Short answer
We guarantee that every tradeline will post to at least two of the three major credit bureaus. In fact, every bank on our list reports to Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, and most of the time the tradeline posts to all three.
Why we guarantee two bureaus, not three
We have checked with every bank we work with and confirmed that each one reports to all three credit reporting companies. Even so, the data that moves between banks and those companies is not always perfect.
For this reason, our money-back guarantee covers any two of the three. That doesn’t mean it will only post to two. However, if it posts to just two, we have kept our promise.
Can you tell me which two it will post to?
Unfortunately, no. We can’t know in advance, because more often than not the tradeline ends up posting to all three.
Why a bureau sometimes misses
When a tradeline posts to fewer than three reports, there was usually an error in the data transfer, either at the bank or at the credit reporting company. We can’t always say why these glitches happen. Still, they do happen, and they are a known part of this industry.
Our advice
Plan for every outcome. For example, adding tradelines from different banks is a good way to hedge against these data errors.
How the three bureaus handle a new tradeline
Equifax, Experian and TransUnion each keep a separate file on you. When a bank sends its monthly update, each company processes the data on its own schedule. For example, Experian often updates within a few days, while Equifax can take a week. That is why a tradeline can appear on one report before the others.
Each file is also matched to you by name, address, date of birth and Social Security number. If any of those details differ from a bureau’s records, the new account may not attach to your file. Therefore, it helps to confirm that your personal information matches across all three reports before you buy.
You can pull all three reports for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. If a detail is wrong, the CFPB explains how to get it corrected.
Video: how an authorized user tradeline moves from the bank to your credit reports.