Posts Tagged Credit Reports
Free Online Credit Reports: Easy Way to Keep Credit Records
Posted by admin in Home Theater on November 6, 2010
Free yearly credit reports: Great help to keep a proper financial record
Posted by admin in Other - Arts & Humanities on November 6, 2010
Free Credit Check Reports – Online Access To Credit Scores And Rating
Posted by admin in Credit Organizations on November 6, 2010
What Free Merchant Account Holders Should Know About Credit Reports
Posted by admin in Charge Offs on November 6, 2010
Free Printable Online Credit Report – Why You Should Obtain One?
Ann Born asked:
If you are like the many users, you are getting your personal credit report via the internet. If you have not and are considering doing so, there may be a few things you should know. Were you aware that you could get a free printable online credit report through the many places that offer credit reports online? Most of the web sites that offer credit reports will offer a printable version as well.
Getting your free printable online credit report can help you save a good deal of time and prevent the need to constantly go back and forth reading and re-reading the report repeatedly. By using the option to get a free printable online credit report, you will be able to go over it thoroughly right at your desk, table or anywhere. This could give you a better insight into what is on the credit report that you may not be able to get from the computer screen.
Your personal credit report may contain some items you need to carefully investigate and understand that may be hurting your credit rating. Having the free printable online credit report right in front of you can help you come up with a plan to report errors and improve your credit rating.
Many of the web sites on the internet offering credit reports online, offer a free 30 day trial. Take advantage of this trial and receive a free printable online credit report. After you receive this, you can then cancel the membership to that web site if you think you will no longer need to use their services.
It is important that you understand that as a free member, you may not be entitled to a free printable online credit report on every web site. As their popularity increases, most reporting companies are putting an end to the free printable online credit reports. You may have to pay a small fee on some for the printable version.
There are many advantages to having a free printable online credit report. For example, if you find yourself turned down for credit, you have the option of taking them the report and giving them a first hand look at what is contained in your credit report. If this does not influence their decision, take your very detailed plan on improving your credit. By showing them your determination and ability to make each payment every month, you may find them more accepting of your credit application.
Peter
If you are like the many users, you are getting your personal credit report via the internet. If you have not and are considering doing so, there may be a few things you should know. Were you aware that you could get a free printable online credit report through the many places that offer credit reports online? Most of the web sites that offer credit reports will offer a printable version as well.
Getting your free printable online credit report can help you save a good deal of time and prevent the need to constantly go back and forth reading and re-reading the report repeatedly. By using the option to get a free printable online credit report, you will be able to go over it thoroughly right at your desk, table or anywhere. This could give you a better insight into what is on the credit report that you may not be able to get from the computer screen.
Your personal credit report may contain some items you need to carefully investigate and understand that may be hurting your credit rating. Having the free printable online credit report right in front of you can help you come up with a plan to report errors and improve your credit rating.
Many of the web sites on the internet offering credit reports online, offer a free 30 day trial. Take advantage of this trial and receive a free printable online credit report. After you receive this, you can then cancel the membership to that web site if you think you will no longer need to use their services.
It is important that you understand that as a free member, you may not be entitled to a free printable online credit report on every web site. As their popularity increases, most reporting companies are putting an end to the free printable online credit reports. You may have to pay a small fee on some for the printable version.
There are many advantages to having a free printable online credit report. For example, if you find yourself turned down for credit, you have the option of taking them the report and giving them a first hand look at what is contained in your credit report. If this does not influence their decision, take your very detailed plan on improving your credit. By showing them your determination and ability to make each payment every month, you may find them more accepting of your credit application.
Peter
Free Credit Reports – How to Get Them
Jay Brahmanheimer asked:
Many people that are currently suffering in the financial straits of our failing economy are looking for ways to better their money situation. One of the ways that people can get a handle on their finances is to know exactly where they stand in regard to their credit rating. Here are a few suggestions on what to do when looking for a free credit report.
We have been conditioned over the years to understand that when something is offered at no cost, typically there is a catch. Perhaps it is a way of getting you to stay at a hotel that requires you to buy a timeshare. Other times, free gifts are offered if you purchase a certain amount of merchandise from their corporation.
In regard to our finances, we need to be careful in regard to how we look on paper, especially when we are trying to do something large such as purchase a house or become more economically stable. It is important that our rating is high in order for us to receive the additional credit that we need.
One of the things to watch out for in regard to understanding your overall rating is that it is based upon certain criteria. Not only is it based upon how many payments you have made on time, but the overall amount that you have access to in total.
So when looking at an offer that provide you with a free credit report, always remember that they must do this by law and that they have something that they are trying to sell. Most of them offer a more detailed report which examines all three of the major credit bureaus.
Although the cost is nominal, you simply need to be aware that it exists and not to be upset if they offer you one of their services. They are online which cost them money and therefore to offset those costs, they need to provide a service or a product to compensate not only their employees but their presence on the World Wide Web.
Once you have decided which company to choose, there will be many packages. Choose the one that best fits your needs and use that one. The prices will range anywhere from a few dollars to over $100 depending upon the information that comes with the package.
If you decide to choose one of the packages, always sure to use a credit card that you can pay off immediately. One of the greatest difficulties in our society today is having a charge and forget mentality. Therefore, regardless of how much it is, make a note to yourself to pay it off so that interest does not accrue.
Finding credit help or information that is affordable can sometimes be a challenge. However, once you have it, you will have a road map or guideline of what you need to do to improve your rating. Get your free credit report today.
Louise
Many people that are currently suffering in the financial straits of our failing economy are looking for ways to better their money situation. One of the ways that people can get a handle on their finances is to know exactly where they stand in regard to their credit rating. Here are a few suggestions on what to do when looking for a free credit report.
We have been conditioned over the years to understand that when something is offered at no cost, typically there is a catch. Perhaps it is a way of getting you to stay at a hotel that requires you to buy a timeshare. Other times, free gifts are offered if you purchase a certain amount of merchandise from their corporation.
In regard to our finances, we need to be careful in regard to how we look on paper, especially when we are trying to do something large such as purchase a house or become more economically stable. It is important that our rating is high in order for us to receive the additional credit that we need.
One of the things to watch out for in regard to understanding your overall rating is that it is based upon certain criteria. Not only is it based upon how many payments you have made on time, but the overall amount that you have access to in total.
So when looking at an offer that provide you with a free credit report, always remember that they must do this by law and that they have something that they are trying to sell. Most of them offer a more detailed report which examines all three of the major credit bureaus.
Although the cost is nominal, you simply need to be aware that it exists and not to be upset if they offer you one of their services. They are online which cost them money and therefore to offset those costs, they need to provide a service or a product to compensate not only their employees but their presence on the World Wide Web.
Once you have decided which company to choose, there will be many packages. Choose the one that best fits your needs and use that one. The prices will range anywhere from a few dollars to over $100 depending upon the information that comes with the package.
If you decide to choose one of the packages, always sure to use a credit card that you can pay off immediately. One of the greatest difficulties in our society today is having a charge and forget mentality. Therefore, regardless of how much it is, make a note to yourself to pay it off so that interest does not accrue.
Finding credit help or information that is affordable can sometimes be a challenge. However, once you have it, you will have a road map or guideline of what you need to do to improve your rating. Get your free credit report today.
Louise
All Of Your Credit Reports Should Be Viewed
Posted by admin in Credit Report on September 20, 2010
There’s cetain errors in one credit file and what do you do. Various lenders may choose to obtain one or all three of your credit reports. So it’s a wise idea to see your free credit score from all 3 credit reports}. Another thing you need to remember is the value of seeing your FICO report. A FICO score is not the same from your regular credit scores. It uses a different method for producing your FICO score. Many creditors puts get emphasis on your FICO report to judge whether you get approved for a loan. It’s prudent to check your FICO score before asking for a auto loan. But in most cases you have to pay a fee to obtain your FICO score. But there’s always some spcial deals out there. Once again compare the various features of these services. There’s a very select few services that do offer a free FICO report. And as mentioned earlier, be sure to cancel your free trial before the trial period ends, or you’ll be charged for the membership. What are the facts about free fico score services. Puzzled by the numerous credit report offers out there? To begin with, your credit reports can be obtained for free once an year from the three credit bureaus. Thats the law. But most credit experts advise that you check your credit files at least once every 6 months. To obtain your scores more than once, you?ll have to pay a fee to each of the three credit bureaus. Not to mention is the lengthy time and headaches it takes going through every one of their application process. But there is actually a technique that you can implement to conveniently see your scores without going through all that trouble. You can receive your reports for free as well. It’s by applying through the various 3 credit scores programs out there. These are actually credit monitoring companies that offer a free trial and let’s you see your credit files at no charge. Just make sure to cancel before the free trial ends otherwise you’ll be charged for the membership. Free trial periods vary from offer to offer, so be sure to take note of that as well.There’s credit file offers where you can obtain your credit files from a single credit bureau. Some services allow you to view your credit files from all 3 credit bureaus. The three bureaus are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. The fact you need to remember is that information found in one credit agency report may not be the same with what’s on the others. Certain information on your Experian credit report may be omitted on the others for example.
Credit score basics
creditcardstv asked:
Jeremy Simon, staff reporter with CreditCards.com, explains the ins and outs of credit scores and credit reports. For more information, visit www.creditcards.com
James
Legal Free Credit Repair – Are There No Cost Options to Boost My Score?
Ian Hollander asked:
When most folks start considering fixing their credit
reports, the very first consideration usually is the cost,
and legality of the credit repair process. Cost is an
important variable for an obvious reason, these are
typically people like you and I who have had some form of
financial difficulty in the past ( or even while trying to
fix your credit) and you certainly do not want to compound
the problem by taking on another financial obligation you
cannot afford.
The other consideration should be the legality of the repair
process you are considering. Now, let me first make one
thing very clear. For the most part, by and large, most
mainstream credit repair techniques are totally and
completely legal. There are very specific and definitive
laws which not only give you the right to dispute items on
your financial file that you feel are incorrect, but also
lay out a very consumer friendly ( this is good for us! )
process by which the credit bureaus must follow in
accommodating your challenge. There is no inherent cost for
this, ( other than time and materials ) and can be done by
ANYONE regardless of education, background or means.
So if credit repair can be done legally, and for free, why
is there such controversy about the process and costs
involved?
This is a great question. Unfortunately, what happens is
that once people recognize an opportunity to profiteer from
the pain of others, and can work in some savvy marketing
materials into the mix, you end up with all of these
expensive, exotic credit repair processes that are
confusing, shrouded in questionable ethics and
effectiveness, and at worst, potentially illegal and will
put you in a much hotter kettle of water than a bad fico
score.
Things you need to avoid? File segregation services, new ID
numbers, anything that sounds like murky, muddy advice –
probably is! Anything that promises to fix your credit using
a “computer overnight” is also worth ignoring. Again, as we
have said over and over, if it sounds too good to be true,
it is!
Can you fix your credit using legal, easy, and ethical
means? Absolutely. Can it be done quickly and for a very low
cost. Yes, it most definitely can. You are guaranteed the
right to have an accurate credit report. Congress has
mandated this for all of us. It is the backbone of a fair
and balanced economic system for all Americans. If there are
items on your report that need to be challenged, you can do
this LEGALLY and for FREE!
So if your credit is problematic, no more excuses! You are
standing on the threshold of a new financial future. Take
that next step to make it a good one.
Lynn
When most folks start considering fixing their credit
reports, the very first consideration usually is the cost,
and legality of the credit repair process. Cost is an
important variable for an obvious reason, these are
typically people like you and I who have had some form of
financial difficulty in the past ( or even while trying to
fix your credit) and you certainly do not want to compound
the problem by taking on another financial obligation you
cannot afford.
The other consideration should be the legality of the repair
process you are considering. Now, let me first make one
thing very clear. For the most part, by and large, most
mainstream credit repair techniques are totally and
completely legal. There are very specific and definitive
laws which not only give you the right to dispute items on
your financial file that you feel are incorrect, but also
lay out a very consumer friendly ( this is good for us! )
process by which the credit bureaus must follow in
accommodating your challenge. There is no inherent cost for
this, ( other than time and materials ) and can be done by
ANYONE regardless of education, background or means.
So if credit repair can be done legally, and for free, why
is there such controversy about the process and costs
involved?
This is a great question. Unfortunately, what happens is
that once people recognize an opportunity to profiteer from
the pain of others, and can work in some savvy marketing
materials into the mix, you end up with all of these
expensive, exotic credit repair processes that are
confusing, shrouded in questionable ethics and
effectiveness, and at worst, potentially illegal and will
put you in a much hotter kettle of water than a bad fico
score.
Things you need to avoid? File segregation services, new ID
numbers, anything that sounds like murky, muddy advice –
probably is! Anything that promises to fix your credit using
a “computer overnight” is also worth ignoring. Again, as we
have said over and over, if it sounds too good to be true,
it is!
Can you fix your credit using legal, easy, and ethical
means? Absolutely. Can it be done quickly and for a very low
cost. Yes, it most definitely can. You are guaranteed the
right to have an accurate credit report. Congress has
mandated this for all of us. It is the backbone of a fair
and balanced economic system for all Americans. If there are
items on your report that need to be challenged, you can do
this LEGALLY and for FREE!
So if your credit is problematic, no more excuses! You are
standing on the threshold of a new financial future. Take
that next step to make it a good one.
Lynn
Are there really any FREE credit reports out there?
Posted by admin in Financial Aid on April 14, 2010
Get your free credit report
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
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
The Benefit of Checking Your Free Credit Report in the UK
Posted by admin in Personal Finance on February 10, 2010
Dave Joa asked:
Instant Online Access.
Today in the UK you can now have instant access to get your free credit report online.
But what are the benefits of being able to see this record of your credit history and the other details that the credit reference agencies hold about you on your personal credit file.
In order to look at every potential benefit that your credit report could give you, we need to look at what your credit report is used for.
Who Uses Your Credit Report And How?
Your free credit report in the UK will be used by financial institutions whenever you apply to them for credit cards, loans or mortgages and by other companies when you apply for any product or service that requires you to sign up for some form of credit, such as a mobile phone contract.
All these companies want to know your current credit rating and they will determine this using your credit score, which they calculate with their own company formula using information on your credit history and current credit status from a copy of your credit report.
This credit check will involve checking your credit report from one of the three credit reference agencies in the UK all of which gather relevant credit and personal ID information about you to create your credit file.
Failed A Credit Check?
If you fail a credit check and don’t get the loan or credit you applied for, you usually won’t be told why or which credit reference agency was used.
However, the details held on your credit report can help you find out what is causing your application to be refused.
The reason may not even be a valid one as it is very easy for a mistake, typing error or old inaccurate information to be held on one of your three credit reports.
Such errors may relate to your credit history or the other personal data on your credit record, which is used to confirm your identification and what you put on your application form.
Major Benefit
A higher credit score will help ensure that you get the loans or credit you want and that you will get a better rate of interest than if your credit rating were lower.
To ensure that your credit score and therefore your credit rating is as high as it can be you need to make sure that everything on all three of your credit reports is accurate and up to date.
You therefore need to get a copy of your credit report from each of the 3 credit reference agencies. Don’t assume that if one is correct that the others will be!
Fortunately you can get instant online access your credit report at each agency for free as all agencies are currently offering a free trial of their UK credit report service.
You should take advantage of this to check all three of our credit reports and fix them if you find any problems. Just talk to the relevant agency about how to get issues with your credit report resolved.
Remember however that this could take time so start as soon as possible, especially if you are planning to apply for a loan or other credit some time soon.
Other Benefits
Your credit reports are a great asset and should be checked and maintained just like you check you bank statements. If you don’t check them they could easily become your greatest liability.
Effective management of your credit report could save you a lot of money over time and ensure that you are not refused credit when you need it.
If you are going to apply for a loan or mortgage then it makes sense to check you credit reports before applying as failed applications will be recorded on your credit file and can lower your credit score making your next credit application even more likely to fail.
When you fix your credit reports and get your credit score to be as high as possible you will be able to borrow more money from lenders and get more credit and all at lower interest rates.
Checking you credit report regularly is a great way of making sure that your identity has not been stolen and used in fraud to steal money or pay for products and services using your personal details and your money.
Compare reports from different credit agencies to make sure that they are all the same because when you apply for credit you have no way of knowing which credit reference agency your potential lender will use.
So What Next?
It is very easy to check your UK credit reports and you can do this online for free.
So do it now before you forget to make the most of this opportunity.
Terry
Instant Online Access.
Today in the UK you can now have instant access to get your free credit report online.
But what are the benefits of being able to see this record of your credit history and the other details that the credit reference agencies hold about you on your personal credit file.
In order to look at every potential benefit that your credit report could give you, we need to look at what your credit report is used for.
Who Uses Your Credit Report And How?
Your free credit report in the UK will be used by financial institutions whenever you apply to them for credit cards, loans or mortgages and by other companies when you apply for any product or service that requires you to sign up for some form of credit, such as a mobile phone contract.
All these companies want to know your current credit rating and they will determine this using your credit score, which they calculate with their own company formula using information on your credit history and current credit status from a copy of your credit report.
This credit check will involve checking your credit report from one of the three credit reference agencies in the UK all of which gather relevant credit and personal ID information about you to create your credit file.
Failed A Credit Check?
If you fail a credit check and don’t get the loan or credit you applied for, you usually won’t be told why or which credit reference agency was used.
However, the details held on your credit report can help you find out what is causing your application to be refused.
The reason may not even be a valid one as it is very easy for a mistake, typing error or old inaccurate information to be held on one of your three credit reports.
Such errors may relate to your credit history or the other personal data on your credit record, which is used to confirm your identification and what you put on your application form.
Major Benefit
A higher credit score will help ensure that you get the loans or credit you want and that you will get a better rate of interest than if your credit rating were lower.
To ensure that your credit score and therefore your credit rating is as high as it can be you need to make sure that everything on all three of your credit reports is accurate and up to date.
You therefore need to get a copy of your credit report from each of the 3 credit reference agencies. Don’t assume that if one is correct that the others will be!
Fortunately you can get instant online access your credit report at each agency for free as all agencies are currently offering a free trial of their UK credit report service.
You should take advantage of this to check all three of our credit reports and fix them if you find any problems. Just talk to the relevant agency about how to get issues with your credit report resolved.
Remember however that this could take time so start as soon as possible, especially if you are planning to apply for a loan or other credit some time soon.
Other Benefits
Your credit reports are a great asset and should be checked and maintained just like you check you bank statements. If you don’t check them they could easily become your greatest liability.
Effective management of your credit report could save you a lot of money over time and ensure that you are not refused credit when you need it.
If you are going to apply for a loan or mortgage then it makes sense to check you credit reports before applying as failed applications will be recorded on your credit file and can lower your credit score making your next credit application even more likely to fail.
When you fix your credit reports and get your credit score to be as high as possible you will be able to borrow more money from lenders and get more credit and all at lower interest rates.
Checking you credit report regularly is a great way of making sure that your identity has not been stolen and used in fraud to steal money or pay for products and services using your personal details and your money.
Compare reports from different credit agencies to make sure that they are all the same because when you apply for credit you have no way of knowing which credit reference agency your potential lender will use.
So What Next?
It is very easy to check your UK credit reports and you can do this online for free.
So do it now before you forget to make the most of this opportunity.
Terry
The Truth About "free" Credit Reports
Posted by admin in Non Profit Organizations on January 16, 2010
Brown Heys asked:
We set the record straight so that won’t happen. Text How many of us have looked at anything offered to us for “free”? Not me? Of course I have. In this day in age when gas prices are listed as “Arm” and “Leg”, providing health insurance for your family costs more than some mortgage payments and the cost of raising kids looks like a hockey stick pasted onto a graph, you bet I look at offers to save money.
Therein lie’s the problem. It seems like the vast majority of American consumers are desperate to cut costs, any costs, and will jump too soon at offers promising to do just that. Sometimes when you combine a cost cutting mentality with the importance of credit, not only to purchase the big ticket items important to us, but more and more to simply survive in this economy, desperation happens. Unfortunately, the marketers know this too. So, without a little education anyone can get confused and the likelihood of being taken advantage of increases significantly. The good news is that just a little education will save you plenty.
Take for example, the term “Free Credit Report”. It now ranks right up there with the ubiquitous, “new” and “improved”. “Free Credit Report” has become part of that lexicon of advertising buzz words that are absolutely meaningless to me. But for many, there is much confusion over this term. Why? I think mainly because it has been announced that federal law dictates we are all entitled to a free credit report on the front page of all the newspapers.
We know everyone wants a free credit report, which is why we started our site. People naturally want something that is mandated by law to be at no cost, is front page news and is so incredibly important to each of us if we want to purchase just about anything. We know people want their free credit report and because most all of us work so hard for our money, we think people deserve hearing the truth about the subject. That is why we even put a section on our page entitled, “The Truth About Free Credit Reports”.
So, is it not true? Yes, it is true, it’s just that the devil is in the details and the resulting confusion has been a bonanza for those seeking to cash in on the confusion. In fact, each of us in the good ole U. S. of A. is entitled to a free credit report. But, how do you get it? Where do you get it? Who is giving it to you? Why is it being offered for free? And most importantly, who cannot offer you one for free?
Who cannot offer a free credit report? Let’s start with the last one first because it shines a lot of light on the rest of the questions. Any company, web site or service that is in business for a profit and is not named Experian, Trans Union or Equifax is not able to provide anyone at any time with anything remotely resembling a credit report free of cost. Period. End of story. Got that? Further, there is one place set up on the web to get free copies of credit reports at no cost and it is: www.annualcreditreport.com . We’ll talk more about this site a little later but, other wise, caveat emptor, let the buyer beware.
How then are these offers being made? Look closely, the “Free” report is usually offered initially upon signing up for a service that charges your credit card each month for monitoring your credit. If you cancel the service just in the nick of time, before the charge is made to your card, you will get it at no cost. What a hassle! And the bet is you will wake up at least one, if not a couple or more months later with several charges to your card. You think these guys make foolish bets?!
Then what caused a free credit report to be offered on the front page of newspapers, who is providing them and how and where do I get one? Due to the importance of consumer credit history, identity theft and complaints from consumer rights groups about having to purchase a credit report in order to gain knowledge about the contents shown on individual consumer reports, even if it was reported inaccurately, a change was mandated.
The Fair and Accurate Consumer Trade Act (FACTA), a revision of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, provided for one credit report free of charge from the reporting agencies (Experian, Trans Union and Equifax) every twelve months, if and only if, you haven’t received a credit report in the previous twelve months. The consumer, by either mailing a written request to the three major credit reporting agencies or going to www.annualcreditreport.com one can obtain the free report if they meet the criteria. This program was and is being phased in to sections of the U.S. by the credit reporting agencies starting in the western states, with the northeastern states at the time of this writing still to come.
However, Pamela Yip of The Dallas Morning News writes that even this has not been without its problems.
“The Federal Trade Commission said Experian Information Solutions Inc., one of the three major credit bureaus, settled complaints that it “deceptively marketed ‘free credit reports’ by not adequately disclosing that consumers automatically would be signed up for a credit report monitoring service and charged $79.95 if they didn’t cancel within 30 days… . With the help of the Federal Trade Commission, the bureaus established www.annualcreditreport.com as the only authorized online source for consumers to get a free report under federal law.
While many consumers haven’t had any problem getting their reports, others say they’ve been hit with sales pitches for products and services from the credit bureaus or were diverted to imposter sites. The FTC said the company led consumers to its www.freecredit report.com and www.consumer info.com Web sites. Radio, TV, e-mail and Web ads promised free reports and “a bonus – free trials of a credit-monitoring service.”
The FTC said consumers “were assured that: ‘Your card will not be charged during the free trial period. However, valid credit card information is required to establish your account.’ “
What the Web sites didn’t adequately disclose is that consumers would be charged the $79.95 annual fee if they didn’t cancel within 30 days, the FTC said.
“ConsumerInfo billed the credit cards that it had told consumers were ‘required only to establish your account,’ and, in some cases, automatically renewed memberships by rebilling consumers without notice,” the agency said.
As part of the settlement, the FTC required ConsumerInfo.com, an Experian company, to “give up $950,000 in ill-gotten gains.”
Experian also has agreed to provide refunds to consumers who purchased credit-monitoring products and ordered a free credit report between Nov. 1, 2000, and Sept. 15, 2003.
“It’s unfair and deceptive to promise consumers something for free and then trick them into paying for products they didn’t want in the first place,” said Lydia Parnes, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
“It wasn’t an attempt to mislead at all,” said Peg Smith, an Experian executive vice president. “We absolutely deny any wrongdoing.” She does acknowledge that consumers may have been confused.
“To the effect that our product offering has caused that confusion, we certainly regret that,” Ms. Smith said. “We encourage consumers to read the language in any disclosure on any Web site, including our own.”
The FTC also requires ConsumerInfo.com to state clearly that its free credit report offer isn’t related to the federal program.” http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=list&p_topdoc=21
The reality is that no one credit report or combination of three credit reports by and of themselves is sufficient to educate oneself about where you stand as a consumer in the eyes of a lender. Imagine a high speed race boat zooming across a lake at top speed without a steering wheel. Where it is going is a complete mystery but one thing is for sure, it will crash and crash quickly unless you get control. That’s right, you. Because without your credit scores and the knowledge about what they mean, how they were calculated or how a lender views them, you are headed for a crash.
No bank, credit card issuer, mortgage company, retail store or any other credit provider will grant you any item, service or product without looking almost exclusively at your credit scores and the average person has no idea what their scores are and even if they did, many if not most, wouldn’t know what they mean.
For example, most people don’t even know that repeated “pulling” of your credit reports by potential credit grantors lowers your scores by as much as four points per “pull”. You start “shopping” around for the best rate on a credit card by allowing each credit issuer to run a credit report on you and your score will take a dive. The difference between a 699 score and a 700 represents thousands and thousands of dollars in interest.
Often, credit issuers don’t make it perfectly clear that your credit history is being accessed when you respond to their offer for a new card over the phone. The call center sales representative also doesn’t explain and state clearly to you, that your credit history will show an “official inquiry” which counts against your scores whether you are accepted or rejected.
Most people don’t know that a maxed out credit card lowers their scores even if they pay on time every month. Many don’t know until it is too late that one late payment on one credit card will cause the interest rate charged to skyrocket not only on that card but any other cards that have a balance! Most also don’t know that a credit card balance showing less than thirty per cent of the available balance improves the score. Most don’t know that in calculating credit scores, your payment history counts as 35% of the score, amounts owed count 30% of the score, length of your credit history counts 15% of the score, new credit is 10% of the score and types of credit in use is 10%.
What is the truth about free credit reports? The truth, is that consumers need to read the fine print very, very carefully and get educated. The truth about credit reports in general is that only part of the story is being told by one. The truth, is that knowledge is power and without it your money is being taken from you, your buying power and therefore your future is being dictated to you rather than by you and that the cost of everything including insurance is based on your scores.
If asked for my advice to the average consumer? Worry less about getting a “free” report and more about the real cost of being ignorant regarding credit. Worry more about the immediate and long term costs of not taking control of what is reported on your credit report both the correct and incorrect. Gain some credit knowledge. It is easy to do and will literally save you a fortune. One thing is absolutely for sure, your money and future and your children’s future will be severely impacted by your credit. How, is up to you.
Marjorie
We set the record straight so that won’t happen. Text How many of us have looked at anything offered to us for “free”? Not me? Of course I have. In this day in age when gas prices are listed as “Arm” and “Leg”, providing health insurance for your family costs more than some mortgage payments and the cost of raising kids looks like a hockey stick pasted onto a graph, you bet I look at offers to save money.
Therein lie’s the problem. It seems like the vast majority of American consumers are desperate to cut costs, any costs, and will jump too soon at offers promising to do just that. Sometimes when you combine a cost cutting mentality with the importance of credit, not only to purchase the big ticket items important to us, but more and more to simply survive in this economy, desperation happens. Unfortunately, the marketers know this too. So, without a little education anyone can get confused and the likelihood of being taken advantage of increases significantly. The good news is that just a little education will save you plenty.
Take for example, the term “Free Credit Report”. It now ranks right up there with the ubiquitous, “new” and “improved”. “Free Credit Report” has become part of that lexicon of advertising buzz words that are absolutely meaningless to me. But for many, there is much confusion over this term. Why? I think mainly because it has been announced that federal law dictates we are all entitled to a free credit report on the front page of all the newspapers.
We know everyone wants a free credit report, which is why we started our site. People naturally want something that is mandated by law to be at no cost, is front page news and is so incredibly important to each of us if we want to purchase just about anything. We know people want their free credit report and because most all of us work so hard for our money, we think people deserve hearing the truth about the subject. That is why we even put a section on our page entitled, “The Truth About Free Credit Reports”.
So, is it not true? Yes, it is true, it’s just that the devil is in the details and the resulting confusion has been a bonanza for those seeking to cash in on the confusion. In fact, each of us in the good ole U. S. of A. is entitled to a free credit report. But, how do you get it? Where do you get it? Who is giving it to you? Why is it being offered for free? And most importantly, who cannot offer you one for free?
Who cannot offer a free credit report? Let’s start with the last one first because it shines a lot of light on the rest of the questions. Any company, web site or service that is in business for a profit and is not named Experian, Trans Union or Equifax is not able to provide anyone at any time with anything remotely resembling a credit report free of cost. Period. End of story. Got that? Further, there is one place set up on the web to get free copies of credit reports at no cost and it is: www.annualcreditreport.com . We’ll talk more about this site a little later but, other wise, caveat emptor, let the buyer beware.
How then are these offers being made? Look closely, the “Free” report is usually offered initially upon signing up for a service that charges your credit card each month for monitoring your credit. If you cancel the service just in the nick of time, before the charge is made to your card, you will get it at no cost. What a hassle! And the bet is you will wake up at least one, if not a couple or more months later with several charges to your card. You think these guys make foolish bets?!
Then what caused a free credit report to be offered on the front page of newspapers, who is providing them and how and where do I get one? Due to the importance of consumer credit history, identity theft and complaints from consumer rights groups about having to purchase a credit report in order to gain knowledge about the contents shown on individual consumer reports, even if it was reported inaccurately, a change was mandated.
The Fair and Accurate Consumer Trade Act (FACTA), a revision of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, provided for one credit report free of charge from the reporting agencies (Experian, Trans Union and Equifax) every twelve months, if and only if, you haven’t received a credit report in the previous twelve months. The consumer, by either mailing a written request to the three major credit reporting agencies or going to www.annualcreditreport.com one can obtain the free report if they meet the criteria. This program was and is being phased in to sections of the U.S. by the credit reporting agencies starting in the western states, with the northeastern states at the time of this writing still to come.
However, Pamela Yip of The Dallas Morning News writes that even this has not been without its problems.
“The Federal Trade Commission said Experian Information Solutions Inc., one of the three major credit bureaus, settled complaints that it “deceptively marketed ‘free credit reports’ by not adequately disclosing that consumers automatically would be signed up for a credit report monitoring service and charged $79.95 if they didn’t cancel within 30 days… . With the help of the Federal Trade Commission, the bureaus established www.annualcreditreport.com as the only authorized online source for consumers to get a free report under federal law.
While many consumers haven’t had any problem getting their reports, others say they’ve been hit with sales pitches for products and services from the credit bureaus or were diverted to imposter sites. The FTC said the company led consumers to its www.freecredit report.com and www.consumer info.com Web sites. Radio, TV, e-mail and Web ads promised free reports and “a bonus – free trials of a credit-monitoring service.”
The FTC said consumers “were assured that: ‘Your card will not be charged during the free trial period. However, valid credit card information is required to establish your account.’ “
What the Web sites didn’t adequately disclose is that consumers would be charged the $79.95 annual fee if they didn’t cancel within 30 days, the FTC said.
“ConsumerInfo billed the credit cards that it had told consumers were ‘required only to establish your account,’ and, in some cases, automatically renewed memberships by rebilling consumers without notice,” the agency said.
As part of the settlement, the FTC required ConsumerInfo.com, an Experian company, to “give up $950,000 in ill-gotten gains.”
Experian also has agreed to provide refunds to consumers who purchased credit-monitoring products and ordered a free credit report between Nov. 1, 2000, and Sept. 15, 2003.
“It’s unfair and deceptive to promise consumers something for free and then trick them into paying for products they didn’t want in the first place,” said Lydia Parnes, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
“It wasn’t an attempt to mislead at all,” said Peg Smith, an Experian executive vice president. “We absolutely deny any wrongdoing.” She does acknowledge that consumers may have been confused.
“To the effect that our product offering has caused that confusion, we certainly regret that,” Ms. Smith said. “We encourage consumers to read the language in any disclosure on any Web site, including our own.”
The FTC also requires ConsumerInfo.com to state clearly that its free credit report offer isn’t related to the federal program.” http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=list&p_topdoc=21
The reality is that no one credit report or combination of three credit reports by and of themselves is sufficient to educate oneself about where you stand as a consumer in the eyes of a lender. Imagine a high speed race boat zooming across a lake at top speed without a steering wheel. Where it is going is a complete mystery but one thing is for sure, it will crash and crash quickly unless you get control. That’s right, you. Because without your credit scores and the knowledge about what they mean, how they were calculated or how a lender views them, you are headed for a crash.
No bank, credit card issuer, mortgage company, retail store or any other credit provider will grant you any item, service or product without looking almost exclusively at your credit scores and the average person has no idea what their scores are and even if they did, many if not most, wouldn’t know what they mean.
For example, most people don’t even know that repeated “pulling” of your credit reports by potential credit grantors lowers your scores by as much as four points per “pull”. You start “shopping” around for the best rate on a credit card by allowing each credit issuer to run a credit report on you and your score will take a dive. The difference between a 699 score and a 700 represents thousands and thousands of dollars in interest.
Often, credit issuers don’t make it perfectly clear that your credit history is being accessed when you respond to their offer for a new card over the phone. The call center sales representative also doesn’t explain and state clearly to you, that your credit history will show an “official inquiry” which counts against your scores whether you are accepted or rejected.
Most people don’t know that a maxed out credit card lowers their scores even if they pay on time every month. Many don’t know until it is too late that one late payment on one credit card will cause the interest rate charged to skyrocket not only on that card but any other cards that have a balance! Most also don’t know that a credit card balance showing less than thirty per cent of the available balance improves the score. Most don’t know that in calculating credit scores, your payment history counts as 35% of the score, amounts owed count 30% of the score, length of your credit history counts 15% of the score, new credit is 10% of the score and types of credit in use is 10%.
What is the truth about free credit reports? The truth, is that consumers need to read the fine print very, very carefully and get educated. The truth about credit reports in general is that only part of the story is being told by one. The truth, is that knowledge is power and without it your money is being taken from you, your buying power and therefore your future is being dictated to you rather than by you and that the cost of everything including insurance is based on your scores.
If asked for my advice to the average consumer? Worry less about getting a “free” report and more about the real cost of being ignorant regarding credit. Worry more about the immediate and long term costs of not taking control of what is reported on your credit report both the correct and incorrect. Gain some credit knowledge. It is easy to do and will literally save you a fortune. One thing is absolutely for sure, your money and future and your children’s future will be severely impacted by your credit. How, is up to you.
Marjorie
what is a website to get a free credit report?
asked:
I need to check whats on my report any good safe sites that are free to check the 3 major credit reports?
Paula
I need to check whats on my report any good safe sites that are free to check the 3 major credit reports?
Paula
Where can I get my credit reports for free?
Dianna M asked:
Everytime I try to get my “free” credit report, I’m asked to pay for something in order to get it. I know that you can get a free credit report every 12 months, but how? Can you get a free credit report from all three agencies?
Ruth
Everytime I try to get my “free” credit report, I’m asked to pay for something in order to get it. I know that you can get a free credit report every 12 months, but how? Can you get a free credit report from all three agencies?
Ruth
Where Can I Get My Free Credit Report
Posted by admin in Fair And Accurate Credit Transactions Act Fact on October 25, 2009
Steve Evans asked:
et a free online Experian Credit Report at their web site locations when you sign up for a free trial of credit monitoring and the service is free as long as you cancel soon afterwards and before the initial free trial period is over. Simply fill out your information for identification purposes, answer a few questions and your credit report will be available to you online, in seconds, once your identity has been confirmed.
Your Username and Password will then enable you to view your credit report for 30 days over the Internet in the most secure environment that they can provide. You will also have access to an array of benefits offered by the credit card company.
Getting your Credit Report & Credit Score is the first step in knowing your credit. Monitoring your credit report allows you to stay on top of your credit on a daily basis.
Take the guesswork out of what/\’s happening with your credit say the guys and gals at Triple Advantage. They offer the opportunity for you to enroll in a free 7-day trial of Triple Advantage and get a FREE credit report & credit score just for trying it!
The fact is that consumers living throughout the U.S., have had the right to order a free copy of their credit report thanks to a federal law, known as the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), adopted by Congress in 2003. Now that credit reports are free, consumers have better access to this important document and can take steps to make sure it offers a fair picture of their credit history.
Your credit is one of your most important assets. Having good credit means you should have more options to borrow money at the lowest cost and from the best lenders. It also means that others who look at your credit such as landlords, insurance companies, or even prospective employers are less likely to turn you away or penalize you because you have poor credit.
In this world where fraud seems like a second language on the internet, we sometimes find it hard to trust companies we want to deal with, and it is right to be careful. When it comes to repairing your credit, we recommend that you must be extremely careful about who you choose to help you along our way.
Many credit repair companies do also claim to remove negative credit as fast as you can flick a switch. Their advertisements make bold assertions and money-back guarantees. One such advert said, for example, “Bankruptcy, tax liens, judgments… no problem!! One hundred percent guaranteed!! Credit report 100% cleared in 30 days!!” Can they really make such sweeping guarantees? You decide, but be cautious and if you are worried about the risk do take expert advice.
CreditReport.imess.net – is worth a try. I know you can use it to monitor your credit and also do clean off any bad items in your credit report. You can apply for free initial plan and get your scores and reports for free.
I know that they do say that the only way to get a free credit report that is actually free is through the government.
Freecreditreport.com , Experian, Transunion, and Equifax are all in it together to make money out of us. So, where can I get a “really” free credit report without having to give up my credit card information and sign up for some monthly membership or a dumb “identity theft monitoring alert” service?
Unfortunately in order to get your credit report a lot of the websites ask for your credit card information. They do that so when you sign up for a free trial if i you don/\’t cancel within that time they can charge your account. I am told that Myfico.com is one of the best ones out there. I believe you can sign up for their free 30 day trial and cancel it before the 30 days was up and don/\’t get charged anything.
Information here should not be construed as advice and it is offered without legal responsibility or liability. It must be emphasised that you should consult a professionally qualified individual or company (such as an accountant, financial adviser or solicitor for example) should you need advice on your financial situation, as they will be able to fashion their advice to your position accordingly.
Frederick
et a free online Experian Credit Report at their web site locations when you sign up for a free trial of credit monitoring and the service is free as long as you cancel soon afterwards and before the initial free trial period is over. Simply fill out your information for identification purposes, answer a few questions and your credit report will be available to you online, in seconds, once your identity has been confirmed.
Your Username and Password will then enable you to view your credit report for 30 days over the Internet in the most secure environment that they can provide. You will also have access to an array of benefits offered by the credit card company.
Getting your Credit Report & Credit Score is the first step in knowing your credit. Monitoring your credit report allows you to stay on top of your credit on a daily basis.
Take the guesswork out of what/\’s happening with your credit say the guys and gals at Triple Advantage. They offer the opportunity for you to enroll in a free 7-day trial of Triple Advantage and get a FREE credit report & credit score just for trying it!
The fact is that consumers living throughout the U.S., have had the right to order a free copy of their credit report thanks to a federal law, known as the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), adopted by Congress in 2003. Now that credit reports are free, consumers have better access to this important document and can take steps to make sure it offers a fair picture of their credit history.
Your credit is one of your most important assets. Having good credit means you should have more options to borrow money at the lowest cost and from the best lenders. It also means that others who look at your credit such as landlords, insurance companies, or even prospective employers are less likely to turn you away or penalize you because you have poor credit.
In this world where fraud seems like a second language on the internet, we sometimes find it hard to trust companies we want to deal with, and it is right to be careful. When it comes to repairing your credit, we recommend that you must be extremely careful about who you choose to help you along our way.
Many credit repair companies do also claim to remove negative credit as fast as you can flick a switch. Their advertisements make bold assertions and money-back guarantees. One such advert said, for example, “Bankruptcy, tax liens, judgments… no problem!! One hundred percent guaranteed!! Credit report 100% cleared in 30 days!!” Can they really make such sweeping guarantees? You decide, but be cautious and if you are worried about the risk do take expert advice.
CreditReport.imess.net – is worth a try. I know you can use it to monitor your credit and also do clean off any bad items in your credit report. You can apply for free initial plan and get your scores and reports for free.
I know that they do say that the only way to get a free credit report that is actually free is through the government.
Freecreditreport.com , Experian, Transunion, and Equifax are all in it together to make money out of us. So, where can I get a “really” free credit report without having to give up my credit card information and sign up for some monthly membership or a dumb “identity theft monitoring alert” service?
Unfortunately in order to get your credit report a lot of the websites ask for your credit card information. They do that so when you sign up for a free trial if i you don/\’t cancel within that time they can charge your account. I am told that Myfico.com is one of the best ones out there. I believe you can sign up for their free 30 day trial and cancel it before the 30 days was up and don/\’t get charged anything.
Information here should not be construed as advice and it is offered without legal responsibility or liability. It must be emphasised that you should consult a professionally qualified individual or company (such as an accountant, financial adviser or solicitor for example) should you need advice on your financial situation, as they will be able to fashion their advice to your position accordingly.
Frederick