Identity Verification
🪪 Real Identities, Verified Before Anyone Is Added or Paid
Every buyer and every seller on Tradeline Score is verified - not just one side. Here's exactly what we check, why it matters, and what we refuse to accept, no exceptions.
🔎 What Is KYC, and Why Do We Require It?
"KYC" - Know Your Customer, is standard identity-verification practice across financial services: confirming someone is who they claim to be before a transaction proceeds, rather than taking their word for it.
On a marketplace built around adding people to each other's credit accounts, this matters more than most places it's used. A fabricated identity on the buyer's side puts a real credit file at risk. A misrepresented account on the seller's side puts a buyer's money and expectations at risk. Verifying both sides isn't extra caution - it's the minimum required for the rest of our protections to actually mean something.
For Buyers: What We Verify
The details required to add you as an authorized user, confirmed as real.
Full legal name and date of birth, matched consistently
A real, valid Social Security number - never a CPN or synthetic identifier
Details consistent enough for the credit bureaus to properly match the report to your file
For Sellers: What We Verify
Confirmation you're the legitimate primary holder of what you're listing.
Your identity matches the card issuer's records for the account you're listing
You're the actual primary account holder - not someone using or spoofing another person's account
Account standing matches what's listed - age, limit, and payment history checked before the listing goes live
🚫 No CPNs. No Synthetic Identities. Ever.
A Credit Privacy Number, or "CPN," is marketed as a fresh-start alternative to your Social Security number. It isn't one - it's typically either a misused number belonging to someone else (frequently a minor or deceased person) or a fabricated nine-digit number with no legal standing. We do not accept them, on either side of a transaction, under any circumstance.
This isn't just our policy - it's the law. Knowingly providing a false Social Security number or fabricated identifier in connection with a credit account can constitute a false statement in a matter within federal jurisdiction, which can carry serious federal penalties, including under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1001 and 3571. Verification protects you from that exposure, not just us from fraud.
📋 The Verification Process, Step by Step
- 1
You submit your details
Through our secure, verified order flow - not a plain form emailed or texted to a stranger.
- 2
We check your information against authoritative records
Confirming your identity is real, internally consistent, and not a CPN or fabricated number.
- 3
Sellers' account standing is independently confirmed
Matching what's actually listed - age, limit, and payment history, before the listing goes live.
- 4
You're cleared to transact
Once verification passes, escrow and the rest of the process can proceed - see our Escrow Process page.
- 5
Standards stay in force, not just at signup
A listing is expected to reflect the account's real, current standing at the time of every sale - not just when it was first verified.
🛡️ What Verification Guarantees
Checked on Both Sides - Every Time
Of accounts and identities verified before any listing goes live
CPNs, synthetic SSNs, or fabricated identities accepted - ever
Sides verified - buyers and sellers, not just one
Verification is what makes every other protection on this site possible - escrow only works between two real, confirmed parties.
Real identities. Real accounts. Verified before anything else happens.
Identity Verification
Frequently Asked Questions
Short, direct answers - no fine print surprises.
What is KYC, and why do you require it?
KYC ("Know Your Customer") is the standard identity-verification practice used across financial services to confirm someone is who they claim to be before a transaction proceeds. We require it because a fabricated identity on either side - buyer or seller, puts real credit files and real accounts at risk.
What information do I need to provide as a buyer?
Typically your full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number - the same details most card issuers require to add an authorized user. This is collected through our secure, verified order flow.
What information do I need to provide as a seller?
Enough to confirm you're the legitimate primary holder of the account you're listing. Your identity and account standing are checked before your listing goes live.
Do you accept CPNs, synthetic SSNs, or alternate identifiers?
No - never. We only work with real, valid Social Security numbers verified against authoritative records. Providing a false or fabricated identifier in connection with a credit account isn't just against our policy - it can carry serious federal penalties.
Is my information shared with the other party in the transaction?
No. Verification happens between you and our platform. What a seller receives to add a buyer as an authorized user is limited to what's actually required for that - never your full verification file.
How is my identity actually verified?
We check the details you provide against authoritative records to confirm they're real, consistent, and belong to the person submitting them - not just that a form was filled out correctly.
What happens if my identity can't be verified?
The transaction doesn't proceed. We'd rather lose a sale than let an unverified identity through, on either side of the marketplace.
Does verification slow down my order?
Verification happens as part of placing your order rather than as a separate delay you have to chase down - if anything ever needs a second look, our support team will reach out directly.
Can I use an EIN instead of my Social Security number?
Not currently - our authorized user tradelines are tied to personal Social Security numbers, consistent with how card issuers process authorized-user additions. We don't support EIN-based alternatives or CPNs.
Why is identity verification required by law, not just by us?
Using a fabricated identifier, like a CPN, in connection with a credit account can constitute a false statement in a matter within federal jurisdiction - real legal exposure that exists separately from anything we require as a platform. Verification protects you from that risk, not just us.