Jeff Lakie asked:




The Federal Trade Commission through an act of Congress has authorized that the three major credit reporting bureaus offer one free copy of your credit report to you on an annual basis. This decision has proven to be a boon for consumers who can now find out what creditors are saying about them and quickly respond to errors and omissions. Not all offers for obtaining free credit reports are truly free. Read on and we’ll explore how you can know if an offer is right for you.

First off, only AnnualCreditReport.com is the internet site established by Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax to provide free credit reports for consumers directly by the three main credit reporting bureaus. At this site, you can get one free copy once annually from each company, but you will have to pay five to eight dollars to obtain your credit score, which is separate from your credit report. You don’t have to order your score, but it is valuable information that can be handy to you.

Secondly, there are companies out there who claim to offer free copies of your credit report and credit score through them. On the surface these could look like better offers, but they always have a string attached, namely other services you must purchase. These services can include credit monitoring, credit watch, and the like. Fees for these services vary, but you’ll probably pay $8 to $12 per month for most services. Add it all up and you will dish out more than $100 for this type of plan while it will only cost you $20 or less through the FTC’s approved site at AnnualCreditReport.com

Finally, It is not wrong for these companies to offer these services to you. It can be a bit misleading, but they usually are upfront about what is offered to you through their plans. However, if you pull your credit reports on a regular basis, then you simply don’t need their credit watch service. Just keep an eye on things through your free reports and mostly everything should be okay.

If you elect to use a credit monitoring plan, make certain that you can cancel the plan at any time. Avoid annual contracts but use the companies if you need an extra set of eyes to look out for trouble on your behalf. In some cases they can be of value, but in most cases your own work will save you plenty of money over the long run.

Mildred

Lee Cole asked:




Your free triple score credit report is very important because identity theft is huge and on the rise in America and elsewhere. What’s even worse about identity theft is it’s a crime that occurs without you even knowing it. You can learn that you’ve been a victim of identity theft years after the crimes has taken place.

Maybe you sold your house and applied for a new loan only to find out that some criminal has taken your creidt score and flushed it down the toilet. Or maybe you start getting bills in the mail for items you’ve never purchased. Either way, identity theft is a horrible experience to go through.

One of the ways you can protect yourself from identity theft is through your free triple score credit report. You are entitled to a free credit report from each of the credit reporting bureaus each year. That would be from TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. When you download your credit report, you need to go through it carefully and look for anything unusual. If you find anything out of line, then you might need experienced help. There are reputable attorneys who specialize in this sort of problem.

When you find out you’ve been a victim of identity theft, it really takes the wind out of your sales. It’s degrading and humiliating. Not to mention the fact it makes you feel very vulnerable and powerless. There are, however, several steps you take take to protect yourself.

One thing you can do is to contact your bank or credit card company and see how much identity theft protect costs. Another thing you can do is to look into any of several companies, which guarantee your identity. This costs a fee, but the peace of mind can surely be worth it. Another thing you can do is to lock your credit report, or put a fraud alert on it.

One you lock your credit report, no one can make any purchases using your information without having to verify vital information. To make your identity even more secure, you should shred all sensitive information. Bank statements, credit card statements, anything that shows your social security number should all be shredded.

Another thing you can do is to be very careful about giving information out over the Internet, especially over a non-secure server. If you make any purchases online, make sure that this is over a https: connection not just an http: connection. Also, you want to make sure your information is encrypted.

A final thing you can do to protect your information an protect your free triple credit score report is to never, ever give out information over the phone to a company that you didn’t call. Make sure that you’re not being scammed by the person on the other end of the phone call.

Kelly

Jed C. Jones Ph.D. asked:




Your FICO score determines everything from your eligibility for car and home loans to the interest rate on your loans. Before you refinance your home or car, you owe it to yourself to find out your current score and then improve it as much as possible. Improving your score by just 50 points could save you $1,000s in annual payments. Reason: a better score means much lower interest rates, which can save you literally $200-$300 or more each month on your home or auto payments. You have an amazing opportunity to get your credit score for free online and taking advantage of it is definitely worthwhile. Here are 5 tips for getting your free online FICO score report:

Tip #1: Remember that your report is your right as a U.S. citizen: The U.S. Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the Big Three national credit reporting bureaus to provide you with a free copy your report every 12 months upon request.

Tip #2: Get your report only from the one official source: There is only one official source from which to obtain your FCRA-authorized free credit reports: the Annual Credit Report Request service. This is a service implemented jointly by the Big Three credit bureaus. Note: many other Web sites do offer free online FICO score reports, but those offers may come with strings attached such as billing your credit card each month after an initial, free-trial period.

Tip #3: Prepare the necessary information: Before you order your FICO report, be sure to prepare the necessary information needed to pull it. Required items should not require any special research: your name, current address, social security number, and date of birth. However, if you have moved within the past two years, be sure to have your previous address on hand. Note: during the order process, you may be asked additional information that only you may know in order to verify your identity.

Tip #4: Get your authorized report via the Internet or by mail: Search for Annual Credit Report Request online to find the current Web address or physical address from which to order your report. You can also download a printable order form from the official Web site and then send in your order form via regular mail.

Tip #5: Monitor your report monthly: Given the identity theft epidemic and the common occurrence of credit report errors, it is wise to check your reports from all three national bureaus each month. There are many Web sites that offer this service and you can cancel at any time in most cases. Most of these sites will give you valid credit information for a fee and are completely legitimate. Just remember to read the terms and conditions carefully before use.

Improving your FICO score can save you $1,000s in annual debt payments. When obtaining your score, remember that the free annual report authorized by the FCRA is only available from a single official source. However, to obtain monthly credit report updates for a fee, subscribe to the services any of a number of legitimate online sources.

Gloria

Mike Trudeau asked:


You’ve probably seen the many advertisements that promise, a free credit report. You may have asked yourself, how is it possible for all these companies to offer these attractive free services? The answer is, like a lot of things; there is a catch. The catch, of course, isn’t an obvious one, when it comes time to sign up for a free credit report. What many of these unscrupulous companies do is they get you signed up for a free credit report first. Many consumers are finding out the hard way that they have been taken with things like recurring billing and the like. This is how a large number of companies offering free credit reports make their money.

Fortunately, there is a solution to this. Due to numerous consumer complaints the government has provided a resource that allows you to get a truly free credit report. By going to annualcreditreport dot com you can get a free credit report, thanks to our government. The only drawback, however, is that you can only get one free credit report once a year from each of the three credit reporting bureaus.

So, you may be asking, why is it important first time home buyer to get a free credit report? Your credit report shows a complete history of your credit. In some cases, this is gratifying, and others it is disturbing. Regardless of how great you think your credit is it’s always a good idea to check your credit. With identity theft on the rise, checking your credit regularly is more importance than ever. Getting a free credit report, the right way, doesn’t cost you a thing. What it does for you is allow you to see if there are any issues on your credit history. This can be particularly important for the first time home buyer. If you have unresolved issues looming on your credit report it could negatively affect your credit score, resulting in a higher mortgage rate. And assuming that getting the lowest rate on your mortgage is important, you’ll want to make sure your credit is squeaky clean.

It is not at all uncommon for individuals to find mistakes on their credit report. These mistakes can be cleared up, relatively easily with your creditors. You may have an unresolved bill that’s holding your credit down. Even the smallest of unpaid bills can have a negative affect on your credit. All these things can go unresolved if you’re not on top or credit report. Discovering these issues helps in the process of improving your credit so that you get the lowest interest rate possible on your home loan.

Things are hard enough the first time home buyer. You have to come up with a large down payment. You have two get approved for a loan. You have to cover closing costs. The list goes on. Getting your credit straightened out is one of the easiest ways to get on track for the first time home buyer.

After you make sure you have no credit issues, or you get any unresolved issues straightened out, you’ve taken the all-important first step. There are many first time home buyer programs available. Some allow for lower down payments or lower interest rates when it comes to buying your first home. You can withdraw money from qualified plans early if you’re a first time home buyer. There are even some grants in specific states available. Do some homework and be sure to take advantage of these programs, it can save you substantially. And with the cost of real estate, and just how hard it is to be a first time home buyer, you’ll need every advantage you can get.



Carmen

Jay Delgado asked:


You have the right to obtain one free credit report a year from each of the major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Reviewing your free credit reports each year can be extremely beneficial when it comes to protecting and improving your credit standing. If you have not taken advantage of this free resource, you should do so immediately.

There are three ways that you can order your free report:

* Online: When you order your credit report online, you will be able to view and print it instantly.

* Phone: 1-877-322-8228. If you order your report by phone, it will take 15 days to process your request.

* Mail: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta GA 30348-5281. You will need to fill out a request form to order your report by mail. It may take 3 to 4 weeks to receive your report through the mail.

Remember; you can only obtain your free annual credit report through Annual Credit Report; you can NOT contact the credit agencies directly for your free report. They will provide you with a report, but you will have to pay for it (average cost $10.50).

When you request your free credit report, you need to have the following information: address, social security number and date of birth. If you have lived at your current address for less than two years, you will need to provide your previous address. You will also need to be able to provide information about your personal financial affairs so that the bureaus can confirm your identity. Some of the most common questions asked by credit bureaus involve information that you are very familiar with such as the amount of your mortgage payment, car payment or credit card balance.

In addition to one free annual credit report, there are special circumstances where you may be eligible for a free report directly from one of the credit reporting bureaus:

* Adverse Action: If you are turned down for credit, employment or insurance benefits because of information contained on your credit report, you are entitled to a free report within 60 days of receiving notice of the action. The notice will include all the information you need to request your free report.

* Unemployment: If you are unemployed and plan to look for a job within the next 60 days, you can request a free credit report from one of the three main credit reporting agencies. You are only allowed one per year. This also applies for families receiving public assistance.

* Identity Theft: If your report is inaccurate because of fraud or identity theft, you can request one free copy per year.

Most financial advisers recommend that you review your credit report for errors every 90 days. If you are not requesting your free reports regularly, you could be putting your financial future in jeopardy. Nearly 25% of credit reports contain errors that can lead to a denial of credit. Yours may be one of them, but you will never know unless you check it out for yourself.



Neil