Yes, I heard this is the case. This allows the primary cardholder to know what the supplementary card holder spends $ on. But my worry is and has always been that allowing the supplementary card holder online access to the CC allows him/her to see the primary cardholder’s spending history.
I suspect short of having the relative get a card in her own name, the best thing I can do is, as someone suggested, is ask for another card (with a low limit, even though limits are very rubbery to the banks from my investigation) from my current issuer and have a supp card linked to that a/c,
I guess the only reason this thread exists really, is that the relative has a credit rating such that nobody is prepared to give her a credit card, and the requirement is very much buy now, pay later. If it was just about a card, then a debit card facility would be easily obtainable. Your spending is limited to what is in your account.
I found myself in a position years ago when I returned from living overseas, that due to a credit card debt that had never been paid, through no fault of mine apart from trusting a relative to pay the money I had given them to do so, I could not get credit.
I did find a bank that would give me a card with a very low limit, like in those days $300, and built up a credit rating again.
Thanks for the feedback. You mention a CC with a $300 limit. Speaking to the big 4 plus and a credit Union, it seems that limits are not adhered to by the issuer. Every one of the five issuers I spoke to said they will honour every transaction even if that pushes the consumer beyond the card limit.
I specifically wanted some time ago a card with a low limit so cunning publishers, with whom I had previously subscribed, would be unable to fleece me for renewals that I did not ask for. I told each issuer the following: “say I have a $500 limit and have used up say, $489. If a magazine renews my subscription (against my wishes) for $45, I expect the issuer to DECLINE that transaction, as it would put me $34 over the limit”.
Each of the five replied that the transaction would be honoured. Some went as far as to say I would be charged what is akin to an an “overdraft” fee, for going over the limit.
You read that right. I refused to renew, i was within my rights to refuse, I sought a low limit card to cater for possible problems like this and it is I who would be charged for an overdraft NOT of my making.
I actually got a letter from a CC provider with whom I had no relationship as I had cancelled my card and moved on to another bank.
For my convenience, the letter said, they had honored a renewal request from some business I had long left, and please pay up.
I told them to please bugger off.
