
Of course, the personal card was issued. It appears they really only wanted to confirm through directory assistance the phone number provided belonged to the employer named instead of being some friend or something.
I explained that it was unlisted because it's a federal government agency that has no interaction with the public and does not take calls from the public. The government agency is a large and well-known one, but the agent at Amex had never heard of it.
I said it was a bit odd Amex didn't believe this agency existed, yet provided 1000s of employees of the agency with cards for their government travel, and that I was holding one of those cards.
Of course, the personal card was issued. It appears they really only wanted to confirm through directory assistance the phone number provided belonged to the employer named instead of being some friend or something.
Last edited by l etoile; Feb 15, 2010 at 6:18 pm
#8
In memoriam
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,020
And, of course, it is a crime to mis-state things on a credit application if the lender is federally insured--as essentially all are.
#10
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Nice
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Although the FTers are correct that issuers do not check employment as a rule for credit card applications the DO always check credit references. if you've a US address and a US credit bureau reference plus US bank accounts and US income you'll have no problem, as long as you use the US address. Many, but not all, use databases to check on P O Boxes and outfits with private boxes such as UPS Stores as well as Prison and other institutional addresses. It is usually not a good idea to try this unless you have real connections to the US and are maintaining them., as in people who have dual residence. There are often unintended negative consequences if you make fraudulent statements on such applications.
#11
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: East Coast
Programs: All major Airlines, Hotel Chains, Credit Cards and Car Rentals
Posts: 1,263
Applied for Citi AA card this morning for DW and called to get the application processed. After looking through the application, the analyst who was helping us said that she will need to verify her employment and put us on hold while she called her employer who was unavailable on phone. She came back saying that unless she can verify the employment, she cannot approve the card. She tried calling again and luckily this time she got somebody on the phone who confirm the employment.
We have never had this kind of scrutiny done before. Have excellent credit history, no negative (other than occasional app-o-rama), solid spend and prompt payment history and also a long standing history with Citi.
We have never had this kind of scrutiny done before. Have excellent credit history, no negative (other than occasional app-o-rama), solid spend and prompt payment history and also a long standing history with Citi.
#13
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: CLT
Posts: 7,249
I'd just list your australian employer. Unless the name is something that indicates location they may never know.
Does your company have an office in the US also? If it does, how would they know you work at the Australian location?
Does your company have an office in the US also? If it does, how would they know you work at the Australian location?
#14
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 6,790
#15
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,648
As I own my company and am an employee of it, I have never received a call from a credit card company verifying my employment when I've applied for dozens of credit cards over the past 25 years. I put down my phone number, and I would be the one taking the reference/employment check call. It is a real business with a real phone number, just very small.