Full Time RVers using mail forwarding and Denied Credit

[hamhike]

We received a letter from Capital One Credit card stating that our mail forwarding street address was not valid for a physical address and that commercial mail forwarding companies address could not be used either. We ran into problems when we applied for a RV loan as well. Any other Full Timers had the same problems.

[BarbaraOK]

How you put in the address isn't the problem All mail forwarders are registered with the Post Office, and have been identified as such, then into databases that financial firms use.

[doxiemom11]

We have been full-time for 7 years and have all types of financial products including a couple of credit cards. We have not had any issues with anything either. Perhaps it's the way you are using the address. We never put PMB in any address we use. Example 123 Any Street # 000, City, State Zip or sometimes depending on their software, the # will become Apt # 000 instead of PMB.

[BarbaraOK]

Tell Capital One to take a hike, that other companies want your business. We've been out for 11 years, neither Chase, BOA, Discover, Bank of the West, TIAA, nor Vanguard has ever questioned us about our Escapees address.

Do a search over on the Escapees forum on this - - you will find lots of info and what can be used as a physical address.

[mikethetexan]

This is a strange one. I've been fulltiming for almost three years. I have a Chase card that I had before moving into the motorhome, and a Walmart card that I got shortly after beginning the trip. Neither have problems with my Escapees address. Others have advised you to shop around. I agree with that.

[GoPackGo]

You might consider calling Escapees and having a talk with them. They should have a good handle on the situation.

[2oldman]

gotsmart wrote:
With credit cards one can have both a physical address and a billing address on file..

The only reason I ever need a 'billing address' is for a new credit card.

[gotsmart]

With credit cards one can have both a physical address and a billing address on file.

Call up the CC company's customer service and give them an address for the physical address that they require (it could be the RV park that you are staying at for all they care), then tell them that you have a separate billing address and give them your mailbox's address.

I've already gone through this "Patriot Act" stuff with my credit cards. I did the above. My PMB is my billing address.

Don't sweat it.

[TechWriter]

ricklord2001 wrote:
I had a credit card cancelled by the company when we fulltimed for 2 years. They claimed the "Patriot Act's.

It's not a "claim" -- it is the Patriot Act.

Specifically, it's the CIP (Customer Identification Program) to prevent money laundering.

For full time RVers without a permanent street address, it means finding someone whose address you can use. Here's the pertinent section from the Partiot Act (see bottom of page 480):

For an individual who does not have a residential or business street
address, an Army Post Office (APO) or Fleet Post Office (FPO) box number, or
the residential or business street address of next of kin or of another contact individual

If the person at the financial institution doesn't understand this, then ask to speak with the institution's Compliance Officer.

[ricklord2001]

I had a credit card cancelled by the company when we fulltimed for 2 years. They claimed the "Patriot Act's. I really didn't care as I didn't want the card anyway. Also my wife had a small retirement account frozen due to the same thing. Again we didn't care as we didn't need it and were planning on consolidating all our retirement stuff when our new house was built.
Now the strange part my wife had THE same credit card and was never affected and I had accts with the financial company and was never affected. So it appears they spot check a number of accts from time to time and we were affected. Also had a problem when I tried to enter my mail forwarding address on my bank accts, they kept denying it. Had to call to get them to manually do it.

[Old-Biscuit]

2oldman wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Title of thread covers it

I'm not so sure, since he also said "..as well." That was confusing to me.

I'm hoping the OP will answer.

Capital One Credit Card ...denied. Capital one not accepting 'mailforwarding addresses' (Their policy)


'as well'
OP also had issue using mail forwarding address for an RV LOAN


Conclusion:
OP has had problems with using mail forwarding address and getting credit card and RV loan and was wondering if other FT RVrs had same/similar issues.

(not making it up just READ it in OPs post)

[time2roll]

It is just a credit card.... why do you want them specifically?
Well known issue with banks and no permanent address.

[rexlion]

We now return to our regularly scheduled Q&A.....

[1492]

[tinstartrvlr]

Think it depends on the bank. When I recently bought a truck, I was financed through one bank but one of the other banks that the dealer shopped for me sent a letter telling me they denied a loan because they "couldn't verify my address". It's one of the big mail forwarding services many fulltimers use. So one bank had no problem with it and another did.

Shop around and find one that gets it and wants your business. They're out there.