How cardholders are protected, step by step
Customer payment is made before an approved order is released to the cardholder for authorized-user placement. The customer's information is provided only after the required verification steps are completed. Cardholder payouts are issued through Paychex after posting is verified and applicable order conditions are met.
Raquel Hudson, Editorial Reviewer
Reviewed October 9, 2026
How an order reaches you
1. Customer pays
Payment is made before an approved order is released to the cardholder.
2. Customer is verified
Our internal team verifies the customer who will be added as the authorized user.
3. Order is released
The order goes to the cardholder only after the customer is approved. No exceptions.
4. Add the AU. Get paid after verified posting.
Payout is issued through Paychex after posting is verified and applicable order conditions are met.
What you receive about the customer
When the customer is approved, we give you their full legal name, date of birth, home address and full 9-digit Social Security number so you can add them as an authorized user. This information is provided only after the required verification steps are completed.
What your card issuer asks for or receives depends on the issuer. Read how customers are verified on Identity Verification.
What we never ask you for
- Full credit card numbers
- CVV codes or card PINs
- Online banking or credit card login credentials
- Your own Social Security number
Payout banking and tax information is handled through Paychex, which has its own requirements.
If a customer says the line did not post
If a customer reports that a purchased line did not post, our team reviews and verifies the posting status. Cardholder payouts remain on hold during this review.
- If posting is confirmed and applicable order conditions are met, the cardholder is paid.
- If the line did not post, no cardholder payout is issued.
A customer's claim alone does not decide the outcome. Our team verifies the posting status first.
Your controls and what we expect
- Pricing is set by TradelineScore.
- You can pause an individual available AU slot at any time without deactivating your whole card listing.
- You can deactivate your card listing. This does not cancel existing AU obligations.
- Cardholders are generally expected to fulfill the orders they receive and follow the instructions and removal dates.
- If a vacation, family emergency or reaching AU capacity prevents fulfillment, contact our team promptly so we can help resolve it.
Pausing an available slot is different from declining an existing order or removing an AU before the agreed removal date.
Who can sell
Cardholders can list a card before it is reviewed. After an order comes in, our cardholder operations team reviews the account. The account must be at least 6 months old, have no late-payment or derogatory history, be active, and keep utilization below 10% during an active AU placement. See How We Verify Sellers for the full requirements. Listing a card does not guarantee an order or income.
At a glance
Customer pays first
Before an approved order is released to you.
Customer verified
Before the order reaches the cardholder.
Paid after posting
Through Paychex, once posting is verified and order conditions are met.
Never asked for
Card numbers, CVV or PIN, login credentials, or your own SSN.
Frequently asked questions
When does the customer pay compared with when the cardholder is asked to add them?
The customer's payment is made before an approved order is released to the cardholder for authorized-user placement.
Is the customer verified before I receive an order?
Yes. Our internal team verifies the customer who will be added as the authorized user, and an order is released to the cardholder only after the customer is approved. There are no exceptions. The customer's information is provided to you only after the required verification steps are completed.
What customer information will I receive?
Once the customer is approved, we give you their full legal name, date of birth, home address and full 9-digit Social Security number so you can add them as an authorized user. What your card issuer asks for or receives depends on the issuer.
When do I get paid?
Cardholder payouts are issued through Paychex after posting is verified and applicable order conditions are met. Listing a card does not guarantee an order or income.
What happens if a customer says the line did not post?
If a customer reports that a purchased line did not post, our team reviews and verifies the posting status. Cardholder payouts remain on hold during this review. If posting is confirmed and applicable order conditions are met, the cardholder is paid. If the line did not post, no cardholder payout is issued. A customer's claim alone does not decide the outcome.
What does TradelineScore never ask cardholders for?
We do not ask cardholders for full credit card numbers, CVV codes or card PINs, online banking or credit card login credentials, or the cardholder's own Social Security number. Payout banking and tax information is handled through Paychex, which has its own requirements.
Can I pause my listing or a slot?
You can pause an individual available AU slot at any time without deactivating your whole card listing. You can also deactivate your card listing, but that does not cancel existing AU obligations. Pausing an available slot is different from declining an existing order or removing an AU before the agreed removal date.
Am I expected to fulfill orders I receive?
Generally, yes. Cardholders are expected to fulfill orders they receive and to follow the instructions and removal dates for each order. If something such as a vacation, a family emergency or reaching AU capacity prevents you from fulfilling an order, contact our team promptly so we can help resolve the situation.
What does my card need to qualify?
The account must be at least 6 months old, have no late-payment or derogatory history regardless of how old it is, be active, and keep utilization below 10% during an active AU placement. Exactly 10% does not qualify. Our cardholder operations team reviews the account after an order comes in. The full requirements are on How We Verify Sellers.
Clear steps from order to payout.
Check the eligibility requirements on How We Verify Sellers, or see how customers are verified on Identity Verification.