Selling Tradelines / Piggybacking Part II: $1000+/hr, 20-40k/yr. Side Gig

[Reddart67]

Is this the message you get from Barclays when your card is maxed out on AUs (35 lifetime limit)?

"Authorized User not added.  The information you entered is not correct."

I think the consensus is “yes”, but…I have been able to add 2 more AUs since receiving this message. I am nearing my AU limit though.

I just tried on the next AU, a week or two later.

What resulted in your adding 2 more after getting the message? Did you just keep trying to submit the same AU repeatedly?  or did you just wait for the next AU?

Hmm, didn’t post last time.
I just waited for the next AU, and I was able to successfully add them. As well as one more. We’ll see if the streak continues.

[TheAgileCamel]

Is this the message you get from Barclays when your card is maxed out on AUs (35 lifetime limit)?

"Authorized User not added.  The information you entered is not correct."

Yep, that tradeline is done. Sorry man.

[Padonak]

How is the "new company" these days? Have they cleaned up their act regarding non-payments? Do you have to chase them to get paid for every TL?

I am looking to increase my TL volume and considering registering some of my cards with them. I used to work with them but stopped a few years ago because some people mentioned payment problems. I don't recall ever having those problems myself but back then I didn't have a payment tracking spreadsheet so may have missed something.

[arebelspy]

How is the "new company" these days? Have they cleaned up their act regarding non-payments? Do you have to chase them to get paid for every TL?

I am looking to increase my TL volume and considering registering some of my cards with them. I used to work with them but stopped a few years ago because some people mentioned payment problems. I don't recall ever having those problems myself but back then I didn't have a payment tracking spreadsheet so may have missed something.

Yeah, basically the same. If you have cards that old company won't take, and it's worth the extra hassle to get paid, it's an okay second option. But I'd put any cards eligible with old company first.

[monarda]

I just wanted to add that I get a warm and fuzzy feeling when a previous TL 'client' gets a new credit card offer sent to this address. Good on her! Glad to have helped. Must say that only one of my clients is doing great by this indicator.  (knowing that lacking one doesn't really mean anything). As I toss the junk into recycling, I say to myself, "Go <insert name>!!"

[Car Jack]

After 3 or 4 messages and emails, Cliff responded that indeed, I haven't been paid in over a year and they owe me $xxx and I'll be paid at the next pay period, which I have no idea when that will be.  Been several weeks already.

[Michael in ABQ]

I just wanted to add that I get a warm and fuzzy feeling when a previous TL 'client' gets a new credit card offer sent to this address. Good on her! Glad to have helped. Must say that only one of my clients is doing great by this indicator.  (knowing that lacking one doesn't really mean anything). As I toss the junk into recycling, I say to myself, "Go <insert name>!!"

I had one AU that was getting new CC offers what seemed like every other day. Capital One REALLY wanted to extend her credit.

I might start writing "return to sender, not at this address" and sticking them back in the outgoing mail.

[secondcor521]

I might start writing "return to sender, not at this address" and sticking them back in the outgoing mail.

From what I've read, that will only work if it is First Class mail.  If not, I just recycle.

[BikeFanatic]

I have found I have to put a stamp on the return mail or it comes right back to my address.
I do burn anything that comes to keep all private AU info confidential.

[Michael in ABQ]

I have found I have to put a stamp on the return mail or it comes right back to my address.
I do burn anything that comes to keep all private AU info confidential.

Interesting, the postal carrier delivers it back again even with "Return to Sender" written on the envelope? I've never seen that before. Maybe they just toss it in the trash at the Post Office if it comes back like that.



My tradeline notifications go to a Google Voice number so whenever I see a text from Google Voice it's a little dopamine hit as I know it's probably a tradelines sale that's going to net me $125-175.

[Michael in ABQ]

Well, holy moly. I just tried to increase the credit limit on one of my Barclay Cards. They have an online process for this, but it came back with "An error occurred while processing your request. We apologize for any inconvenience." Then it said I could call a phone number for customer service and gave the same number on the back of my credit card.

This is where things get super sketch.

The customer service rep who answered asked me the normal questions (last four digits of card, last for digits of social, birthdate.) Then, though, he said he would not be able to assist with a credit line increase request himself, and that I needed to call another number for that. Ok, fine, I was half expecting that, and it was an 800 number. I wrote the number down and repeated it back to him to make sure I had recorded it correctly so I could call after hanging up.

This is where things get super sketch:
I called that new number, and the computer voice asked me if I was interested in a special offer to press one if I was over 50. Well, that's not normal. Huge red flag. So I pressed 1. And the new rep that answered went into this bizarre hard sell for a "medic alert bracelet."

Okay, well that's clearly fraud. I hanged up and dialed again to make sure I hadn't made a typo in dialing.

I hanged up again and called the number on my card to report it to their fraud department. Seems obvious that they have at least one corrupt customer service agent, if not an entire subcontract call center that is just a front for a scam call center.

Sheesh.

I had a similar thing happen recently. I called Alaska Airlines recently to try and change a flight reservation. The options were press 1 to book a new reservation or press 2 to change a reservation. When I selected 2 the automated message said "this line is for new reservations only" and then hung up. I called back again (just hit redial on my cell phone) planning to press 1 and see if I could talk to a real person. This time I got the over 50 question and when I pressed the number for no I was immediately transferred to a call center for a medic alart bracelet (I'm not totally sure, I hunt up after about 3 seconds).

When I checked the number again (I had written it down after getting it from a legitimate Alaska representative on another line), I saw that when I wrote down the final digit my 2 looked like a 7, so I had been dialing the wrong number. I guess this is probably pretty common that these scammers find legitimate 800 numbers and then buy up a bunch of similar numbers hoping to get misdials.



On an unrelated note, what's a good Barclay's card to start aging? My current card is doing great with the old company selling 3 slots every cycle but at this rate it will hit the max in another year or two. I'm looking at the UPromise card as I think I can link it to one of the 529 plans for my kids - and $0 annual fee ($100 cash back bonus). On the other hand, will that type of card be less likely to get a nice high credit limit compared to one with a ~$100 annual fee? The annual fee is a business expense, so I'm not too concerned about it. I don't have any need for a travel card as I almost never fly or stay at a hotel and that seems to be the majority of their other cards.

[secondcor521]

On an unrelated note, what's a good Barclay's card to start aging? My current card is doing great with the old company selling 3 slots every cycle but at this rate it will hit the max in another year or two. I'm looking at the UPromise card as I think I can link it to one of the 529 plans for my kids - and $0 annual fee ($100 cash back bonus). On the other hand, will that type of card be less likely to get a nice high credit limit compared to one with a ~$100 annual fee? The annual fee is a business expense, so I'm not too concerned about it. I don't have any need for a travel card as I almost never fly or stay at a hotel and that seems to be the majority of their other cards.

I'm sure people will have their preferences, but nowadays I just go to Doctor of Credit and find a card with the issuer I want (Barclays in your case) and look for the one with the sign up bonus I'm interested in.

Usually these are higher dollar, higher bonus offers because I have MS ways that work for me.  They often come with AFs, sometimes waived first year but lately not as much.  If it's waived the first year, I downgrade to a no-fee card at about the 12 month mark.  (Some will say wait for the AF to post then call to downgrade and get the AF refunded.  I understand why but I ignore that piece of advice myself.)

The AF seems to correlate with card benefits, and the CL seems to correlate with income and credit history.  Not really much interaction between the two I've seen.

[Michael in ABQ]

Well, just applied and approved for the Barclay's Upromise card. $10k credit limit to start. Last time I tried to apply I think one of my credit reports was frozen, so I had to go to the reconsideration line. I never got around to sending copies of my driver's license and some other documents they requested so my application expired.

[dantheman46]

Has anyone had a card go into dormant status? I have a Discover card that I solely use for TL sales and put a $10+ balance on each month. After the statement cuts, I pay the balance. I generally sell both spots regularly with the old company. Today I received notification that neither of my AU's posted. I physically have cards for them and confirmed they are still AU's on my Discover online account. I went on Credit Karma and noticed Discover hasn't reported this card to the credit bureaus for two months. This apparently is called dormant status. Trying to figure out next steps to get the card posting again but hoping someone else has experienced this and can guide me.

[secondcor521]

Has anyone had a card go into dormant status? I have a Discover card that I solely use for TL sales and put a $10+ balance on each month. After the statement cuts, I pay the balance. I generally sell both spots regularly with the old company. Today I received notification that neither of my AU's posted. I physically have cards for them and confirmed they are still AU's on my Discover online account. I went on Credit Karma and noticed Discover hasn't reported this card to the credit bureaus for two months. This apparently is called dormant status. Trying to figure out next steps to get the card posting again but hoping someone else has experienced this and can guide me.

Usually having a statement closing balance of at least a few dollars is enough to have a card not go dormant.

Do you have statements with a balance each month?  You sound pretty confident, so I'm disinclined to think that maybe you're paying it before the statement closes.  Doing that would be a zero statement balance and that might not report to the credit bureaus.

Maybe it's a Discover thing?  I've never had what you describe happen to me with any V/MC/AMEX.

[Reddart67]

My postman seems to be overzealous in not delivering mail with different names from our family.  This is OK as it eliminates a lot of the AU junk mail, but now I am not receiving some of the initial cards. That doesn’t bother me so much (I have never ever activated an AU card, and have never had a posting problem) though somewhat worried about a card out there in the wild.

But it has caused a minor problem in that Citibank temporarily locked my account because they couldn’t deliver a card, and I needed to contact customer service to “update my address “.

I got on chat, and just verified my address, and the agent unlocked the account. But I am concerned this my reoccur, and if it keeps happening, they could dig deeper and start balking at all the AU activity.

[dantheman46]

Has anyone had a card go into dormant status? I have a Discover card that I solely use for TL sales and put a $10+ balance on each month. After the statement cuts, I pay the balance. I generally sell both spots regularly with the old company. Today I received notification that neither of my AU's posted. I physically have cards for them and confirmed they are still AU's on my Discover online account. I went on Credit Karma and noticed Discover hasn't reported this card to the credit bureaus for two months. This apparently is called dormant status. Trying to figure out next steps to get the card posting again but hoping someone else has experienced this and can guide me.

Usually having a statement closing balance of at least a few dollars is enough to have a card not go dormant.

Do you have statements with a balance each month?  You sound pretty confident, so I'm disinclined to think that maybe you're paying it before the statement closes.  Doing that would be a zero statement balance and that might not report to the credit bureaus.

Maybe it's a Discover thing?  I've never had what you describe happen to me with any V/MC/AMEX.

I always pay after the statement cuts and the balance is always more than $10 as I know the card needs to have a statement balance for the AU sales. I've never experienced this before with Discover or any other issuer.

[dantheman46]

My postman seems to be overzealous in not delivering mail with different names from our family.  This is OK as it eliminates a lot of the AU junk mail, but now I am not receiving some of the initial cards. That doesn’t bother me so much (I have never ever activated an AU card, and have never had a posting problem) though somewhat worried about a card out there in the wild.

But it has caused a minor problem in that Citibank temporarily locked my account because they couldn’t deliver a card, and I needed to contact customer service to “update my address “.

I got on chat, and just verified my address, and the agent unlocked the account. But I am concerned this my reoccur, and if it keeps happening, they could dig deeper and start balking at all the AU activity.

This can be dangerous because some issuers send live cards and then you'd potentially have a live card floating out there. USPS should deliver anything addressed to your address regardless of the person's name.

[Michael in ABQ]

I've got my first AU on a Chase card. Adding online was easy enough but I don't see a way to remove them online. There's a secure messaging portal but it has limited options - none of which are relevant. Do I just need to call in or am I missing something? It's a bit hard to look back through the thread at this point with a couple thousand posts.



I just started seasoning my next Barclay's card. So easy to add and remove online.

[harrydogyo]

I use secure messaging to remove with chase.

[secondcor521]

I've got my first AU on a Chase card. Adding online was easy enough but I don't see a way to remove them online. There's a secure messaging portal but it has limited options - none of which are relevant. Do I just need to call in or am I missing something? It's a bit hard to look back through the thread at this point with a couple thousand posts.



I just started seasoning my next Barclay's card. So easy to add and remove online.

I also use secure messaging.  I just choose the credit card, then choose "General inquiry" or something like that, then just say "Please remove Joe Smith from my card.  Thanks."  Chase will message you back in a day or so letting you know that they've been removed.

Several banks allow online AU adds.  A few banks (Capital One, Barclays) allow online removal.  Many allow removal via secure message (Chase, US Bank).  I personally try to avoid calling in because it takes more time.

[Car Jack]

I only have one card left with the new company.  A Discover.  3 weeks ago, Cliff said I'd get paid in 3 business days.  Guess if I've been paid yet.

My discover just put up a note after taking my last AU saying that I've reached their limit and that I can't add another until December.  This is going to be my chance to simply pull out of the new company, since they're not paying anyways.

[chuckster]

Apparently one of my BofA cards I'd been letting age is transferring to Comenity bank. I think the same bank just took one of my Barclay NFL Visa cards, and if I remember right, they're not great for tradeline sales. Anyone know any different?

[MasterStache]

I only have one card left with the new company.  A Discover.  3 weeks ago, Cliff said I'd get paid in 3 business days.  Guess if I've been paid yet.

My discover just put up a note after taking my last AU saying that I've reached their limit and that I can't add another until December.  This is going to be my chance to simply pull out of the new company, since they're not paying anyways.

I'll never quite understand why they blatantly refuse to fix their payout system. Perhaps they just don't care? Maybe they purposefully keep it that way hoping folks forget? I would have certainly kept cards with them if they made any sort of effort to fix what's broken. Oh well.

[secondcor521]

I only have one card left with the new company.  A Discover.  3 weeks ago, Cliff said I'd get paid in 3 business days.  Guess if I've been paid yet.

My discover just put up a note after taking my last AU saying that I've reached their limit and that I can't add another until December.  This is going to be my chance to simply pull out of the new company, since they're not paying anyways.

I'll never quite understand why they blatantly refuse to fix their payout system. Perhaps they just don't care? Maybe they purposefully keep it that way hoping folks forget? I would have certainly kept cards with them if they made any sort of effort to fix what's broken. Oh well.

I wondered as well.  I decided it could be several different reasons - indifference, incompetence, or malice.  In all three cases I didn't want to deal with them any more.

[Padonak]

Those who use USBank cards for TLs, can you add AUs online? I did it a few months ago but now when i try to do it online or through the app, i get a message that I need to call their number.

[secondcor521]

Those who use USBank cards for TLs, can you add AUs online? I did it a few months ago but now when i try to do it online or through the app, i get a message that I need to call their number.

Mine are seasoning, but I just looked at the website and couldn't find a way to do it there.

[Reddart67]

I was able to add a USBank user online (phone app) last month, and it still appears to work now, though I didn’t go through the whole process and add a user.

Account options-> manage card—>add a user

That message could mean there is a “problem”.

[katsiki]

Apparently one of my BofA cards I'd been letting age is transferring to Comenity bank. I think the same bank just took one of my Barclay NFL Visa cards, and if I remember right, they're not great for tradeline sales. Anyone know any different?

Yes, same here.  Just read on DoC web site about a bank of america card moving over to comenity.  I think it is the AAA card if I remember correctly. 

NFL card went to them a few months ago (?) as well - maybe longer.

According to the nice lady at the good company, comenity does not work well.  Hopefully, that will change.

[Reddart67]

Apparently one of my BofA cards I'd been letting age is transferring to Comenity bank. I think the same bank just took one of my Barclay NFL Visa cards, and if I remember right, they're not great for tradeline sales. Anyone know any different?

Yes, same here.  Just read on DoC web site about a bank of america card moving over to comenity.  I think it is the AAA card if I remember correctly. 

NFL card went to them a few months ago (?) as well - maybe longer.

According to the nice lady at the good company, comenity does not work well.  Hopefully, that will change.

Wow, that’s a bummer. Like sitting on a 15 year Bordeaux and finding out it’s corked when you finally open it. 

[Car Jack]

Yay!  I got paid by the new company today.  Unamused in general, but money after nagging is better than no money.

[arebelspy]

Yay!  I got paid by the new company today.  Unamused in general, but money after nagging is better than no money.

I emailed after seeing your post. It's ridiculous, and I agree with secondcor521 on the matter.

[beekayworld]

Those who use USBank cards for TLs, can you add AUs online? I did it a few months ago but now when i try to do it online or through the app, i get a message that I need to call their number.

I do it online by going to "Customer Service" and selecting "Self Serve" from the pull-down menu. Then select "Add an Authorized User." 

[Padonak]

Those who use USBank cards for TLs, can you add AUs online? I did it a few months ago but now when i try to do it online or through the app, i get a message that I need to call their number.

I do it online by going to "Customer Service" and selecting "Self Serve" from the pull-down menu. Then select "Add an Authorized User."

I tried it multiple times on the webside and app, with VPN and without. I think they disabled that option for me maybe because I added too many AUs before

[chicagomeg]

Went to use my CapitalOne card this weekend and it was declined. It (along with my other card which hasn't been used for tradelines) shows in the mobile app as "This card is currently restricted". My bank accounts with them seem to be operating normally. I've been selling that tradeline for about 2 years and have made over $2,000, so it's hard to be too upset about it. We'll see what happens next, but expecting the cards will be closed entirely soon.

[secondcor521]

Went to use my CapitalOne card this weekend and it was declined. It (along with my other card which hasn't been used for tradelines) shows in the mobile app as "This card is currently restricted". My bank accounts with them seem to be operating normally. I've been selling that tradeline for about 2 years and have made over $2,000, so it's hard to be too upset about it. We'll see what happens next, but expecting the cards will be closed entirely soon.

Which TL company were you using?

Were you following all of the guidelines from the TL company?

How many AUs?

Max AUs at once?

[BikeFanatic]

I had capital one restrict me but after a while I called and they wanted to verify my AU identity, then months later I called again, and they only asked for my license and social security card. After I sent the information  They reinstated me! 

Recently they decreased my credit line from 30 k to 9k and I closed that card. I made some money off them, so no complaints.

[katsiki]

Speaking of capital one, be on the look out for email and postal mail about reducing your credit line as you are not using it.  It is a form letter & email.  There is an option to call a number and opt out of the review.  It was amazingly quick & easy!  No change, no review of credit line/usage if you opt out.

[chicagomeg]

Went to use my CapitalOne card this weekend and it was declined. It (along with my other card which hasn't been used for tradelines) shows in the mobile app as "This card is currently restricted". My bank accounts with them seem to be operating normally. I've been selling that tradeline for about 2 years and have made over $2,000, so it's hard to be too upset about it. We'll see what happens next, but expecting the cards will be closed entirely soon.

Which TL company were you using?

Were you following all of the guidelines from the TL company?

How many AUs?

Max AUs at once?

Old company, yes, 14 total since I started, old company used to do 2 at once but bumped it down to just 1 sometime in the last year.

I saw some of the older posts about un-restricting the cards; glad to hear people have had success more recently. Personally I hate phone calls but I'll try to muster the energy to see what happens when I call one of these days & report back.

[MoMoney88]

Has anyone had a card go into dormant status? I have a Discover card that I solely use for TL sales and put a $10+ balance on each month. After the statement cuts, I pay the balance. I generally sell both spots regularly with the old company. Today I received notification that neither of my AU's posted. I physically have cards for them and confirmed they are still AU's on my Discover online account. I went on Credit Karma and noticed Discover hasn't reported this card to the credit bureaus for two months. This apparently is called dormant status. Trying to figure out next steps to get the card posting again but hoping someone else has experienced this and can guide me.

Hey Dan, I had the same thing happen to my Discover card with no reporting on Credit Karma.  Back in May I noticed it hadn't reported since Nov 2021.  I called Discover and got transferred a few times but finally got to someone who found the issue. She said for some reason my "credit reporting" had been turned off.  She said she reached out and had them turn it back on, it should be resolved in 30 days.  About 2 weeks later it was resolved.

[dantheman46]

Has anyone had a card go into dormant status? I have a Discover card that I solely use for TL sales and put a $10+ balance on each month. After the statement cuts, I pay the balance. I generally sell both spots regularly with the old company. Today I received notification that neither of my AU's posted. I physically have cards for them and confirmed they are still AU's on my Discover online account. I went on Credit Karma and noticed Discover hasn't reported this card to the credit bureaus for two months. This apparently is called dormant status. Trying to figure out next steps to get the card posting again but hoping someone else has experienced this and can guide me.

Hey Dan, I had the same thing happen to my Discover card with no reporting on Credit Karma.  Back in May I noticed it hadn't reported since Nov 2021.  I called Discover and got transferred a few times but finally got to someone who found the issue. She said for some reason my "credit reporting" had been turned off.  She said she reached out and had them turn it back on, it should be resolved in 30 days.  About 2 weeks later it was resolved.

Thank you! I have called a few times and haven't gotten anywhere with them. I will try again using the credit reporting has been turned off language and see if that gets me anywhere. Very odd that Discover would do this!

[jeromedawg]

Things have really seemed to slow down for me in the past few months. I had my AUs close to maxxed out between my wife's Discover and my own and even some Amex cards I was getting a consistent stream of AUs but it seems to have all come to a halt as of late.

Anyone else noticing this? Is it because less people are looking to take loans out with higher interest rates and therefore nobody has as big of a need to build their credit scores up?

[secondcor521]

Things have really seemed to slow down for me in the past few months. I had my AUs close to maxxed out between my wife's Discover and my own and even some Amex cards I was getting a consistent stream of AUs but it seems to have all come to a halt as of late.

Anyone else noticing this? Is it because less people are looking to take loans out with higher interest rates and therefore nobody has as big of a need to build their credit scores up?

I've been tracking my data in a spreadsheet for four years now.  I've noticed several patterns:

1.  I have good months and bad months.  Some months have few sales, other months have lots.

2.  Over the course of a year, it averages out to be pretty much linear.  That means that a linear projection based on YTD pretty well predicts my year end total.  I don't see any trend where any quarter or half of the year is busier.

3.  Year to year is about the same.  I made approximately the same amount in 2019, 2020, 2021, and projected 2022.

4.  May and June are reliably above average months for me.  This might have to do with income taxes being due in April, but that's just a guess.

5.  August and September are typically low months for me.  No idea why, but it may be a seasonal slump after the May/June surge.

Overall, sometimes it's hard to tell if the overall demand in the marketplace has gone down (as you suggest), whether supply has increased and thus sales are more spread out, or if it's just a product of random chance and seasonal variation.  I would imagine this is made more difficult if one has fewer cards enrolled.

[Reddart67]

Things have really seemed to slow down for me in the past few months. I had my AUs close to maxxed out between my wife's Discover and my own and even some Amex cards I was getting a consistent stream of AUs but it seems to have all come to a halt as of late.

Anyone else noticing this? Is it because less people are looking to take loans out with higher interest rates and therefore nobody has as big of a need to build their credit scores up?

I have noticed a slowdown on my younger cards, but I also added a couple well aged cards this year so that is slightly bringing up my yoy tradeline income.

[TheAgileCamel]

I run a small time tradeline company and I broker for another company. My volume has been about the same, but new customer acquisition is seriously down. Its been my return customers or brokers that have made our month.

From speaking with other companies they have confirmed a slowdown. In fact, I see many are running deals now via email or text. This was almost unheard of over the past 3-4 years.

[zolotiyeruki]

I run a small time tradeline company and I broker for another company. My volume has been about the same, but new customer acquisition is seriously down. Its been my return customers or brokers that have made our month.

From speaking with other companies they have confirmed a slowdown. In fact, I see many are running deals now via email or text. This was almost unheard of over the past 3-4 years.

I'm a newbie to the whole TL topic, but how/why would a TL company have a repeat customer?  Once someone has been removed as an AU, do they lose the boost in their credit score, or do those several months stay on their credit report permanently?

[Reddart67]

I run a small time tradeline company and I broker for another company. My volume has been about the same, but new customer acquisition is seriously down. Its been my return customers or brokers that have made our month.

From speaking with other companies they have confirmed a slowdown. In fact, I see many are running deals now via email or text. This was almost unheard of over the past 3-4 years.

I'm a newbie to the whole TL topic, but how/why would a TL company have a repeat customer?  Once someone has been removed as an AU, do they lose the boost in their credit score, or do those several months stay on their credit report permanently?

I’m sure it depends on the rest of their credit report, but I would imagine, for instance, if they have a couple of cards with modest limits that are highly utilized, a high limit card with low utilization and with a significant account  age would provide quite a boost in credit score. And when that card is removed later, that score will immediately go down when it is no longer on their report. How much that is, I am not sure.

[secondcor521]

Once someone has been removed as an AU, do they lose the boost in their credit score, or do those several months stay on their credit report permanently?

My understanding is that when the AU is removed, the credit line also disappears from the AU's credit report, and they lose the benefit of the CL on their score at that time.  The several months do not stay on their credit report permanently.

[MoneyTree]

Things have really seemed to slow down for me in the past few months. I had my AUs close to maxxed out between my wife's Discover and my own and even some Amex cards I was getting a consistent stream of AUs but it seems to have all come to a halt as of late.

Anyone else noticing this? Is it because less people are looking to take loans out with higher interest rates and therefore nobody has as big of a need to build their credit scores up?

Haven't really noticed a consistent slowdown. There will be some slow months here and there, but nothing that has been a sustained trend. That said, I will generally only sell well aged cards with at least a moderate limit. Average 5 years and ~$20K limit.

[FireAnt]

After 3 or 4 messages and emails, Cliff responded that indeed, I haven't been paid in over a year and they owe me $xxx and I'll be paid at the next pay period, which I have no idea when that will be.  Been several weeks already.

O.m.g. really?! I knew they were having delays and I meant to switch over to the old company but I didn't. Months go by and I added an AU from the new company. Now I'm looking for my money and of course Cliff doesn't respond. Not cool. What is this guy doing all day?

I can't let myself use the new company again... I have a Cap1 card with $13k limit that's really old. I think I opened it in 2007. Should be okay for the old company?