Free Credit Bureau Report

Helen Hecker asked:




Assuming you already have a copy of your annual credit report you may have already found some errors that should be removed. Errors should always be a big concern because they can and probably have affected your credit score, also called a FICO. You can repair your credit with a little bit of help.

It may seem like a lot of work but it’s really easy. The hardest part is actually sitting down to do it. You’ll need to check all three credit bureaus to make sure the same error isn’t on all three but if you just have one credit report, start with that one.

First make a list of any and all errors that you find on your personal credit report. These could be in the form of personal information such as birth date or more likely there will be information that you know not to be true such as late payments or no payments recorded etc. If you think there is any possibility that you could be wrong check your past history with the creditor in question first.

You want to make sure you are right before you make the request to have any information removed from your credit report.

You will be sending the letter only to the credit bureau mentioned on the report, which would be Esperian, Equifax or TransUnion. You don’t want to sound angry in the letter, just be matter-of-fact, straightforward and business-like. Just outline the facts – name of creditor, dates, and the error(s) or problem(s) you’re finding on the credit report.

Here is a sample letter:

Date:

To whom it may concern at Esperian (or other credit bureau):

I recently acquired a copy of my credit report and found some errors that I’d like to dispute. I am enclosing documentation to prove the information is incorrect and would like a correction. I value my good standing and good credit history and want to maintain a good credit rating and credit score.

Name the creditor along with the reference date including the month, day and year if possible.

The error(s) I have found are:

I’m including copies of my payment record, with a (cancelled check or online payment print-outs or any other documentation that you have).
I would appreciate any attention to the matter as I would like my credit report to be accurate. I’m sure you understand that credit bureaus need to include only information that is accurate in my file.

Thank you for taking a look at my letter and file and hopefully making the necessary corrections so I can continue to maintain my good credit standing. Please let me know that my file has been reviewed and what action has been taken. I would also like a copy of my corrected credit report sent to the enclosed address. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Besides your full name as shown on the report, include you mailing address, a copy of the report that you have, your social security number, driver’s license photocopy and any other documentation such as a cancelled check or online payment confirmations.

Make a copy of the letter for yourself and a copy of any enclosures with the letter. Send the dispute letter by certified mail with a ‘return receipt’ requested. Then make sure to get the free credit reports from the other two main credit bureaus or reporting agencies to make sure they don’t have the same incorrect information. You can get free instant credit reports from the other two online.

Dale

Hector Milla asked:




With today’s economic stresses and circumstances, you may find yourself in need of checking your credit report. Maybe you want to get a loan, or were denied a loan based on it. Maybe you have been in the process of debt consolidation or debt settlement for a while now and you want to see the effect it has had on your report. There are several agencies that will give you one for free.

Credit reports are records of your credit activities. It lists your credit card accounts and/or loans and the balance you may have on them. They tell how regularly you make your payments. They also show action taken against you because of unpaid bills or defaulted loans.

If you are wondering exactly what you report says about you, you can get a copy once every 12 months for free from each of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies. You can contact the companies directly to obtain it.

You will have to give them certain information such as your name, social security numbers etc. The report you get will have your identifying information on it (name, address, social security number, birthday, current employers), credit information (accounts with banks, credit card issuers, utility companies etc.), information about each account (when you opened it, payment record, co-signers), public information records (bankruptcy history, tax liens, judgments), and recent inquires (the names of those who have gotten copies of your report within the past year).

Your free credit report will be drawn from your credit history. A good rating helps you obtain your financial goals; poor ratings limit your financial opportunities. Now, the thing is many free reports do not list your actually numerical FICO score. This is very good to know when you are conducting any kind of financial business that involves credit.

You also really need to check your credit more than once a year. There are now services that for a small monthly fee will keep watch on your credit report and alert you to ANY activity on them. Things like inquires, late payments notices etc. These companies will also make your FICO numerical score available to you. You can keep a close eye on your report, even checking weekly if you so wish and remember they tell you of any activity on the report.

These are great services to help make you financially independent. They are great if you are in debt settlement, negotiation or consolidation also.

Karl

Mike Clover asked:




Your credit score report can be affect by more than your available credit history. We talk about how credit cards, mortgages, car loans, and any type of loan that reports to all 3 credit bureaus will affect your credit score. We don’t always talk about utility companies and how they can have a negative impact on your credit report. Here are utility companies I like to consider non-creditors. In other words these companies don’t give you a line credit, they just provide a service.

Utility companies

- Phone companies

- Electric companies

- Security companies

- Cell phone companies

- Water companies

- Gas companies

- Cable companies

- Internet Companies

Let’s assume you are having a tough time currently, and you stop paying your cable bill. The cable company will give you a little time to pay off the debt for service rendered, but will eventually turn that debt over to a collection company. The collection company in return will report that obligation to the 3 credit bureaus wanting their money. This is how it works with any of the companies mention. Once this collection reports to the credit bureaus your credit rating just dropped about 100 points. Utility companies on the other hand don’t help your credit when you are in good standing, but will also hurt your credit score if you don’t pay. Once the collection hits your credit report, and you finally decide to pay off the collection, the collection will be on your credit report for 7 years. 7 years of negative information will be on your credit report. If you don’t pay the collection, the collection company can sell the collection repeatedly to different collection companies which will ultimately drive down your credit score even more.

Pay your bills on-time

If you get behind, call your creditors immediately and work out a payment arrangement with them. They will typically work with you, especially during tough economic times. A creditor or utility company would rather get some form of payment versus nothing. If you don’t pay your bills including utility bills it will affect your credit score report. With lending getting extremely tough currently, your credit scores are more important than ever. If you have credit issues, the banks may look at your credit history as too big of a risk for there portfolio.

Don’t assume if you don’t pay utility it will not affect your credit. Because it will affect your credit, and will not go away until you pay it off. If you are unsure what is on your credit report, get a copy of your free credit score report today.

Ellen

Jeslyn Jessy asked:




According to the Federal Law passed in 2005, everyone in UK is eligible to receive one free credit report annually from each credit bureau. You can check your credit history and safeguard your credit score at zero cost. Let me show you some simple steps to obtain your credit file on complimentary basis.

Step 1: Go to the official website of Annual Credit Report organization

Why do you need to go to this particular website? Seriously speaking, for security purpose, you are advised not to request your credit file from other parties. In UK, the Annual Credit Report website is the only authorized online source where the consumers can access their file for free under the Federal Law. Hence, you should not go direct to the credit reporting agencies if you want to get a copy of your file for free.

Step 2: Fill up the online form

Go to the website and fill up the online form carefully. You are required to provide your full name, address, social security number and the date of birth.

Step 3: Decide how many reports you wish to receive

Once you have provided your personal details, you should then decide whether you want to receive your report from one, two or three credit bureaus. In my personal point of view, you should request from all bureaus since you can get all reports for free. At the same time, you can check whether the details shown in all files are the same and there is no mistake.

Step 4: Print your online report

Once you have made your selection, a screen will appear allowing you to immediately print your report. Here is an important reminder for you. You MUST PRINT your report. If you don’t print at this time, you will lose your eligibility for a free file until next year.

If you are not internet savvy, don’t worry. You are recommended to contact this organization at 1-877-322-8228 to request for your free credit report. The officers who attend the call normally require the callers to answer some simple questions for verification purpose. Once they have identified the callers’ personal details, they will deliver the reports to the callers within two to three weeks.

When you have received your credit report, you are reminded to read and check it for accuracy. Make sure all the information is updated. If you find any inaccurate item, you must make your report to the credit bureau immediately.

Now, what if you need your report again a few months later? Can you still obtain it for free? It depends on the situation. If you are currently unemployed and you are receiving unemployment benefits or public assistance, you are still eligible to get your credit file at no cost. However, if you don’t fall under this category, you need to pay the reporting agencies for each report you need.

To sum up, everyone is entitled for a free report every year. You will only be required to pay for the report under certain unusual circumstances.

Jennifer