Another questionable practice sometimes marketed in the credit space is the sale of closed primary tradelines. At first glance, these accounts may be presented as “primary accounts with age,” but once you look closer, the value simply isn’t there.
A closed account is no longer active, no longer available for use, and no longer capable of generating ongoing positive payment history. While it may technically appear as a primary account on a credit report, it offers no practical benefit—especially since the account was never opened or managed by you in the first place. Without active reporting, utilization control, or continued payment activity, a closed account does little to strengthen a credit profile.
When you step back and apply basic common sense, purchasing someone else’s closed account rarely makes financial sense. There are far more effective ways to use that money—such as opening and responsibly managing your own primary tradelines that actually report and build value over time. Additionally, there is often limited transparency around how these closed accounts are obtained, which introduces unnecessary risk for the buyer.
As emphasized throughout this page, Primary Tradelines are meant to be built, not bought. Real credit strength comes from opening legitimate accounts, maintaining good standing, and allowing positive history to develop naturally. Closed accounts marketed for sale fail to meet these standards and should be approached with caution.
