How to handle banking and telecom in English abroad?

Welcome! Building credit is an important first step. Since you don't have US credit history, I'd recommend starting with a secured credit card. With a secured card, you put down a deposit that becomes your credit limit.

欢迎！建立信用是重要的第一步。由于您没有美国信用记录，我建议从一张有担保信用卡开始。有担保卡需要您存一笔押金，这笔押金就是您的信用额度。

You deposit, say, $500, and that becomes your spending limit. Use it for small purchases and pay the full balance every month — on time. After about 6 to 12 months of responsible use, we'll review your account and may upgrade you to an unsecured card with a higher limit. Your deposit gets refunded at that point.

比如你存500美元，这就是你的消费额度。用它做小额消费，每月按时还清全部余额。大约6到12个月的良好使用后，我们会审查你的账户，可能升级为无担保卡并提高额度。到时候押金会退还。

Credit scores range from 300 to 850. Here's a rough breakdown: below 580 is poor, 580 to 669 is fair, 670 to 739 is good, 740 to 799 is very good, and 800 plus is excellent. For most things like renting an apartment or getting a car loan, you'll want at least 670.

信用分范围是300到850。大致分级：580以下是差，580到669是一般，670到739是好，740到799是很好，800以上是优秀。租房或车贷等大部分场景至少需要670。

Great question. The biggest factor is payment history — always pay on time. Second is credit utilization — try to use less than 30 percent of your limit. Length of credit history matters too, which is why starting early is smart. Don't apply for too many cards at once, and don't close old accounts.

好问题。最大的因素是还款记录——一定要按时还。第二是信用使用率——尽量用不超过额度的30%。信用历史长度也很重要，这就是为什么尽早开始很明智。不要同时申请太多卡，也不要关掉旧账户。

You'll need your passport, your Social Security Number or ITIN, proof of address like a utility bill or lease, and your initial deposit — minimum $200, maximum $2,500. The application takes about 15 minutes and you'll usually get a decision the same day.

你需要护照、社会安全号码或 ITIN、地址证明如水电单或租约、以及初始押金——最低200美元，最高2500美元。申请大概15分钟，通常当天就能知道结果。

I'm sorry to hear that. Let me pull up your account. Can you verify your identity first? I'll need your full name, the last four digits of the card, and your date of birth.

很遗憾。让我调出你的账户。能先验证你的身份吗？我需要你的全名、卡号后四位和出生日期。

I can see those transactions. First, I'm going to freeze your card immediately to prevent any further unauthorized use. You won't be charged for these transactions — under federal law, your liability for unauthorized credit card charges is limited to $50, and our bank has a zero liability policy.

我能看到这些交易。首先，我立刻冻结你的卡防止进一步未授权使用。这些交易你不需要承担——根据联邦法律，未授权信用卡消费你的责任上限是50美元，而且我们银行有零责任政策。

It could be skimming — where criminals copy your card information from an ATM or payment terminal. Or it could be from a data breach at a retailer you've shopped at. We'll investigate the source. In the meantime, I'm issuing a replacement card that will arrive in 5 to 7 business days. Would you like expedited shipping for $15?

可能是盗刷器——犯罪分子从ATM或支付终端复制你的卡信息。也可能是你消费过的商家数据泄露。我们会调查来源。同时，我在为你发一张新卡，5到7个工作日到。要加15美元的加急快递吗？

You can add your card to Apple Pay or Google Pay right away — the digital wallet will get the new card number instantly even before the physical card arrives. You can also visit any branch to get a temporary card today. Is there anything else I can help you with?

你可以马上把卡添加到 Apple Pay 或 Google Pay——数字钱包会立即获得新卡号，不用等实体卡到。你也可以去任何网点今天就领一张临时卡。还有什么需要帮助的吗？

It's not required for the refund, but I'd recommend it — it creates an official record and may help catch the criminals. You should also check your credit report for any suspicious activity. You can get a free report at annualcreditreport.com. And consider placing a fraud alert on your credit file — that makes it harder for someone to open accounts in your name.

退款不需要报警，但我建议报——这会创建一个官方记录并可能有助于抓住罪犯。你也应该查看信用报告有没有可疑活动。可以在 annualcreditreport.com 免费获取。也考虑在你的信用文件上设置欺诈警报——这样别人更难用你的名字开户。