Buying a new car without having dealer do credit check?

[archbish99]

To the PP who suggested giving the dealer a false SS#: Are you nuts? That's a federal crime. If the false number you choose happens to belong to a real person, that's at least two federal crimes, one of which is aggravated identity theft which carries a mandatory minimum 2-year prison sentence. Geez. Don't ever do that.

I've had at least one place which insisted they needed a SSN and I refused to give it put down a random number. I've never consented or signed off on that random number as being my SSN, but they've opted to include it in their records. Not a crime on my part, but on theirs? Feels kinda hazy.

[retiredjg]

Most interfaces with credit providers allow you to retrieve credit profiles from the three major bureaus without a full SSN. Often a name and address is enough for a match.

I worked in a business in the past that checked credit for rentals. All the time we had people refusing to provide their SSN, but when I called in the information, the report and score were retrieved with no problem at all (including the SSN that we didn't have at the time of the inquiry) using just a name and address.

So not even a date of birth was needed?

This is a little disconcerting, but I guess that is the way of the world in the computer age.

[Jerilynn]

I worked in a business in the past that checked credit for rentals. All the time we had people refusing to provide their SSN, but when I called in the information, the report and score were retrieved with no problem at all (including the SSN that we didn't have at the time of the inquiry) using just a name and address.

Zounds! What was the name of the business that you 'would call in the information' to? I wondering how many times they got sued for doing this.

[Jerilynn]

1) I don't think the bank will (or should) give out your balance information to someone over the phone, or in person for that matter.

They WONT tell you the account balance, they WILL tell you if there are enough funds in the account to cover the check.


Sometimes they will even tell you more, like this scenario....

Drs Office:hello, bank employee, I have a $2000 check here from Mr. X, does the account have enough funds to cover the check?
Bank: Nope
Dr's Office: If I deposit $200 into that account, THEN will there be enough money to cover the check?
Bank: [sometimes they will tell you, sometimes they won't]

I actually had a friend who kept getting rubber checks from a certain patient do this.

2) Even if there is enough funds in the account to cover the check today, there may not be tomorrow.

Very true.

Every once in a great while (with known deadbeat persons), my office manager would immediately take the check to the person's bank and cash it.

[Mudpuppy]

Those that do not see many cashier's checks might not understand that cashier's checks are as good as actual cash and there's no possibility of it bouncing, ergo they don't need to do a credit check.

Other than counterfeit ones. No one should accept a cashier's check unless the provenance is unquestionable or there is a waiting period observed.

Unlike a personal check, where there may be regulations preventing the bank from verifying the funds, the dealership could look up the business number of the bank through another means (e.g. the phone book or Internet), call them and verify that it is legit. This is even easier if one uses a local institution that has a branch (or other business presence) right in the auto-mall to facilitate car sales.

[cliffedelgado]

I can confirm no SSN is required for the dealer to pull credit report. Dealer just did this to me, and it was a hard pull. Not happy

[stan1]

I can confirm no SSN is required for the dealer to pull credit report. Dealer just did this to me, and it was a hard pull. Not happy

Did you buy the car? If so, did you finance elsewhere, pay with a cashiers check, a personal check, or something else happened?

[cliffedelgado]

Did you buy the car? If so, did you finance elsewhere, pay with a cashiers check, a personal check, or something else happened?

I did buy the car and paid with a cashier's check. Filled out the "credit application" as they said (or rather implied, I can't remember now) it was required. Purposely left the SSN blank. The small print says they can run the credit report. I had made it clear to the salesman I did not want my credit pulled and they said cashier's check was the only way to avoid it.

[JustBill]

I can confirm no SSN is required for the dealer to pull credit report. Dealer just did this to me, and it was a hard pull. Not happy

I can assure you that any business that would perform what turned out to be a hard pull without my signed permission would become my new full time hobby of causing them headache and lost sales.

[Mudpuppy]

Did you buy the car? If so, did you finance elsewhere, pay with a cashiers check, a personal check, or something else happened?

I did buy the car and paid with a cashier's check. Filled out the "credit application" as they said (or rather implied, I can't remember now) it was required. Purposely left the SSN blank. The small print says they can run the credit report. I had made it clear to the salesman I did not want my credit pulled and they said cashier's check was the only way to avoid it.

See, you should have insisted on finalizing the price and going to get a cashier's check for it, WITHOUT filling out the credit application form. Once you sign that form, it doesn't matter that you left the SSN blank or told them you didn't want to have your credit run. The fine print of the form allows it.

[cliffedelgado]

See, you should have insisted on finalizing the price and going to get a cashier's check for it, WITHOUT filling out the credit application form. Once you sign that form, it doesn't matter that you left the SSN blank or told them you didn't want to have your credit run. The fine print of the form allows it.

Yes, they got me. Now I can't even sue them for violation of FCRA. I provided my story as a warning to everyone that withholding the SSN is not enough. I should have refused to sign it. They will say it is required, so be prepared to walk out. Does crossing out the small print change anything ?

[SimonJester]

I'd say just freeze your credit, prevents soft and hard hits.

Just be aware you will need to thaw the report in order to get some things done. Ie open a new bank account, switch cable vendors...

[blevine]

I bought a new car this year, for cash.
They were not going to do a credit check at all, though only suggested
doing so in order to let me drive away there and then, rather than wait on getting
a bank check (maybe bank was closed, can't recall). Idea was to sign financing
but tear it up when I return with a bank check. It was up to me to wait,
and I did wait, and got the car without a credit check.

I would flat out refuse to give my SS# to anyone without a good reason,
though not sure if that would stop them completely.
I had my 3 credit reports frozen, so even with my SS# they could not have done this without my permission,
but generally they ask for that info to run the credit check. Say no.

A bank check is a guarantee by the BANK that you have the funds set aside for the check.
They do not need a credit report on you unless you are borrowing.

Do you have auto insurance on an older car ? If not, a new auto insurer would want to run a credit check too.
You many not have a choice there. If a problem why not wait until after the home purchase ?
Rent a car until then.

[grabiner]

Do you have auto insurance on an older car ? If not, a new auto insurer would want to run a credit check too.
You many not have a choice there.

Credit inquiries for insurance are not disclosed to potential creditors, and are not counted as inquiries when you apply for credit.

[SteveKL]

If a dealer asks to see your drivers license for a test drive, they are pulling a report.

Don't they need SS# to pull a report?

+1

I'd be amazed if they could pull it with just name, address and DOB, but maybe...