Bart Newman asked:




Credit reports are very important in many ways. It does not only tell you your credit standing, it also helps you on your loan, credit card, and job applications. These reports are generally the basis for the approval of such applications. For this reason, having an updated copy of the report at least once a year is very important. And if you want to know the best ways to order a credit report, you’ve come to the right place.

There are three ways to order a credit report. One way is to print out the annual credit report request form and mail the copy to the agencies that offer free report. And if you’re not comfortable with this method, you may order the report by phone.

There are three major agencies where you can get this report from. These are Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. What’s great about them is that they offer free once a year. Here’s how you can order a credit report from each of these agencies.

Experian

Ordering this report through Experian is pretty easy. You just need to fill out a request form and you’ll get your the report in a matter of seconds. After viewing your report, take note of the report number in case you need to view it again within 30 days.

Equifax

With Equifax, you’re offered various features and product promotions. And although you’re not really required to get the extra services that this company offers, you may avail of their credit monitoring and analysis services at a discounted price. Equifax also allows you to view the report again within 30 days.

TransUnion

As a new TransUnion user, you would need to create your own account with them. And if you already have an account, log in to view your credit report. Like other two agencies, TransUnion allows you to view your report again within a 30-day period.

Although it is not really recommended that you constantly check your report, there may be times that you would need to view them again even after you’ve used up all your freebies.

Aside from these the three bureaus, there are also other online sites where you can order a credit report. At any time, you can purchase this information online by subscribing to monitoring program that offers regular access to this data. But just be vigilant to make sure that they are credible companies. There are sites that pretend to give your report after you fill out a request form but are actually scammers trying to steal your personal information.

Gladys

ILUVTOFU asked:


All three?
[Equifax, Experian, TransUnion]
I want to know my FICO score, but want to know if every credit bureau has their very own FICO score.

And does MyFico offer monitoring for all 3 bureaus? [for individual credit scores]

Lee

Bart Newman asked:




Importance of Credit Report

Every single American citizen are entitled to acquiring a copy of their free annual credit report, thus “how can I order all three of my credit reports” is one of the commonly asked questions that are involved in credit monitoring. Thus, you need to ensure that you order a copy for yourself since it can serve you multiple purposes. Simply put, your report holds vital information about your credit status and rating.

Therefore, this is where you and your future creditor can obtain all the useful financial information, such as past and existing loans, credit card history, debt information, mortgages, and the like. This is one reason why your credit company seeks for your report upon filing for loan since it reflects your payment history, such that they can determine whether you are a risk to the company, should they decide to approve you for a loan.

How can I order all three of my credit reports?

Getting your report should definitely start with asking yourself: “How can I order all three of my credit reports?”

There are several methods of contacting the three major credit agencies, which are Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian, so you can get your free copy. The most basic step you can do to ask for a copy of your free report is to check out the website for Annual Credit Report and file your request. You will be provided a form that you must fill up with some basic details that the service needs to identify your copy. Then, you must decide which specific report from what agency you’d like to get first. You do have a choice whether to order all of the credit report from all three agencies at the same time, or not.

You must also complete different authentication process for each report from the respective credit agencies. Make sure you have prepared vital documents such as loan accounts or credit information handy, since it will be used by the credit report agency to verify your identity.

You can also try different means of contacting any of the three agencies, such as calling them through their landline numbers, checking out their individual websites, or send them a letter of request via their respective mailing addresses. For this sending a request over the phone though, some agency like Equifax require that a written request be made as follow up, wherein you will be asked to suffice some other details such as address, date of birth, name, SSN, and driver’s license, among others.

If your request to order all three reports has been completed, it will instantly appear online. Then, you can print out your own copy of the report and review over the information contained in it to identify possible errors and make credit repair. If no reports for correction are made, the information contained in your report will be considered valid and final.

Your question, “How can I order all three of my credit reports?” is fairly easy to answer once you know the steps involved.

Bill

Bill Pratt asked:




Freecreditreport offers online credit reporting resources to consumers worldwide and belongs to the ConsumerInfo family. The company is a leading provider of online consumer credit reports, credit information and monitoring services as well as credit scores.

The company has served 3.1 members thus far and delivered more than 20 million credit reports. The indispensable services and befits offered by Freecreditreport has taken the company to newer heights as the membership count continues to rise.

Consumers can now wield control over their credit by taking advantages of the services offered by this company. The first step involves getting access to their free credit report and credit score. Customers can try these services completely free of cost with the 7 day free trial offer.

The features and benefits also include:
Daily monitoring of Experian, Equifax and TransUnion credit reports
Email reports of any kind of changes and risks of identity thefts to any of the three credit reports
$50,000 Triple Advantage Guarantee feature offered the company

The paid membership comes with access to unlimited Experian credit reports and credit scores.

Monitoring and analyzing the customer’s credit score can result in substantial savings as these credit scores are taken into consideration by lenders for the “credit worthiness” of customers in order to facilitate processing of loan application, credit card application and other lines of credit. This credit score in turn helps in determining whether the applicant qualifies for a credit or not as well as the interest rate applicable on the given credit.

These credit scores are extracted from the credit reports which have a propensity to change on a daily basis. It therefore becomes imperative to monitor your credit reports as this could directly affect the credit scores.

Freecreditreport takes care of all these intricacies for its customers/members while obviating the any associated risks in terms of unauthorized activity or potential discrepancies. Customers also get to guard their identity, as Freecreditreport monitors the customer’s Experian, Equifax and TransUnion credit report on a daily basis.

It is important for the customer to note here that higher credit scores equate to lower interest rates on new loans, thereby resulting in substantial savings.

Joe

kao asked:


I have a credit monitoring subscription with true credit. I can see all 3 agencies all the time. I can update the reports every 24 hours. I know their addresses. I know how to report inaccuracies.

The problem is: the person on the other end?? What is it about data entry at these agencies just not getting it right? I send info to them which needs correcting and they either input information incorrectly, have wrong spelling, omissions, additions…it just seems that they can never get the corrections right. And all 3 agencies never have the same info. I find Trans Union to be the best, and easiest to deal with, but WHY do Experian and Equifax even exist? They don’t ever seem to have it together.

Anyone have an intelligent approach that might get their attention to focus on the detail that I am trying to fix? Is there ever going to be any chance at consistency? Thanks.

Tina

Lisa Carey asked:




Victims of identity theft are not limited to Americans. It is a crime that affects national economies all over the world and in some cases is a more serious concern than national security or even the war on terror.

The Federal Trade Commission recently reported a loss of approximately $50 billion dollars annually in the United States. In the United Kingdom, the Home Office estimated the cost of identity theft (known as identity fraud in most other countries) as approximately $3.2 billion dollars over the last three years. The Australian Centre for Policing Research estimates the costs of identity theft to individuals to be at $3 billion each year.

Citizens of the UK can request a copy of their credit report from the three major credit reporting agencies of Callcredit, Experian or Equifax to monitor their credit. But, in the UK those who discover they have been victims of identity fraud must first attempt to resolve the disputed credit through the lending agency and then if unsuccessful report that they dispute certain information on their credit report. This makes it much more expensive and time consuming for victims to resolve identity fraud.

Spyware is the most often used information gathering tool in the UK. Approximately 91% of all computers are estimated to have been affected by spyware. The most common forms of identity fraud are not necessarily those involving credit, but it has been determined that personal information is being used to obtain fraudulent passports, health services, driver’s licenses, money laundering, and other forms of government benefits.

In Canada, identity fraud is one of the fastest growing crimes. The credit agencies of TransUnion and Equifax report 1800 Canadians file complaints every month. Other common forms of identity fraud in Canada include the obtaining and use of Social Security benefits (Social Insurance Numbers). The Canadian government reported that there are approximately 2.4 million more social insurance numbers than there are actual Canadians. This brings into question the security of the social benefits systems, as well as the security of the full amount of money lost to the government through this abuse.

Can identity fraud be more frightening than terrorism? In Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong; it is. Many banks, businesses, and the government have placed tighter security measures on the release and use of personal and financial information, citizens still feel threatened by identity theft. In these countries, the most common form this crime takes is the abuse of credit/debit card theft. Next in most frequent theft results are fraud that occurs as a result of online shopping and/or bill paying. The most frequent information gathering tool in these countries is the use of Trojans and spyware, with an estimated 20% of people affected through these systems.

Twenty five percent (25%) of reported frauds in Australia involve assuming a false identity. A study of birth certificates indicated that 13% of the sample resulted in false or inaccurate information. One popular method of obtaining information to establish a new identity in Australia is the use of “identity kits,” easy to purchase of such high quality that it is easy to fool people. Banks report that a loss of approximately $25 million dollars has occurred s a result of identity fraud. In 2007 it was estimated that approximately 2 million Australians have had their personal information stolen and used fraudulently. A poll conducted in 2007 indicated that 87% of Australians were more “concerned about identity theft” than terrorism.

This crime is not limited to the United States, but statistics do indicate that the US has some of the highest ranking incidences of identity theft. There could be several reasons for this: either it does not occur at the level it does in the US, other countries simply do not keep or report the information United States does and the differences in terminology may cause confusion.

It is clear that identity theft is a global problem, however, how do some countries have such a low level of incidents compared to the US? There are five reasons why the US residents and citizens may be at a higher risk for identity theft.

1. Social Security numbers, though issued by other names (such as in Canada and Great Britain) in many countries are not used for a catch all identifying number. Account numbers are used to indicate identity, and those are issued by the credit agencies or businesses making it more difficult to have access to personal information.

2. There are laws in many Western European countries that prohibit the sharing, selling, or releasing your private, personal, or financial information. However, in the US it is a common practice for marketers to obtain mailing list and other information from many different sources, therefore information in the US is more likely to be accessible.

3. Credit reports are designed differently in many other countries. In France, Spain and Denmark only negative information may be reported. In many other European countries credit information is limited to specific banks that have been approved to have access to the information. In the US, access to credit information is far too easy to obtain and it has more information than we may wish to have available.

4. In many other countries credit cards are not used on a regular basis for purchases. For the majority of Europeans, a debit card is used limiting not only the purchase power to the amount in their bank but limiting the use of the card by others. Credit cards are also more difficult to obtain.

5. In the US credit cards use a magnetic strip with the account information imprinted on it, making it easy for anyone with a “skimmer” to find out the account number for the card and use it. However, many European countries utilize a “smart card,” that uses a computer chip that requires a pin code to be accessed. In France, since the introduction of the smart card identity fraud has decreased by 50%.

No country has been able to eliminate identity theft, and while the methods for obtaining information changes it does not stop identity thieves from finding ways to obtain personal and financial information. One fact is clear; identity theft is a top concern among many nations. With this being the circumstance; citizens, banks, businesses and government must continually change their habits to keep their information safe.

Anthony

The Truth asked:


freecreditreport.com , experian, transunion, equifax are all in together to make money off me. Where can I get a “real” 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 ?

thanks for any help!

Peggy

Ken S asked:




Hello everyone!

Credit report monitoring is defined as the constant watch over your credit report and history in order to detect any suspicious activity or change in your credit file. It detects identity theft and other credit related fraud. Credit monitoring services are a great option if you want to keep a close eye on your credit report. Having been a victim of both identity fraud and credit card theft, I use another option called identity monitoring. I wish I had this service before the crimes. According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, it takes an average of 12 months for a victim of identity theft to notice. It took me eight. An identity monitoring service will alert you of inquiries for credit as well as changes in your credit report to aid you in stopping the theft before actual damage occurs.

You can monitor your own credit, making sure your record represents you fairly and accurately, by regularly ordering and reviewing your consumer credit reports from the three major reporting agencies. You can request a report from each of the three reporting bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and Transunion) at the same time or at different times. The advantage of reviewing the three reports at once is that you can get a complete picture of your consumer credit report history. The disadvantage is that it is a one-shot deal and you do not have the advantage of an ongoing review. There is a better way to monitor your credit yourself.

Under a new Federal law, you have the right to receive a free copy of your credit report once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies. (To request your free report under that law, go to http://www.annualcreditreport.com.) This is a great option if you want to monitor the accuracy of your consumer credit reports throughout the year for free. Just request your report from one bureau initially, then follow up with another bureau’s report four months later, and the third four months after that. Each time, if you find errors, no matter how small, be sure you get them fixed right away. Even if you find the suspicious activity on just one report, make sure that you contact all three credit bureaus to ensure they make any necessary changes. You should receive amended reports within a week after the changes take effect.

A third option is to use an identity monitoring service. This service monitors the information related to your identity, and notifies you right away of any suspicious or seemingly fraudulent activity. It allows you to correct any errors associated with your identity without having to suffer the consequences of finding out months after the theft has occurred. Though you may not be able to prevent a theft from occurring, a timely notification system can help you can avoid any losses by helping you get quick resolution. The average identity theft costs the victim over $5,000 and takes over 400 hours to resolve if it is not detected quickly.

Whether you decide to use a credit monitoring service, self-monitor your credit report, or use an identity monitoring service, a pro-active stance is the best defense against identity theft.

- Ken S.

LowRateSearch.com

blog.lowratesearch.com

Jesus

Hyder Khan asked:




Did you know that by law, every person in the United States is entitled to request one free credit report every twelve months, from each of the three credit bureaus?

All you have to do is contact each one and either send them a request by mail or fill out the required form on their website, and upon verification of your identity and verifying that you have no checked your credit report in the last 12 months, they will mail (or e-mail) you your credit report.

All financial planners unanimously agree that you should check your credit report regularly, so that you can proactively be aware of what is on it and take the positive steps necessary to improve your credit score.

The three major credit bureaus are: Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union.

Above and beyond that, there are many credit monitoring services out there that offer a variety of different services:

Multiple credit checks throughout the year Alerts to inform you when your credit score has gone up or done Alerts to inform you when something negative has come on your credit report Analysis of your credit report along with advice on how to improve it

It can be to your advantage to subscribe to such a service. For example, if you are planning to buy a house in the upcoming months or years, and your credit score needs improvement or you are simply trying to maintain it, then this type of service can help you to stay on top of your situation.

Luis

George Burk asked:




2005 marks the year that consumers will be able to get a free credit report each year. The roll out of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act signed into law by President Bush actually began last December 1. If you didn’t know about it, don’t worry. You haven’t missed the boat. Not everyone is eligible to get their credit report. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is allowing the credit bureau’s to implement the program piecemeal so as not to overload the new credit report system. Millions of consumers are expected to take advantage of the free reports.

Last December, consumers from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming were able to take advantage of the free credit report. Next March, the Midwest will have access to free credit reports. The South has to wait till June, and the East must wait until September 2005.

After your eligible, you can request you free credit report from a web site, by calling a toll free number, or by requesting it in writing. The web site address is AnnualCreditReport.com. This website was created by the credit bureaus. The toll free number is (877)-322-8228, which is also (877)-FTC-HELP if that’s easier to remember. The address to write to is Annual Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA., 30348-5281. You will not be asked to sign up for a trial subscription for a credit monitoring service after requesting your credit report.

Your not limited to one free credit report a year. You can request three – one from each of the credit bureaus: Exper