Feb
26
How to Obtain a Free Credit Report
February 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment
Obtain a Free Credit Report and Check it for Errors
As a resident of the United States, the three main credit reporting companies in the country are required under law to provide one free credit report (each) to anyone who requests them within any given year. The three large credit reporting companies are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, and they are strictly monitored by Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to provide correct and true information.
Information from a person’s credit report provides companies, such as credit card companies, mortgage loaners, insurance companies, and potential employers, information on where a person currently lives, where a person has lived in the past several years, the person’s financial history - including any bankruptcies - and whether or not a person has been involved in any legal proceedings in the past.
Companies use this information to figure out what sort of risk a person is in terms of whether or not money should be lent or credit should be extended/offered to them. Because there is so much vital information included on a credit report, and it contains a good representation about a person’s ability to be responsible and trustworthy, it’s important for a person to monitor what is on his or her credit report, and ensure that everything on the report is correct and current.
The three main credit reporting companies in the United States all keep track of basically the same information. However, sometimes one credit agency will pick up and report slightly different information from the others. This is why it’s important to check the data on all three credit reports from all three companies on a yearly basis.
All of the reporting agencies have websites and toll-free telephone numbers which can be used to order free credit reports. If it seems time consuming to contact all three credit reporting agencies, there is a website (www.annualcreditreport.com) which will provide free credit reports from all three credit reporting companies with one single order. This prevents the need for contacting each reporting company individually.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns against seeing commercials on television that advertise free credit reports and acting upon them. The same sorts of advertisements are also located in numerous places on the internet, and they should be used only with extreme caution. Any website offering free copies of credit reports, besides www.annualcreditreport.com are usually out to make money. While they may offer free credit reports, they may try to charge users a fee for some sort of other credit reporting service.
In order to obtain free credit reports either from one individual or all three different credit reporting agencies, personal information is needed. Some of the data that must be available are a social security number, current and previous addresses, and other information that should (hopefully) only be known by the person whose name is on the report(s).
In today’s age of obtaining information instantly via the internet, receiving copies of credit reports is no exception. If correct information is submitted to www.annualcreditreport.com, the information on all three credit reports will almost instantly appear and be printable within seconds. On the other hand, if the credit reports are ordered via telephone, they may take a couple of weeks to arrive in the mail.
Once the credit reports are received, they should be thoroughly evaluated for any mistakes and inaccurate information. Any errors should be brought to the attention of the credit reporting company immediately. Under law, the credit reporting company must correct any and all mistakes, if there is proof that the mistakes and mis-information are legitimately incorrect. The agencies will work to determine if the errors are in need of correction and will usually make the changes on a credit report within a month.
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This article has been provided courtesy of Creditor Web. Creditor Web offers great credit card articles available for reprint and other tools to help you search and compare credit cards. |
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Feb
23
Is Citibank Credit Report Information Reliable?
February 23, 2011 | Leave a Comment
Citibank is not offering customers the ability to get their credit reports. However, they are giving them a good deal of information with regard to how to read their credit reports and credit report repair. This information will enable customers to repair their credit scores and reports each year. Citibank offers a good deal of information on the subjects of reading a credit report and credit report repair. It is not the simple, every day advice of creating and sticking to a household budget. Are you aware of the three C’s of good credit? If not you should be visiting the Citibank web site.
This web site offers an abundance of advice on credit repair and knowing how to keep your credit score in the high range. They offer a number of tools and information on how to read a credit report as well. There are loads of important ideas, advice and tools readily available for customers to learn how they can make their monthly payments and control their debts that are all extremely important when learning about credit report repair.
Of all the information available on the internet, it has to be said that Citibank is offering the greatest and most helpful tips and hints on its own web site. It is an absolute must for anyone who wants to learn how to read his or her own credit report to visit this web site and learn exactly what you should be looking for. So, if you are looking for information on credit repair, this is the site for you. You may be looking to repair your credit, apply for credit or just trying to figure out what exactly your credit report is about. Visit the Citibank web site today.
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Feb
20
Maintaining an Accurate Credit Report
February 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment
Its no secret that you must maintain an immaculate credit score in order to qualify for low rates on credit cards and loans. But how do you check your credit file? What does all of the information on my report mean? It is necessary to understand the answers to these questions in order to make your credit file as clean as possible.
It is vital to check your credit file periodically, and more importantly understand what it tells you. There are three main credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Trans Union, and Experian. Each company uses a different method for calculating credit scores and each report is often slightly different. Included in your credit report is your full name, current and previous addresses, social security number, all open and active accounts, recently closed accounts, and hard and soft requests to view your report.
By law, you are entitled to check your credit report from each of these reporting agencies once per year. That means if you time things correctly and only check one agency at a time, you could essentially check your file every four months for free. Now, if you are applying for a large loan then it might be wise to go ahead and check all three reports for accuracy.
In addition to a free credit report each of the three main reporting agencies also provides paid services. These allow you to see your report more in depth. A paid report also explains what is affecting your credit score, both positively and negatively. A paid report is nice because they carefully explain each section of the report and is more in depth.
Trying to get a mortgage? For many of us obtaining a mortgage is a big deal; Not only are we embarking on a new chapter in life and purchasing a new home, but our past chapters that might not have been so bright can come back and haunt us. Past credit problems stay on your credit file for seven years! That’s not all, things like bankruptcy and criminal convictions are also put on your report. Make sure to check for information that could put a red flag on your file and cause you not to get a mortgage before you apply.
Inaccurate information, on the other hand, is possible to fix. If, after glancing over your free report, you notice some inaccuracies on your file you must alert the reporting agency immediately. If you feel there is fraudulent activity on your account, the agency will put a fraud alert on your file. This is not a red flag to loan agencies; it just lets banks know that there has been suspicious activity. When applying for a new loan, or credit card, or bank account, you will often need more proof of who you are (this is a good thing, we don’t need imposters further scarring our report!) Reporting agencies will also investigate any of the inaccuracies you point out to them. In addition it is a good idea to contact the bank who is reporting the error and clear it up with them. Most often errors cleared with a bank are then changed on your credit file within a few weeks.
It is best to file a complaint in writing with proof of ID and any documents supporting your claim. Each reporting agency has information on their website about what to submit and where to send your inquiry. It is also possible to notify Equifax, Trans Union, or Experian via the phone or even online. I recently noticed some small errors on my reports, so I filed a form online to notify them of the mistake. It usually takes quite a few weeks to complete an investigation.
Whether you are trying to secure a loan, apply for a credit card, or are just worried about identity fraud it is a great idea to check your credit report online for free. Don’t forget to make any necessary changes before submitting mortgage applications or applying for a high-paying job. And of course if there are errors, make sure to alert the necessary authorities as soon as possible.
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