Jeremy Englewood asked:


There are several kinds of information that you’ll find in your free annual credit report. All the information will be the creditor’s basis for deciding whether to grant you new credit or not, or whether to make changes to a plan or service that you’re currently subscribed to.

It is important that you periodically get and review your free annual report to make sure that all information reported in it is accurate. Inaccurate information and information that is not yours will result in a less than perfect picture of your credit and could pull down your credit score.

How you’ve managed your credit accounts. This is probably the most important section of your credit report. This section contains information about each of your credit accounts and the current account balance, type of account, payment status, minimum amount due per month, whether you’ve ever been delayed in making payments, and whether your account has been sent to a collection agency.

Information from public records. This includes information about bankruptcy, tax liens placed on your assets, foreclosure or repossession of your assets. If you’ve ever been arrested or indicted, that will show up in this section. This section also includes information on money judgments — if you’ve ever been ordered by a court to pay someone as a result of a lawsuit.

Inquiries into your credit report. Any inquiries from creditors, employers, insurance companies, or other companies that requested your credit report will appear here. The information in this section lists inquiries for your credit report that were made in the past two years. Credit inquiries – also known as voluntary or hard inquiries – will be seen by anybody who requests for your credit report. Employment-related inquiries, those that appear as a result of your subscription to a credit monitoring service, your requests for your own free annual credit report, and those from your existing creditors will be seen only by you.

Your identifying information. This is where your name, address, Social Security number, and employment history will appear. Any names that you have used in the past – an alias, your maiden name, or your name with a Jr., Sr., or II or III at the end are included here. Addresses will include your current and any past addresses that you have lived in. In addition, the type of residence you live in – whether it’s a single or multi-family home – may also be listed, depending on which credit reporting agency generated your report. If you’re married, information about your spouse will be listed here, especially if he/she shares a credit account with you or is an authorized user of your individual account. Your employment information will include the names of your current and past employers, as well as your salary information for each job.

The importance of your annual report is such that this report could be the single deciding factor for whether you’ll be approved for a loan, especially when you need it most. Don’t wait till the last minute before reviewing and cleaning up your credit report. You can read more about how to obtain your annual credit report for free on our site, where you’ll also find information about how to raise your credit score and rebuild your credit picture.



Clyde

anonymous asked:


It’s festive season and you are probably in the mood to go extravagant. However, do not let debts play spoilsport to your spirit. Here are some credit help tools that will keep your debt free while you return home laden with shopping bags.

Plan a budget

A budget determines how many bucks you can spend on shopping and is a great credit help tool. This will keep your expenses in control. Also, make sure to note down your expenses so that you are not baffled with the vanishing dollars. Credit card holders, beware! Stick to only one card, especially the one having the lowest rate of interest.

Create A List

How many items do you plan to buy? Spare some time and make a list. A list is a smart shopper’s credit help tool. It helps you compare rates and bargain. It also puts a brake on your shopping spree.

Find Out Ways To Save

If you look twice and maybe thrice, you will find that not all expenses are that necessary. For example, you can avoid eating out while shopping. A piping hot meal prepared at home is matchless! It saves dollars, is good for health, and gives you the privacy to eat with your family. Then, you can always have a small Christmas tree. After all, it is the spirit that matters, doesn’t it? Try to have fewer fancy lights to cut down on your electricity bill. You can even make your own holiday cards by snapping pictures on your own instead of shelling out dollars in a studio.

You may not realize but they are small credit help tools that make a huge difference in keeping your account rich. While out shopping, do not forget to use your head, and not just your heart. You will save bundles!

Credit Card Offers Are A Big NO!

Do not be tempted by the offers of credit card companies that urge you to miss out payments, or provide you an instant discount on your purchase. A high interest rate is hidden behind such offers. Also, before purchasing a credit card, always read the fine print and make sure you UNDERSTAND it. If you think that any perk is too good to be true, then it probably is.

Have You Taken Protection Against ID Theft This Festive Season?

Attention, credit card holders! ID theft is growing at an alarming rate in America. However, you need not go anywhere to ask for protection. You are your own guard. Here are some credit help tools to keep your personal details safe while shopping. And don’t think that you haven’t told your password to anyone means that it’s safe. The world is full of geniuses gone awry.

While shopping online, check out whether the web site is secure. How? Check for “https” in the URL or the “lock” icon.

Always have copies of the receipts while gift shopping.

Never carry all the cards with you. You probably need only one or two during one shopping trip, don’t you? In case your wallet gets stolen or lost, you will only have one or two accounts to worry about.

Be vigilant with the cashiers while shopping. Remember, they should never scan your card through more than a single device to process the transaction.

Never allow your credit card to go out of your sight. When dining out, pay with cash.

It is a good idea to sign up for credit monitoring services. It helps you to track any alterations in your credit report, along with an increase in your balance, or functioning of new credit lines. In case of identity theft, a credit monitoring service will alert you at once and enable you to take action in order to repair the damages, if any.

So, make your festive season full of happiness minus credit worries.



Ann

MaggieM asked:


I am building a website for a small business, most likely using InMotion as my host with a SSL Certification. Does anyone know what additional steps are necessary to set up credit card payments? Do web hosts offer services that services that monitor and control those transactions or is it up to me to input the code and find the service to accept the transactions.

Thank you!
Also, please let me know if it varies between provider.

Minnie

C.R. Hayes asked:


Finding the best credit card rate takes time, but the pay-off is that you’ll know before making your first purchase exactly what to expect, and being familiar with your terms may motivate you to make wiser purchases and to pay off your monthly balances in a timely fashion.

One of the first things you’ll need to know is your FICO score, which is available through credit monitoring agencies. Scores of over 700 are low-risk, between 620 and 659 are moderate risk, and 619 and below are considered high risk.

Your risk level will determine the type of terms credit card companies will offer you. One of the benefits of having a good credit score is that you’ll be eligible for lower interest rates and it’s generally easier to find a company willing to extend you credit.

Determining your risk level

You can find out your risk level by obtaining a copy of your credit report. Everyone is entitled to one free copy every year (in the U.S), and you may request a copy from any of the reporting agencies.

Comparing Features

Next, you will want to do a thorough comparison of credit card features and compare and determine the following:

* Interest rate, or APR

* Annual fee

* Other possible fees

* Grace period

* Rewards/points options

Although all of the associated terms are important, the most crucial one is probably your interest rate, or the APR. Things to pay attention to are whether the rate is fixed or variable. A fixed APR does not increase or decrease, while a variable can do both. Check to see if the interest rate being advertised is only for a specified amount of time – an introductory rate. A lot of companies offer low teaser rates for only a few months (though some offer up to 1-1/2 years) before switching to a higher, permanent interest rate. Some companies apply one rate for balances up to a certain level, with a higher rate for higher balances.

Another important consideration is whether or not your card will charge an annual fee. Many credit card companies which offer rewards programs charge fees ranging from about $30 per year on up to as much as $100. If you want a card for its rewards, make sure what you are earning is worth what you pay in annual fees.

One pitfall you’ll want to avoid is applying for lots of cards at one time. Each time you apply for credit, it’s recorded on your credit history and too many applications will become a blemish on your report. Therefore, it’s best to reduce your list and make only one or two choices.

In conclusion, you will get your very best credit card rate by having a credit score of over 700. You can decide on which extra perks and features you would like to have by comparing all associated fees, if any.



Matthew

beccasmom99 asked:


Yes, I’m still in the internet stoneage and using dial up (but not for long). I’ve been having problems with my ISP and the only way I could connect was do allow an unsecured password. I called them and they had me delete all my shortcuts and redo the setup for the connection. I recieved an email telling me they changed my password and got it to work. Until then, I had been careful about the sites I went to. Last night, assuming this was all working correctly again, I went in to my Chase account and my credit monitoring account. Afterwards, I got the feeling that I should’ve checked that connection first and sure enough – it was still on ‘allow unsecured password.’

Is it just the ISP password that’s unencrypted when you do this? Are my passwords for the other two sites at risk? Needless to say, I’m dropping this ISP – but I wanted to get some more info on this since I don’t know much about it.

Gabriel

Chane Steiner asked:


First of all, take a few deep breathes. OK, now let’s get started. Forget about everything you’ve heard about credit repair; the scam stories, the “it doesn’t work” stories…get all of that out of your mind, because it absolutely works and it’s not that difficult at all. Have you ever noticed that the people telling you that credit repair doesn’t work usually have pretty bad credit themselves and haven’t had good credit in a long time? Just something to think about.

Credit Reports

You know you have bad credit, because you can’t get approved for any loans that you apply for, but that’s not good enough. We need to know exactly how bad it is, so let’s get a copy of our credit reports. As you probably already know, there are 3 major consumer reporting agencies (credit bureaus), Equifax, Trans Union and Experian. You will need to get a report from all 3 of them. The best way to do that is to get them separately from each credit bureau. You can do that over the phone or by mail. You can also get your reports through a credit monitoring service.

You can also go to AnnualCreditReport.com and order your reports for free from there, but if you do that you give the credit bureaus an extra 15 days on your investigations. You don’t want to do that. Pay for your reports.

Dispute Negative Items

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you have the right to dispute any information contained on your credit report. This is simply done by writing the credit bureaus a dispute letter. Once they receive your letter, they are required to verify the information with the furnisher. They have 30 days by law to do so. If the information cannot be verified, it must be deleted.

Many people will tell you that if the account is “really” yours, you can’t dispute it. However, if you read the FCRA, it doesn’t say anything about that. Whether or not the account is “really” yours has no bearing on the credit bureaus responsibility to verify it. If it can’t be verified, it must be removed from your report. If the creditor can’t provide verification of your account, they can’t legally report it on your credit reports. It’s that simple.

Build Positive Credit

After you’ve cleaned up your credit report, the key to rebuilding credit is to get positive information reporting. Acquiring new positive accounts is just as important as deleting negative information. One of the best ways to do that is by getting a secured credit card. The interest rates are usually pretty high and the credit limits pretty low, but that’s OK because you are strictly using these cards to build credit. Keep your balances at about 30% of your credit limits.

The most important part of the credit repair process is learning from your mistakes and realizing where you went wrong. Learn to live below your means and budget your money so that you don’t have to go through it again.



Kimberly

Joe Maruca asked:


The offers are everywhere! Commercials with catchy jingles, free offers, scare tactics about identity theft and poor credit, it’s hard to miss them. So what’s the real deal? Is everyone allowed to give away free copies of your credit report?

There are many websites that offer a free copy of your credit report but most of them will only do it if you sign up for other services like “credit monitoring.”  The only place recommended by the Federal Trade Commission is “annualcreditreport” dot “com” which is set up by the three credit reporting agencies.  You can also call them at 1-877-322-8228.

If you’ve already gotten your free credit report for the year, you can get an additional copy of your credit report if you have been denied credit (by a credit card company, loan, etc.) within 60 days.  You can also purchase a copy if you need to for about $10. For More information and FAQ, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website at “ftc” dot “gov”

Why is it a good idea to check my credit? It’s a good idea to review your credit report and score on a regular bases for several very important reasons including: Identity theft, inaccuracies, unauthorized activity and to see who has been checking your credit aside from you. The information in your credit report can affect your ability to secure a loan (car loan, home loan, student loan and more) and can also determine what type of interest rate you receive from your credit card company.

So remember, you can receive a free copy of your credit report without signing up for any additional services and it’s a good idea to review the information in your credit report on a regular bases. 

To learn more about good personal finance practices visit www.creditcardinfohub.com where you’ll find this and other articles including 5 Easy Steps to Financial, Credit and Debt Relief.

 



Christine

Identity Alarm asked:


Identity theft is very common these days. Credit reports are very helpful in protecting your identity. There are many providers in the UK that can help you to protect yourself from identity theft by providing credit monitoring services. But before you approach any such provider, keep in mind the importance of understanding everything about credit reports in detail. Following are some points regarding credit reports that will help you to judge whether or not you have selected the right credit monitoring service provider.

Make sure that the provider gives you full access to your own credit report and doesn’t hide any important information. You should have full control and unlimited access over the report.

Get a clear picture about what matters in case of a good credit rating. What you have heard from others may be totally different from the actual facts. Your ability to borrow depends on your credit rating. Having a full understanding of your credit report and what lenders are concerned with will help you to understand why you have been refused a loan (in case it ever happened).

The credit monitoring service provider should be able to tell you what is included in your credit report. Your credit report reflects your attitude towards borrowing money. If you don’t like being in debt and don’t borrow unless it’s very essential, then you’ll have very little credit history which can make lenders cautious about lending you money. Without any credit history to analyse, it becomes difficult for lenders to predict how you’ll behave after borrowing. It actually doesn’t give them any proof of how well you can manage your money, which is what they are highly interested to know about.

It’s always wise to read the fine print. Before selecting acredit monitoring service provider, read the Terms and Conditions regarding credit reports thoroughly and make sure you have understood all of them.

The credit monitoring provider you select should give you enough freedom to manage your credit status to help you get full advantage of it.

You should be able to check the status of your credit report any time you want including CCJs (County Court Judgements), Electoral Roll information and other public record information.

Your payment history should be available for credit accounts which should include your credit payment history of at least the last three years. This should include loans, mortgages, regular payments made through credit cards, and so on.

Your credit status should also indicate how many times different companies have tried to see your credit report. If you observe that other people or companies have searched for your credit report for which you were not aware then it may be an indication of identity or theft.

Credit reports can be used in many other ways to find out if anyone is trying to steal your identity for fraudulent purposes. Keeping a regular check on your credit report by taking the help of a credit monitoring provider will help you to stay away from such trouble.



Tyler

qualitycountz2003 asked:


Does being enrolled in a Credit Monitoring service get you more easily approved for credit cards?

I am offered this service for free for one year through my job, and i would like to know if being enrolled in a Credit Monitoring service which includes total protection from identity theft, can improve your chances when applying for credit cards and loans.

Or is it simply just good for protecting you from fraudelent charges?

Harold

asked:


MY HUSBAND & I WANT TO TAKE OVER AN EXISTING RESTAURANT. THE LINE OF CREDIT WOULD PURCHASE THE COMPUTERS, SECURITY SYSTEM (CAMERAS & MONITORS), FURNISHINGS, DINNERWARE, FLATWARE, ETC. THE BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT IS LEASED. THIS SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE EASY. BUT IT HASN’T BEEN. PLEASE POINT US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

Suzanne