Thomas Morva asked:




The Fair Credit Reporting Act of 2004 has made it necessary for all credit bureaus to provide free credit reports to the public once a year. By September 1, 2005, all Americans were entitled to obtain their credit reports once a year free of charge. The credit reports can be from the three major American credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and Trans Union.

The official website to go to for free credit reports is http://www.annualcreditreport.com. This site provides instant online credit report after you file an online application giving your name, address, and date of birth and social security number. Further clarification and modifications in the credit report are provided by the Federal Trade Commission website that which hosts http://www.ftc.gov/credit.

It should be noted that the above is the only official government website providing free online credit reports. Other websites purport themselves to be official by coining similar names similar to the above and claim to give free online credit reports. Most of these websites do provide credit reports but without a credit score. You also have to pay a fee. However, there are some genuine websites that do provide free credit reports once a year as per the FCRA rules.

A free online credit report contains four major sections – a person’s identification, public records, credit history and information about inquiries from creditors. The credit report would carry the FICO score, which may range from 200 to 850. A credit report of 500+ is considered good; while above 720 is considered excellent. It is this scores that creditors base their opinion on whether to give a loan or not. Credit reports also contain information of any financial upheavals like missed payments, etc.

The availability of free online credit reports has made them all the more accessible to the general public. This favors the government, as people become more aware of their credit problems and try to repair them. This helps build building up national economy. Businesses use these reports to constantly monitor their progress, while the general public uses them to acquire loans, insurances, etc.

Douglas

Marilyn Katz asked:




It seems like every time I turn on the TV, I see a baby faced rocker singing about how he had some really bad luck because he had not visited a certain credit reporting website. The tune is quite catchy. And while we may all be able to sympathize with the quirky situations, we may also want to “get our knowledge on” before signing up for this service.

Are free credit services they really free?

If a major company is spending a lot of money to promote this website, how can it be free? Well, actually you do need to give them a credit card number along with your other registration information. As a convenience to members, you also get enrolled in a service that monitors your credit. But hold on. This additional service is not free. If a member does not cancel within a short period of time, they will see monthly credit card charges for an online credit monitor.

Did you sign up for that?

The company does say they publish this information. But if we can judge by 11,000 Better Business Bureau complaints, the notice may not have been plain enough. Now, after so many complaints, the company says they are changing the way they are publishing this information.

Those of us who have been online for awhile know that most free offers come with some sort of catch. In this case, the service really was free. It was also just really easy to miss the fact that the service came with automatic enrollment in another service with a monthly charge!

US Federal Law Gives You Free Credit Reports

You can get a free credit report with no catches though. Look at this website:

www.annualcreditreport.com

It is run by the three major credit reporting services: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

This website is run by the three major agencies in order to be compliant with federal law. This law is the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT).

Consumers are urged to review their credit reports periodically. Many consumers find simple errors, that are easy to correct. These errors can cost a lot of money in the long run.

Why Check Your Own Credit?

Many consumers do not even know they can get a free report. Even if they do know, a lot of people never bother to do it. They do not understand why it is that important.

You know that people with better credit scores pay less and get better terms when they do borrow money. This can also impact other areas of your life. Some employers ask for credit reports when they screen job applicants. Even insurance companies are starting to look at them too. Some insurance companies will not offer their best rates for people with recent credit issues.

Many people find simple errors when they check their credit. I, myself, have found duplicate entries. This made it look like I had borrowed a lot more money than I had. It was very simple to dispute the errors and get them resolved. You can find instructions on the website.

Since this information is so important, and since it can affect your life, there is no reason to be running blind.

Rosa

Bob Bowman asked:




With so much importance being on checking our credit reports and our scores it is all too easy to get caught in a trap of a recurring billing cycle.

There are many ways to get access to a credit report and as well as accessing your credit score. These are 2 different products and not to be confused. A credit report will give you details on all your accounts as well as your own personal details that are registered with the credit bureaus. What a credit report will not provide is your actual credit score.

The first way

to access your credit score should be over at annualcreditreport.com. This website is provided as a joint venture between all 3 national credit bureaus Experian, Equifax and Transunion. It is however only available to US citizens and is reported to be the only federal approved site of its kind and allows US citizens access to a free copy of their credit reports from the 3 national credit bureaus for free. This allows people to know what information is being held about them. The FACTA legislation which stands for Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act requires all 3 credit bureaus to provide one free copy of their credit report per year and is very useful for keeping an eye on your information and ensuring the records that are held are accurate and up to date.

The second way

you can access these is by going through the myfico website. This isn’t a free platform nor is it the cheapest but it is a one time only payment method thus ensuring that you do not incur a monthly membership fee. There has been a lot of complaints of that nature being reported. Myfico allows you to either purchase 1 credit report or bulk purchase all 3 reports at a discounted price. The option you choose should vary depending on why you are purchasing. Some people use the free reports once per year while others prefer to do this on a 6 month cycle. If you are looking to purchase a copy of your credit report solely just to check your information is accurate and up to date then just the one copy from your chosen credit bureau should be sufficient for that as any inaccurate information will be updated as they will share information. Just may take a little longer than. If, on the other hand you are purchasing for the purposes of credit repair then it would be best to take the 3 reports package as you will be updating to each bureau independently.

The last way

is to sign up to one of the credit reporting agencies as a member which will allow you free access to your credit report. However, these are generally offered on a free trial period of normally 30 days after which you will start to be charged a monthly membership fee. A lot of complaints have been made that the companies offer free credit reports but require card details in order to gain access to the information and then people have trouble cancelling. I have had experience with this problem and it turned out that when you give out the long 16 digit card number and CV2 code (last 3 digits on reverse of card) that you can’t cancel via your bank and it needs to be the company you cancel with. In order to cancel a recurring payment from the bank you must have authorized payment using the sort code and A/C number. So I guess the 16 digit number overrides the other. It is a method that has generated a lot of complaints for them and yet it still goes on.

Gina

Lyn Collier asked:




You don’t have to sign up for a trial membership of a credit protection service to get free copies of your credit reports. There a few one-stop websites where you can order credit reports from all three credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union. It’s easy. One site, Annual Credit Report, is even recommended by Consumer advocate Clark Howard as well as the Consumer Credit Counseling Service.

By the way, your “credit report” is not the same thing as your “credit score.” The reports will give your credit activity only – not your FICO score. The FICO score is a number that is generated using info from all three agencies. It is a product of Fair Isaac Credit Org. (FICO) and must be purchased – $15.95

When you get to the site and start clicking around to request your free report, a few things might concern you. The main thing…and it is kind of unavoidable is the request for you to enter your Social Security number. If you have strong reservations about entering your SS number online, you can just skip the rest of the article and look up the 800 number and do the transaction on the phone. But either way, you will to have to provide your social security number.

Back to the online request. At some point during your online request for a free credit report , each bureau will try to sell you their products. Stay focused.

Here is the protocol for Experian for example: (and they are all pretty much alike so I will spare you the details on the other 2)

Step 1 on the Experian site will offer to sell you your Experian credit score for $5.95. Each bureau assigns a score, but their scores do not represent your FICO score.The FICO score is the one that most creditors use. I don’t recommend buying a credit score from anyone other than FICO. it’s the only one that counts. When asked if you want to purchase your “Experian” score, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “No thanks, I just want my free annual credit report.”

You will cruise through the steps pretty quickly. The only time you might have a problem is if you don’t answer the identification verification questions correctly. If you answer incorrectly you will be given a toll-free number to call where your i.d. can be verified manually.

Once you are done on the Experian site, you will be prompted to return to the Annual Credit Report site and continue with the other credit bureaus.

All the sites will walk you through the same process offering to sell you their products along the way. Remember, your goal is to get free credit reports, not buy stuff. Follow the prompts and you will instantly get your three credit reports free of charge.

Pedro

pworkingston asked:

Things to remember to keep a high credit score with Equifax and Trans Union Canada by Charles Bristoll

Reginald

Marc Marseille asked:




Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America. The effects of identity theft can be a very hurtful experience that mostly occurs during the important moments of your life. Many victims of identity theft do not even realize that someone or in some cases several people have been violating them by getting access to their personal credit bureau report. Protecting your credit bureau report can easily be achieved by getting a copy of your free triple score from all three credit bureaus.

Your free triple score report will provide you with all the information you have reporting with all three credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union. Once you have received your credit bureau report, it is crucial that you do a thorough investigation to make sure that all your information is reporting correctly. If you find that you have been a victim of identity fraud, the best thing to do in that situation is to seek professional legal help through a reputable credit attorney.

It is unfortunate if you find yourself dealing with the situation of having your identity stolen, but there several steps you can take to prevent identity theft before it happens. The first step is to arm yourself with identity protection. Many credit card companies offer identity protection through a small monthly fee on your credit card, but if you have several credit cards, you may want to consider getting a more universal identity protection policy. Getting a universal identity protection policy includes using a company that works hand in hand with the 3 credit bureaus to create a lock on your credit bureau report.

Once you’ve create a lock on your credit report, no one can make any purchases using your information without having to verify some very vital information. To secure yourself even further, it is important to shred all important personal information before disposing of them. Information that should be shredded is bank statements, credit card statements, and anything that shows your Social Security Number.

Another precaution you can take is to never give your Social Security Number over the internet through an unsecured server. One way to find out if the website you are viewing is insecure is by looking at your browser window. All secure internet websites start with https: and not just http:. To make it even safer to surf the internet, you should get virus protection, spyware and a reliable internet explorer like Firefox.

My last recommendation to protection your free triple score report sounds simple enough, but a lot of people fall victim to it everyday; you should never give your Social Security Number over the telephone to a company you do not trust. Unless you have a long lasting relationship with a certain company, it is better to deal in person. If you must give sensitive information over the phone such as banking, try to establish a relationship with one particular individual in that department before you do so.

Laura

Bart Newman asked:




Equifax, TransUnion and Experian are nationwide consumer reporting companies required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act or FCRA to provide consumers a copy of their free credit report with score each year. This Act is implemented by the Federal Trade Commission, a consumer protection agency that also promotes privacy and accuracy of information from these three companies.

In general, a credit score is the measure of credit risk computed from a collection of credit reports using a standardized formula. It includes information of your address, how you pay your bills, and whether you have filed for bankruptcy or have been sued or arrested. The scale for credit score ranges from 349 to 849; indicative, for example, that a 640 rating will most likely give you difficulty getting a good loan. This kind of information are sold by consumer reporting companies to insurers, creditors, employers and businesses for evaluation of your credit, employment, insurance and home rental.

So why would you want to have a copy of your credit report? Because it contains information whether you can get a loan and how much you will have to pay; to make sure that it is up-to-date, accurate, and complete before doing a major purchase for car, insurance, house or even to apply for a job. Getting your report on a regular basis makes you manage your accounts well and lets you venture on possible ways to improve or raise your score. This is also one of the many ways to combat identity theft which has been widespread today especially to internet-related transactions.

To get a free credit report with score, you need to provide your name, date of birth, address, and Social Security number. You may also need to indicate previous addresses if you have moved in the last two years. To ensure your security, every nationwide consumer reporting company asks for information that is exclusive to you.

Along with the credit report, it is also advisable to request for credit monitoring to be updated of any strange transaction or activity on your accounts such as change of account information and opening and closing of investments and bank accounts.

Usually a free credit report with score can be accessed immediately although it may even take longer if the nationwide consumer reporting company requires more information to verify your identity.

Under a state law, consumers living in Vermont, Georgia, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Maryland have access to free credit report with score.

Bryan

Thomas Eliot asked:




People working to pay off their debts to improve their credit score can use free online websites as an incentive. To get your scores online for free you can go to any number of sites which are willing to share this information with you in exchange for your sharing information with them.

Finding out about your score can assist you if you are thinking about taking on more debt, such as in buying a house or automobile. Knowing your score will tell you whether or not you need to work on improving your credit score by paying more each month, or if you can afford to relax and save some money.

Once each year, people can obtain a free credit report from each of the three main credit agencies: TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. If you want, each report can be ordered at the same time. The credit agencies usually charge for obtaining your credit score, but this too can be obtained free from each reporting agency depending on their incentives. It’s important to know that under certain circumstances, your credit report can also be obtained for free more than once a year, such as when you are turned down on a credit application. All three of these agencies also offer other services apart from maintaining and furnishing the reports.

Some companies offer services which alert you about changes in your credit report. They offer advice about lenders and credit card companies which can help a client obtain a favorable credit score. The free offers are most often used to attract potential clients to their other services. But be aware that the free services are only in place for a limited time, and usually they are coupled with registration to other paid services in exchange for accessing your free scores. Occasionally, some banks and credit card operations will post your free credit score updates on their websites; so keep this in mind as you shop around for a credit vendor.

By law, you are entitled to one free credit report from each of the three reporting agencies once each year. In order to obtain your free report, the three credit reporting agencies can be reached at the following toll-free phone numbers and web sites:

Equifax 800-997-2493 or at equifax.com

TransUnion 800-888-4213 or at transunion.com

Experian 888-397-3742 or at experian.com

It is important to keep in mind that you should probably keep your online and other credit score inquiries to a minimum since too many inquiries within a short period of time can have an adverse effect on your ability to obtain credit. Potential creditors can regard too many inquiries within a short period of time (say 30 to 60 days) as a negative, and this can result in the refusal to extend further credit. One thing that helps in this effort is to make sure that any inquires which have been made were all authorized. If there are unauthorized inquiries, write to the credit agency and to the company that made the inquiry to inform them that you did not authorize the inquiry and to remove it from your credit file.

To get your credit score online for free there are websites where you can go and you can have the results within a few minutes. Just search on the search term “free credit score” and you will find them. To obtain your free credit reports, you must go to annualcreditreport.com You can also apply for notification with some free credit score websites so that you will know each time something changes in your credit report.

Vincent

Jack Harmon asked:




If you have spent too much money because of frivolous spending due to having too many credit cards, you may be in trouble. Debt is affecting the credit scores in many countries like Canada because people do not understand how to manage their money and the credit card and store card companies make it too easy for people to do.

Gone are the days of saving up for that perfect pair of jeans. In today’s society you can have everything you want right now, but you will soon feel the stress of paying it all back. This is why you need to find out your credit score no matter where you live.

Credit score Canada can also be found very easily. The same three agencies that control and make up your credit card score are also in Canada. The main credit score Canada agency is Equifax.

Finding Your Canada Credit Score

To find your credit score Canada will also use the FICO system, which takes your salary, expenses, accumulated debt, rates, and more to determine your credit score. This can be shown on a chart which you can find online.

Or you can join the many free companies that allow you to see your credit score Canada as well as the credit reports. You can also choose to be kept updated of any changes to the report via text messages or email notification.

Credit score Canada will be the first step you need to take when getting debt free. To start paying back the outstanding money that you owe will improve your credit rating and once again allow you to get good credit when you are applying for a home loan or credit cards.

The higher the credit score Canada companies will offer you better interest rates and higher credit limits. The limits are often used to help people that do not have a perfect credit score. It forces them to only spend a certain amount of money, and they will soon learn to not reach the limit in a few days.

Canada also has their own websites where you can find your free charts and credit score Canada ratings. Registration is quick and easy and all your information will be kept highly secure.

You can find out your credit score and report in a few minutes and it will be delivered to you online through a private connection. These websites are for Canadian residents only, so if you need to find your credit score for another country then you can use one of the search engines to find one.

Brittany

Tima.ashar asked:


A credit report is an important document today. For availing any type of loan, home mortgage, auto insurance, or credit card services, a good credit report can save on money by lowering the interest rates charged.

The U.S. states allow a free credit report to be provided to any citizen by the three major credit report agencies. A special website allows one to apply for a free credit report.

A credit report is a summary of the credit history of an individual providing details like amounts due, payment history of credit bills, etc. The credit bureaus also provide a credit score that shows in a nutshell the ranking of an individual compared to others.

Credit bureaus like Equifax provide a number of services related to credit reports, and charge customers for the same. Visiting their online sites is the best way to acquaint oneself on issues related to credit reports and credit fraud.

It is important for consumers to keep a regular check on their credit reports as the number of online and offline credit frauds increase, especially identity theft. The bureaus provide services to counter such threats as well.

A good credit report can save one valuable dollars as it can be used to bargain a lower interest rate on credit card purchases and mortgages. A bad credit history can mean a higher interest rate, and may even result in denial of credit or mortgage.

Obtaining a free copy of the credit report is therefore the first step toward keeping a check on one’s spendings and budget.

For more information, please visit: government free credit report



Jeanette