Free Credit Report – Really
Posted in Finance on 08/31/2010 09:29 pm by
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
Credit monitoring service.repairing credit, is this service necessary?
Posted in Credit on 08/08/2010 08:32 pm by
I am in the process of repairing my credit. I already have the most up-to-date credit reports from the 3 major bureaus which I got for free from http://www.annualcreditreport.com
While repairing my credit, having debts deleted or paid off, etc…I want to be able to see the changes happening. I can only order my credit reports for free once per year…so cannot check to make sure that collectors are erasing the debts as being requested in negotiations. I was wondering if anyone uses a “realtime” credit monitoring service (preferably that is updated daily, or everytime a change is made to the report), so that I can validate my requests are happening.
I’m not so much concerned about the scoring…but if it’s included, then I suppose that’s a bonus. Any suggestions? Is there a way to request my FREE credit report more than once per year (e.g. tell the CRA’s that I am repairing credit, and need a fresh copy, etc) without having to pay each time?
Micki…you did not read my question at all. I am talking about online monitoring services, not a debt consolidator or debt management service. I am doing the work myself.
Sgt Big Red, thanks for the response. Are you referring to “they” as the CRA’s (Equifax, Experian, TU)? “They” make changes all the time to reports, without sending you an updated report, thus why you have to request it. Otherwise, every time someone inquires into my credit file, or reports me (adversely or positively), I would get a new credit report in the mail. I’m not so sure who you’re referring to…
If you mean the collection agency will send me an updated report, I wouldn’t count on that either…they just want their money to settle the debt, not send me an updated report.
Ron