Does T-Mobile Run a Credit Check? (All You Need to Know)

Are you thinking about switching your mobile carrier to T-Mobile, but have questions before you do, such as: does T-Mobile run a credit check?

Do you want to know what bureau T-Mobile uses or have other important questions? If so, continue reading because I’ve discovered the answer to these questions and much more!

Does T-Mobile Run a Credit Check?

T-Mobile runs a credit check if you sign up for one of the postpaid plans, which means your credit will be pulled to determine how much of a security deposit you will need to put down in [currentyear]. However, T-Mobile offers a variety of prepaid plans that don’t require a credit check for those with no credit or bad credit.

Are you looking for even more details about the T-Mobile credit check process before you switch? Well, read below to learn all of the facts you need to know before you switch!

What Kind of Credit Check Does T-Mobile Do?

T-Mobile does a hard credit check if you’ve decided to sign up for one of the postpaid plans, which is where you’ll be under a contract for two years.

Furthermore, hard credit checks can lower your credit score by a few points every time one is run, and this credit check could stay in your history for two years after it has been pulled.

What Credit Bureau Does T-Mobile Use for a Credit Check?

T-Mobile has been known to use TransUnion to run credit checks, and is the preferred option for checks, although T-Mobile could pull from more than one or change this in the future.

Why Does T-Mobile Run a Credit Check?

T-Mobile runs a credit check to ensure that you have paid your previous bills on time, which is important for postpaid contract plans.

Therefore, T-Mobile runs credit checks to determine whether you’d be a paying customer and what type of security deposit/ down payment you’d have to make if you leased a phone.

What’s the Minimum Credit Score Needed at T-Mobile?

T-Mobile doesn’t specify the credit score cutoff for contract plans.

However, most of the time, if your credit score is under 550 or 600, you won’t qualify for a postpaid plan with any carrier.

How Hard Is It to Get Approved for T-Mobile?

T-Mobile has said that about half of all Americans don’t qualify to get the best cell phone deals that the company offers because they don’t have the credit score needed to qualify.

Additionally, T-Mobile said being rejected for a cell phone plan because of a low or bad credit score is a problem throughout the industry, and not just for its company.

Does T-Mobile Offer Plans for People With Bad Credit?

Does T-Mobile Offer Plans for People With Bad Credit?

T-Mobile started a program called Smartphone Equality, which is a program where you can make payments on time for 12 months and then qualify for the best rates offered.

Furthermore, if you join this program, you don’t have to worry about your credit score, since all that matters with Smartphone Equality is that you’ve made your payments on time.

However, you will need to make 12 payments on time for one of the qualifying plans below to join Smartphone Equality, including:

  • Essentials
  • Magenta
  • One
  • Simple Choice
  • Simply Prepaid
  • Pay-In-Advance Monthly
  • Prepaid customers need to switch over to a Magenta plan to enjoy the benefits

Does T-Mobile Run Credit Checks on Existing Customers?

T-Mobile stopped running credit checks on existing customers in 2015, so if you renew your service with the company, you don’t need to worry about a soft credit check occurring.

Do You Need an SSN for T-Mobile?

You will need to provide your Social Security Number for T-Mobile if you plan on signing up for a postpaid plan.

This is because T-Mobile checks your credit before you’re eligible to be on a contract plan.

However, if you plan on getting a prepaid T-Mobile plan, you don’t need to provide your Social Security Number, since there is no credit check required for those plans.

Does T-Mobile Do a Credit Check for Upgrade?

T-Mobile doesn’t do a credit check for upgrades, so the only time your credit will be checked is initially when you sign up for your contract and don’t have to worry about it for upgrades.

To know more, you can also read our posts on whether or not T-Mobile throttles data, does T-Mobile price match, and does T-Mobile prorate your final bill.

Conclusion 

T-Mobile does run a hard credit check when you first sign up to join a contract plan with the company, but T-Mobile doesn’t run a credit check on existing customers or for upgrades.

Additionally, T-Mobile uses TransUnion to check your credit and will base your security deposit on your credit score, with anything lower than 550 or 600 likely being the cutoff.

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Florence Howard

Florence Howard has been freelance writing for over a decade, and has a vocational background in retail, tech, and marketing. Outside of work, she enjoys listening to rock and metal, and playing with her dog and cat.

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