Free Credit Report – Know where do you stand

Free credit report is in many countries, credit report is a record of an individual`s or companies which has the record of past borrowing and repaying, including information about late payment and bankruptcy. Having a good credit saves your money. And one should have a credit report to see actual where your credit stands. Accessing you credit report will not adversely affect your credit score.

Credit report helps finance company to take a decision of whether or not to lend money to someone. The free credit report may be converted to numerical credit score as higher credit score indicates less risk so these score can be used as rating device.

People love to have their credit report as it is the only thing they know the most about. In credit report there is many things which we are not aware of. If want a proper answers for your question then visit online sites where you can get all the detailed information related to your credit report.

Many online sites provide you free credit report you just have to fill the online form. Once you have completed the online form just submit it and they will confirm it and then send you credit report. Previously the law didn`t allow having copies of credit report but now you can get copies of your credit report which is a plus point.

Many consumer some times provide incorrect information to credit bureau when they use internet form. They won`t give a proper detail like their credit card account number, mortgage lender or the exact amount of their last mortgage payment it`s because internet is cautious and do not except the incorrect information and your form get rejected.

It`s important that you provide your correct information to the credit bureau so they are not sending out credit report to the wrong people.

Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well.

Free Credit Report Online - Checking Your Credit Online Is Convenient

Many consumers understand the value of regularly monitoring their credit reports. Identity theft affects millions annually. Furthermore, credit report errors can result in credit card or loan denials. Sadly, many people do not take the necessary precautions to safeguard their credit. There are many ways to protect our credit. To begin, you should make a habit of checking your report every six months.

The Purpose of Personal Credit Reports

A consumer's credit worthiness is judged by information included in their credit report. When applying for any type of credit, lenders will review your credit score or full report. Credit scores are often reviewed by retailers and lenders that offer instant credit. However, if you are hoping to obtain a major credit card, auto loan, or mortgage, the lender will request a detail copy of your report.

Credit reports include information such as number of credit accounts, balances, past due accounts, judgments, collection accounts, etc. Based on the information, a lender will determine whether you qualify for a loan. Individuals with several negative remarks, or credit report errors, have a lower chance of getting approved.

Why Check Your Credit Report Online?

Checking your free credit report online is the first step to protecting your credit rating. It does not take long for someone to steal your identity. Within a few weeks, a crook may have attained several credit accounts in your name; and these accounts will appear on your credit report.

Moreover, creditors make mistakes. For example, a creditor may have failed to report a past due balance that was paid in full. By checking your credit report every six months, you will be able to detect suspicious activity and resolve inaccuracies. For double credit protection, subscribe to a credit monitoring service. For a low monthly fee, these services notify consumers whenever new credit accounts are opened in their name.

Conveniently Reviewing Your Online Credit Report

Checking your credit report online is free and convenient. Various websites offer free credit reports. Simply verify information such as your name, address, social security number, and within minutes you are able to gain access to your report. Reports are easy to read and viewable for a month.

Free credit report online

Free credit report online will help to know your yearly credit status. You can find numbers of online sites those who gives you free credit report, free credit scores and free credit monitoring but very few sites are legal sites and are authorized to issue such annual free credit report.

The Fair Credit Report Act requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies. There art three legal financial companies Equifax, Experian, Trans Union to provide you the free copy of your annual credit report at your request once every 12 months.

Free credit report online includes all the information related to you like where you live, how you pay your bills and whether you have been sued, arrested or field as an bankrupt.

This credit report helps you in doing big finance deals like purchasing furniture, property or vehicles at the same time it may be problematic to some of them if they don`t have a good credit report.

Free credit report online saves your time the only thing you have to do is they provide you with the annual credit report form you just have to fill it with all the correct information`s. take care that you don`t provide any false information regarding your credit card number or regarding your billing because if you fill the false information your will not be accepted and it will be rejected, so try to avoid all such things and save your time with free credit report online.

Free Credit Report And Score - Why You Need Them Both

You keep a record of how much money is in your checking account. Chances are, you keep a running tally in the back of your check book and you balance that with the statement the bank sends you each month. As important as it is to know how much money you have available before you write a check, it is equally important to know your credit score and what is on your credit report. Not knowing these things could cost you money.

A credit score helps predict how credit worthy you are

Many factors go into determining your credit score including your bill-paying history, the number of credit accounts you have, late payments, collection actions, and outstanding debt. Once this information is compiled, statisticians compare your information with other consumers and give you points for each factor of your history that shows you to be a good credit risk. Your total number of points are added up, giving you your credit score.

A credit report shows how credit worthy you have been

Simply put, a credit report is a tracking of all of your credit purchases and payments compiled by a credit bureau and made available to any agency that is trying to determine whether or not to give you a line of credit or loan you money. The report lists every account you have open, even if it contains a zero balance. Information published on the report stays on it for 7 to 10 years.

Everyone should know their credit score and have a copy of their credit report

If you are getting ready to apply for a home loan, you should know what is on your credit report before your lender ever sees it. If there is an inaccuracy, you will have a chance to have it fixed, so it won`t spoil your chance of getting the loan. Having your report in hand will also give you a chance to close any old accounts that you no longer use. Having too many open accounts can influence the amount of credit you are eligible for to receive.

Everyone is entitled to a free credit report

The law requires each of the three credit bureaus to provide you with a free credit report each year. You may take them all at once or spread them out, but it is important to obtain them and make sure that the information of your credit report is accurate.

Free Credit Report And Score - How To Receive A Free Credit Report

Each consumer with credit history should obtain a copy of their report annually. The cost of credit reports vary. If obtaining a copy from the credit bureaus, consumers may pay $15 per bureau. However, some online credit agencies advertise low cost credit reports. Rather than paying for a credit report, consider obtaining a free report.

Who Qualifies for a Free Credit Report?

By law, each consumer is entitled to one free credit report each year. Although reports are free, consumer may have to pay a few bucks to view their credit score. Despite this incentive to encourage credit report monitoring, many people neglect to review the contents of their report. This results in millions becoming victims of identity theft each year. Free credit reports are available online, and viewable for up to 30 days. However, other factors may also qualify you for a free credit report.

Credit Report Inaccuracies

If you believe that your credit report contains errors or mistakes, you are a good candidate for a free credit report from each of the three bureaus. The majority of people only review their report from one bureau. However, if the contents on the Experian report are inaccurate, it's worth obtaining copies of the other three reports to ensure that the same mistake has not occurred twice.

Denied Credit, Employment, or Insurance

Although credit history has nothing to do with your ability to function well on the job or drive a car, many employers, and insurance agencies have begun checking credit reports. In some instance, a negative credit rating may prevent you from obtaining employment, or result in higher car insurance premiums. Individuals who have been denied a line of credit, employment, or insurance because of their credit will qualify for a free report.

Experience a Credit Limit Reduction or Interest Rate Increase

Unfortunately, creditors have the right to reduce credit limits and increase rates at their leisure. If you habitually make late payments or exceed your credit limit, a change in credit card limits and rates should be expected. However, if changes occur for no apparent reason, it helps to obtain a free copy of your report and ensure that all information is accurate.

Free Credit Report and Credit Score

Free Credit Report and Credit Score indicate the creditworthiness or financial position of a person. Initially there was strict prohibition to disclose the credit report and score. But due to development in business skills and policies many retailers and lenders extend credit facilities to their customers. In order to secure the credit transaction they demand for credit report and score to know whether the borrower is financially sound or not.

It is quite obvious that bad credit can affect one's credit flexibility but good credit report can help to get better credit extension. The credit report and score has long-lasting impact in all the ways of your life. So it is better to check your credit report and score and try to improve it. You may also repair your credit report and score periodically as repairing can eliminate many bad remarks that exist in it.

There are credit bureaus that maintain the credit report of every person. These credit bureaus collect the information from various sources like department stores, collection agency, lenders, financial institutions, etc. But now due to development in online services one can easily get free credit report and have a glance look at his/her credit records.

Understand your Credit Report
One should thoroughly understand his/her credit report so as credit score. If it is not possible to understand it personally take the vital help from and credit report service agency. Once you understand your credit report maintain a well-structured record, as it can be used as future references.

What is Credit Score?
Credit Score is the statistical data that clearly show your financial position. It not only indicates your financial position but it also indicates your bankruptcy and many other negative remarks. It is generally 3-digit number, which is based on your credit report. In fact there is not so much difference between credit report and score.

Usually the credit score ranges from 300-750 but the average credit score lies within 600-750 which is regarded as good credit score. Person below this average range must try to increase their credit score.

Considering its vital importance one must always try to improve his/her credit report and score. Now day`s credit bureaus provide credit report and score through online service. With the help of online services one can easily get the free copy of credit report and check credit report rating, which can act as an obstacle if not favorable. So it is advisable to order credit report instantly.

Free Credit Report - 3 Ways To Improve Your Credit Score Using A Free Report Online

The majority of the population is not in a position to pay cash for home and automobiles. Hence, when making a large purchase, most people must take advantage of financing options. Financing, or obtaining credit, makes it possible to comfortably afford a home, automobile, etc. However, financing does come with limitations. If you have good credit, your finance options are many. On the other hand, if your credit needs improving, you may be unable to obtain good rates when choosing to finance merchandise.

Advantages of Maintaining a Good Credit

Sadly, many consumers underestimate the importance of maintaining good credit. Secondly, some people fail to regularly monitor their credit reports and credit scores. Credit is very important. While it is feasible to obtain financing with bad credit, you will likely receive higher rates and undesirable loan terms.

Before applying for any type of credit, take time to review your personal credit report online. This way, you are knowledgeable of your credit standing. In addition, you can take steps to improve rating. Here are three tips on how to improve credit rating and boost your credit score.

Pay Creditors on Time

Paying bills late is extremely damaging to your credit report. If a creditor receives your payments one day past the due date, they have the right to increase your interest rate. Moreover, other creditors may also increase your credit card interest rates if you pay another account late.

Making timely payments will add points to your credit score. The higher your score, the better your credit. On the flip side, continually paying bills late will be revealed on your report, and decrease your overall credit score.

Reduce Debt to Income Ratio

Your online credit report will include all pertinent information, including how much debt you owe. Having an excessive amount of debts will also lower your credit score. Rule of thumb: the more available credit you have, the better. This indicates self-control and the ability to use credit wisely. On the other hand, if you have several maxed out credit cards, future lenders may be less willing to grant you additional credit.

Keep Old Credit Accounts Open

Many assume that closing old or paid accounts will increase their credit score. However, this maneuver does the opposite. Again, available credit is good for your credit score. If you pay off a credit card, and close the account, the credit is no longer available. Instead, keep paid off accounts opened. If you are determined to get rid of a few credit cards, cancel newer or recently opened accounts.

Free Credit Reports: Get Yours Today!

You may have seen the ads telling you where you can get copies of your consumer credit reports for free. Read the fine print and you will see that there is some sort of catch with these ads that will ultimately cost you money. You don`t need to pay for your reports no matter what someone else says. Let`s take a look at how you can really and truly get copies of your credit reports for free.

Thanks to an amendment made to the Fair Credit Reporting Act in 2003, Congress authorized the Federal Trade Commission to mandate that copies of your credit report be made available to you for free. Previously, in order to secure your report, you would have had to pay a fee. As of September 2005, residents of all fifty states are now eligible to obtain a free copy of their credit report from Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax once per year.

So, why were the reports made available at no charge to consumers? Well, even though all three companies operate independently from the government, combined they carry so much weight in determining your credit standing – and your very livelihood – that a decision was made that everyone should have access to their personal reports on demand. Furthermore, since a significant number of these reports have been determined to contain errors, consumer advocates insisted that you shouldn`t have to pay to correct someone else`s mistakes. Enter the Fair Credit Reporting Act as amended in 2003.

There are several ways you can order your free credit reports, but there is only one web site that will give you your reports for free: annualcreditreport.com. Again, only this one site acts on behalf of Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union to give you your reports to you for free.

You can also call the following toll free number to order your free credit reports:
1-877-322-8228

If you wish, you can place your request in writing after downloading and filling out a form found online at ftc.gov/bcp/conline/include/requestformfinal.pdf. If you choose this method, you will need to mail the form to:

Annual Credit Report Request Service

P.O. Box 105281

Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

For more information about the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Federal Trade Commission, please visit the following site: ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.htm

When ordering your reports you can also request your FICO score. Unlike your free credit report, you will pay a small fee – typically between $5 and $7 – to get your score. If you elect to learn your score you can use a credit card to pay for your transaction. The three national credit reporting bureaus may also attempt to sell other services to you while you are checking off the information for your free credit report. These services include alerts, but you probably won`t need them. If you select some of the other offers, you will be charged for the service, so be careful what you pick.

Free Credit Reports For You

American consumers are now entitled to receive one free copy of their credit report per year from each of the three major credit reporting agencies. Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union are now all required by law to furnish to you a copy of your credit report. This is good news for consumers; please read on for additional helpful information.

As of September 1, 2005, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires that the three national credit reporting agencies provide <u>one free copy</u> of your credit report to you annually. You do not need to contact the three reporting agencies separately to obtain your reports, instead you can order them online at annualcreditreport.com; or by calling 877-322-8228; or by completing the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mailing it in.

The mailing address is:

Annual Credit Report Request Service

P.O. Box 105281

Atlanta, GA 30348-5281


The online form is available here: ftc.gov/credit.

If you need copies more often, you can contact the three reporting agencies and request copies directly from them. <u>You will be charged</u> for any reports over and beyond your one free annual report.


To purchase a copy of your report, contact:

Equifax

800-685-1111

equifax.com


Experian

888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742)

experian.com


Trans Union

800-916-8800

transunion.com

What is the best way for you to benefit from the new law? That`s easy: order copies of your reports from the companies on a four month rotating basis. Most consumers will find this method to be adequate as it will allow for you to compare reports from each agency. Naturally, if you already suspect fraud you will want to order all three reports at once and notify each agency to place a "fraud alert" in your credit file.

There are also several private companies who will get a hold of all three copies of your credit report for you as well. <u>There are fees involved</u>, but you may find their services to be less of a hassle than contacting the three companies separately.

In summation, the new law is a bonus for consumers. Published reports indicate that many credit reports contain errors in them; this law gives you the opportunity to correct "their" mistakes by setting the record straight and at no cost to you.

Free Copy of your credit report

As of Jan 1, 2004 according to FCRA Act, all credit bureaus will be required to give out one free copy of credit report per year. However they are not required to give you a free copy more than one time in a year.

A free copy of credit report will help protect you and your family from any financial crisis. If you haven`t recently seen a copy of your credit report, it would be advisable you obtain a copy of your credit report as quickly as possible. It is always recommended to check your credit report at least once in six months. Now days in just a few clicks you can have access to your credit report online. Getting a free copy of your credit report has no obligations and is absolutely risk free.

You are entitled for a free copy of credit report if

•You are entitled for a free copy of credit report if you have been denied credit
•You are unemployed and intend to apply for employment within 60 days.
•If you are a public welfare assistance
•If you report has been revised
•If you credit report contains inaccurate information due to fraud or theft

To obtain a copy of your credit report you need to provide the following information in writing


•Your personal information including you name, address, date of birth, telephone number and so on.
•You also need to submit your previous residential address if any especially if you need to obtain your five year credit history
•You also need to submit your social security number
•You also need to provide a signature at the end

Safeguard your credit (Tip that can help)

Shred any documents that show your credit information, social security number or driver`s license number before throwing them away.

Free copy of credit report

The national consumer companies Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union requires The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)– to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. To keep all the information of consumer in files the FCRA helps as it promotes the accuracy and privacy.

This credit report includes all the detailed information related to your personal issues like your residential address, who you pay your bills, and whether you have been ever sued, arrested or filed for bankruptcy. With all this information the national consumer reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, employers, insurers, and all others that evaluate your application for credit, employment, insurance or renting a home.

To order your free copy of credit report you can visit the official and legal sites of three financial bureaus where you will be provided with an online form. You have to simply fill the form with all your correct information to get the accurate copy of your credit report. Some times many people won`t give the correct credit card number due to which your form get rejected.

Try to avoid all the incorrect information as these sites are legal so provide all your legal information correctly to get a free copy of credit report with in few hours. These three nationwide consumer reporting companies have their own central website, a toll-free telephone number, and a mailing address through which you can order your free annual report anytime according to your conveyance

You can order your free credit report from each of the companies one at a time or you may order each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies at the same time. the law (FCRA) allows you to order a copy of your credit report in every 12 month from each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies.

To get your free credit report you just have to provide all the information like you name, address, social security number, the new location address if you have changed in last tow years, also provide the address of old location. Sometime for the security the nationwide consumer reporting companies may ask you some question which is only known by you like what monthly mortgage you pay. Different company may ask you different question just for extra security before they provide you your free copy of credit report.

Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well. Currently writing for this website  free-yearly-credit-report.info/ Free Yearly Credit Report

Free Annual Credit Report From All 3 Reporting Agencies

Anyone who wishes to apply for a credit card, mortgage loan, car loan or debt consolidation loan needs to be familiar with his/her credit report and the information contained inside. So, just what is included in a credit report? The answer is an entire listing of an individual`s payment history for the past 7 years, current debt load and any public record information, such as judgements, bankruptcy and/or foreclosures. These factors, along with a debt to income ratio, combine to create a FICO score. This is a number that potential lenders use to calculate the interest rate that will be paid during the life of the loan, which is usually determined by any determinable credit risk.

Most consumers are surprised to learn that they are permitted to request a free copy of their credit report, every 12 months, from each of the three major credit reporting agencies. These include Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. These are the three agencies that respond to credit report requests from banks and other potential lenders. They supply the credit report, which is used to determine whether or not a loan is approved, the amount of any loan granted and an interest rate. While the credit reporting agencies are not involved in the actual credit decision, they are the ones who provide the information that leads to that decision.

These days, many businesses promise to provide a free credit report, but there is almost always a
subscription requirement or paid service that must be honored before the individual can receive their free credit report. One website, however, is much different. Once every 12 months, consumers may visit AnnualCreditReport.com and request instant online access to their free credit report from each of the three previously mentioned credit reporting agencies.

Upon viewing each credit report, which may be slightly different from each of the reporting agencies, individuals will be able to review every entry and confirm their accuracy. If anything is determined to be incorrect, including an account balance, status or payment history, the consumer has a right to dispute that information with the credit reporting agency directly. At the time that a dispute is lodged, the agency will launch an investigation to determine whether or not the entry needs correcting.

At any time during the year, if an applicant is denied credit, he/she has a right to receive a free copy of the credit report from the agency who supplied the information to the denying lender. The lender must supply the name, address and telephone number of the credit reporting agency that supplied the applicant`s credit report. Within 60 days of the notice of denial for credit, the applicant may request a free copy of his/her credit report. A final consideration recommended to all consumers is that, in order to prevent identity theft or any type of fraud, a credit report should be monitored every six months.

Free Annual Credit Reports - Strategies to Avoid Imposter Websites

In a 2004 amendment to The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), a new system providing free credit reports was initiated. The amendment requires each of the three national Credit Reporting Agencies (CRAs), Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian, to provide free copies of an individual's credit report once every 12 months. The free reports require a request to be submitted to a centralized office, in accordance with procedures defined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC is charged with consumer protection and ensuring compliance to the FCRA from the Credit Reporting Agencies.
The amendment was undertaken as a way to help individuals access the information contained in their credit reports. Prior to the amendment, credit reporting agencies were able to charge individuals for every copy of their credit report that they requested. Only under specific circumstances, such as searching for employment, were credit reports provided free of charge. This undermined fair access for individual's to access information about them
collected by the CRAs.
Understanding what information is in your credit report is important. Only then can you ensure that the information being reported about you is accurate and up to date. Your credit report impacts your life in many ways, from the ability to obtain credit to the amount of money you will pay for that credit.
Fair access to such important information is critical. The unfortunate reality is that reporting mistakes do happen. Any errors or misinformation contained on a credit report can have a tremendous impact on a person's financial wellbeing, job prospects, and housing prospects.
The amendment mandated the three CRAs to implement a centralized website, toll free number, and mailing address as methods individuals may use to request their free credit reports. Although the centralized website was implemented as a way to offer consumers a quick and easy way to request their reports, it has come under severe criticism by various consumer
protection groups.
There are problems that plague the centralized website annualcreditreport.com. Some of these problems are related to difficulties inherent with the Internet and search engines. Others, some groups claim, are the result of poor planning and implementation on the part of the three Credit Reporting Agencies.
Many of the consumer protection groups, including the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, urge consumers who are unfamiliar with the Internet to avoid using the centralized website to order their free credit reports. They further encourage those who choose to use the website to beware of a number of potential pitfalls the internet, and the website itself, present.
The first problem has to do with the Internet itself. The three Credit Reporting Agencies purchased the website address (also called a URL (uniform resource locator) or domain name) annualcreditreport.com. It is common for unscrupulous webmasters to purchase domain names similar to others, with the goal of intercepting customers or consumers who search for the genuine website. These webmasters purchase domain names very similar to the real domain, and unsuspecting consumers mistakenly believe they've reached the correct website. These consumers are then redirected to paying sites, have their personal information collected without their knowledge, or signed up for services they don't want or need. In this way, unscrupulous webmasters make money.
The FTC calls these websites 'imposter' websites.
Unfortunately, consumer groups and the FTC have reported that some Credit Reporting Agencies are linked to some of these imposter websites. Recently, the FTC filed and settled a lawsuit against a subsidiary of one of the Credit Reporting Agencies. The lawsuit alleged "deceptive and misleading" claims on the subsidiary's website. This website was advertising free credit reports, and then automatically signing up consumers to a credit monitoring system that
charged a fee if not cancelled by the unsuspecting consumer. In addition, the website was collecting personal information about the consumer.
The World Privacy Forum reports that over 100 domain names with close misspellings of annualcreditreport have been purchased. Many of these have been purchased by the Credit Reporting Agencies themselves. In some cases, these websites lead consumers to websites that demand payment for services, and others lead consumers to the Credit Reporting Agencies websites themselves, where they are charged for copies of their credit reports. The second of these is largely the result of the CRA's affiliate marketing programs, whereby the CRA pays a website for a referral.
The second problem with the centralized website lies in its implementation. Initially, the website was set up so that only the 3 CRAs and the FTC were able to provide a live web link to annualcreditreport.com. This prevented other legitimate websites, such as news and consumer group websites, from offering a live link on their website. In response to these concerns raised by Privacyrights.org, this situation has changed. The change is welcome, as
consumer groups correctly pointed out that the initial web link block only served to make it easier for rogue websites to redirect consumers to illegitimate websites.
There are two ways to find these imposter websites. One is to perform a search in any search engine, which results in a display of many websites. Clicking on anything but the genuine website can land a consumer on an imposter website. The other is by incorrectly typing the genuine website address into the address bar of a web browser. Many of these unofficial
websites contain small typographical errors, designed to lure in just such a web surfer.
Avoiding Imposter Websites
Many consumer groups, including World Privacy Watch, urge consumers to avoid potential imposter sites by avoiding the internet altogether. Instead of ordering free credit reports online, use the toll free number or regular mail.
The toll free telephone number is 1-877-322-8228. The mailing address is Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. If ordering by mail, a form must be completed and can be found on the FTC's website.
Those consumers wanting to order online are urged to:
1) Ensure that they are using the genuine website. The only website address is annualcreditreport.com.
2) If the website you reach features a pop up, advertises itself on television or radio, or redirects you to a different site, know it is not the genuine website. Your credit card number is not required information, and you are not required to purchase or pay for any additional services. The genuine website will not send you any emails.
3) Understand that you are required to provide only certain personal information, including your name, address, social security number, and date of birth. If you have had a change of address in the past 2 years, your old address may be requested. In addition, you may be asked about a personal financial detail that only you would know. This is to prevent anyone else accessing your credit report.
Access to free annual credit reports is a welcome change to the laws governing credit reports and protecting consumer's rights. Every citizen should take advantage of this free service to ensure that the information being reported about them on their credit reports is accurate and up to date. As with any other service, consumers need to be aware of the potential danger that lurks behind the scenes by imposter websites and unscrupulous
webmasters.

Free Annual Credit Report. Why You Must Get Yours

If you are thinking about making any large purchases such as furniture or a vehicle or home, it`s a good idea to get a copy of your credit report beforehand. Depending on what is listed on your credit report, it can help you or hurt you when attempting to obtain credit. There may be errors or false information listed on your report that you are not aware of and that will deter any financers from allowing you credit with their companies.

Another reason to obtain your credit report is to prevent Identity Theft. You have most likely heard that the widely-publicized Identity Theft issue is an increasing problem in this country. By giving out your personal information either online or over the telephone, you are opening yourself up for possible identity theft which can destroy your credit and takes years to rectify. There are a lot of scammers out there posing as popular, respectable merchants asking you for personal information that the bona fide company would never ask you for. Make sure you are shopping with a reputable dealer and know what information they are allowed to ask for or not so that you can protect yourself. A good tip for online shopping is that a secure website, one that is more likely not to be interfered with starts with https:. The ‘S` at the end of the http lets you know that it is a secure website. Look for that when shopping online or doing business with online banking or bill pay.

It is imperative that you know what has been reported regarding your entire credit history. Equifax, Trans Union and Experian are the three major agencies most commonly used by merchants to report your payment history. All three of these agencies have their own website that you can go to and request a copy of your credit report. Sometimes there is a small fee to obtain your credit report, but it varies by state. You can also dispute items online at those sites. Depending on the reporting company and which agency it has been reporting to, it may take some time to fix any errors, but it is well worth the effort to assist you in cleaning up your credit report and getting you back in good standing.

There was a law passed which enables everyone to receive one free copy of their credit report per year. The official site to order a copy of your report from is AnnualCreditReport.com. Also, if you have received a letter stating that you have been denied credit, submitting that letter will allow you to obtain a free copy of your report, even if you have already received your free annual copy.

Free Annual Credit Report

Free annual credit report is a report of all your yearly financial transaction and its help you to know where do you actual stand at the year end.

If anyone is looking for large purchasing like automobile, furniture or home this credit report will help you in easy transaction of anything. It`s totally depended on what is there listed on your credit report.

Equifax, Trans Union and Experian are three major finance agencies which is most commonly used by the merchant to report you yearly payment history. To get more information about these sites you can visit their website.

You may need to have some information about your yearly transaction or about your loan accounts you can refer three sites of finance bureau. You may get frustrated to refer three sites for few questions.

Earlier no one was entitle to receive even a single copy of their own credit report, but now law has made it enable to receive a copy of your credit report. You have fill their online form with all your correct information and with in few minutes you can see your credit report.

Make sure that you fill all the details correct as some people gives false information about their credit account number and all if its so then your form will get rejected and you wont be possible to get your credit report, so try to avoid all such things and save your time. And if you have any problem you can directly contact their customer service by calling.

Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well.

First Step In Credit Repair- How To Conduct A Credit Report Check

The use of credit today in the purchasing of food, property, assets and services is prevalent. There is hardly anything of value that cannot be purchased in part or in full by the use of credit, or a credit card. Whether it is to finance a home, or a car, or simply paying for a dinner or a holiday vacation abroad, credit is acceptable, convenient and useful.

However, the wide use of credit does not mean everyone who makes use of credit knows how to use it with wisdom. Credit, like the proverbial fire, can be harnessed for good or it can be like wild fire which can burn you and cause wanton damage.

Credit scores affect every aspect of our financial lives including qualification for loans and mortgages, the interest rates we pay, employment opportunities, and even insurance premiums.

Therefore, the first step towards credit repair is to know your credit standing. This means getting your credit report. Even if you do not suspect anything amiss in your credit, it is important for you to establish your credit base by getting a credit report. In this way, you can check whether there is anything reported wrongly in your credit report and can have things rectified.

This first step is also to ensure your identity is intact, that your identity has not been stolen or hijacked. This is a proactive step by a concerned consumer to ensure that there is no chance for identity theft or identity errors and eliminate the chances of being victimized by ID fraud.

If there is inaccurate or incorrect information in your credit report, you need to get them addressed and rectified. You will need to understand how to submit your valid personal disputes to the credit reporting bureau so that they meet their requirements and warrant a timely response.

Once the credit bureau legally remove inaccurate information from your credit report, this will improve your credit scores, and establish your credit standing.

As this process may seem complicated to some, there are credit repair companies who will work on your behalf if you choose to appoint them.
Some law firms and real credit repair companies draw upon their vast arsenal of credit report repair strategies and experience to challenge negative items directly with the credit bureaus.

If you have not check or verify your credit report for some time, it is needful for you to undertake a periodic check on your credit score report to ensure it is correct and there are no inaccuracies in your credit report.

Find free credit report online

Free credit report online will help to know your yearly credit status. You can find numbers of online sites those who gives you free credit report, free credit scores and free credit monitoring but very few sites are legal sites and are authorized to issue such annual free credit report.

The Fair Credit Report Act requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies. There art three legal financial companies Equifax, Experian, Trans Union to provide you the free copy of your annual credit report at your request once every 12 months.

Free credit report online includes all the information related to you like where you live, how you pay your bills and whether you have been sued, arrested or field as an bankrupt.

This credit report helps you in doing big finance deals like purchasing furniture, property or vehicles at the same time it may be problematic to some of them if they don`t have a good credit report.

Free credit report online saves your time the only thing you have to do is they provide you with the annual credit report form you just have to fill it with all the correct information`s. take care that you don`t provide any false information regarding your credit card number or regarding your billing because if you fill the false information your will not be accepted and it will be rejected, so try to avoid all such things and save your time with free credit report online.

Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well.

Fantasy Credit Report

Your Credit Report (the Boring Part)
 Your online credit report is a collection of files and records pertaining to your credit history. It is often referenced for hiring, renting, mortgages, loans, background checks and many other situations which may require an involvement of a larger sum of your income or a need for your personal services. Your online credit report contains the good the bad and yes, the ugly, within its pages. There are 3 major credit report bureaus from which the information comes from: TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. For the most they are similar, but between the three bureaus there may be some different items listed.

What If!?
 What if your online credit report was only full of positive, correct and up to date items? This would be like a fantasy credit report. You could use it like a tool for certain things like getting a low interest loan or the mortgage you actually wanted. You could use it as a weapon against those creditors who automatically assume that your credit sucks and turn the whole finance game around on them. This fantasy credit report would be like a report card with all A's (something most of us have never experienced right?). Imagine not having to worry about what the results are going to be when the phone rings from the bank because you have total peace of mind that your credit report is not only clean but also free of errors and mishaps. The anxiety of waiting for the results of your credit standing concerning a major purchase can cause equal or more mental tension than a doctor walking in the room with his results for a major medical test.

Making the Fantasy a Reality
 Okay, so this whole fantasy credit report thing is exactly just that right? A fantasy. Well... not necessarily. See, you are the only one that can ultimately control what happens to your credit report. Yes, of course there are those 'unknown factors' - BUT, the good news is there is a big first step you can take to help start achieving your own personal fantasy credit report. You can obtain a free copy of your credit report and see what negative items are sitting on your file. More than 70% of all U.S. citizens with credit reports have false or out of date items on their credit file. By spotting these items early and taking the appropriate steps to remove them you can improve your credit rating. What else can you do? Develop a personalized budget. It will take a couple months of re-adjusting but will help you to see where your money is going and begin to mature your spending habits. Also, think about your major purchases before you make them. Too often in our society, consumers buy things without a second thought and "paint themselves into a corner" financially. When you take on more payments than you can afford you have set up your credit report for long term damage. Here is a saying to think about regarding this type of situation: "If your outgo exceeds your income, eventually your upkeep will become your downfall." Remember that the fantasy credit report is waiting to evolve before your very eyes - you just have to make it happen.

Do You have Negative Credit Information in Your Credit Report?

If there is inaccurate or incomplete information in your credit report:

Contact both the credit reporting agency and the company that provided the information to the Credit Reporting Agency (CRA).

Tell the CRA in writing what information you believe is inaccurate.

Under The Fair Credit Reporting Act, the information provider is required to investigate and report the results to the CRA. If the information is found to be incorrect, it must notify all nationwide CRAs to correct your file. If the investigation does not solve your dispute, ask that your statement concerning the dispute be included in your file. A notice of your dispute must be included anytime the CRA reports the negative item.

If the information is accurate, only time, hard work, and a personal debt repayment plan will improve your credit report. Credit repair companies advertise that they can erase bad credit for a hefty fee. Don't believe it.

Under the Credit Repair Organizations Act, credit repair companies can't require you to pay until they have completed promised services. They must also give you:

 - a copy of the "Consumer Credit File Rights Under State and Federal Law" before you sign a contract;
 - a written contract that spells out your rights and obligations; and
 - three days to cancel without paying any fees.
 - Some credit repair companies promise to help you establish a whole new credit identity. You can be charged with fraud if you use the mail or telephone to apply for credit with false information. It is also a federal crime to make false statements on a loan or credit application, to give a false Social Security number, or to obtain an Employer Identification Number from the Internal Revenue Service under false pretences.

If you have lost money to a credit repair scam, contact your state or local consumer affairs office or the National Fraud Information Center.

Out of Control Debt

Counseling services are available to help people having trouble budgeting money and paying bills. Credit unions, cooperative extension offices, military family service centers and religious organizations are among those that may offer free or low-cost credit counseling.

Local, nonprofit agencies that provide educational programs on money management and help in developing debt payment plans operate under the name Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS). They are members of the National Foundation for Consumer Credit (NFCC). To locate the agency closest to you, call 1-800-388-2227 or visit nfcc.org.

Several national nonprofit organizations also provide information and assist people with debt problems via the phone and Internet.

American Consumer Credit Counseling.
InCharge Institute of America.
Money Management International.
Myvesta.

Typically, a counseling service will negotiate lower payments with your creditors, then make the payments using money you send to them each month. The cost of setting up this debt-management plan is paid by the creditor not you. Ask these questions to find the best counselor for you:

What services do you offer? Look for an organization that offers budget counseling and money management classes as well as a debt-management plan.

Do you offer free information? Avoid organizations that charge for information or make you provide a lot of details about your problem first.

What are your fees? Are there set-up and/or monthly fees? A typical set-up fee is $10. If you're paying a lot more, you may be the one who's getting set up.

How will the debt management plan work? What debts can be included in the plan and will you get regular reports on your accounts?

Can you get my creditors to lower or eliminate my interest and fees? If the answer is yes, contact your creditors to verify this.

What if I can't afford to pay you? If an organization won't help you because you can't afford to pay, go somewhere else for help.

Will you help me avoid future problems? Getting a plan for avoiding future debt is as important as solving the immediate debt problem.

Will we have a contract? All verbal promises should be in writing before you pay any money.

Are your counselors accredited or certified? Legitimate credit counseling firms are affiliated with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling or the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies.

Unfortunately, honest credit counselors have a lot of rivals who are more interested in taking your money than helping you. They can do more harm than good. Red flags are:

Big upfront fees. A reputable credit counseling agency will send free information about itself and the services it provides without requiring you to provide any details about your situation.

Unrealistic promises. Some companies falsely claim they can solve problems for pennies on the dollar or remove negative information from your credit record.

Check with your local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been filed about the company.

Disputing Credit Reports—What You Need to Know

Managing credit often becomes complicated when details are lost, confused, unknown or when there are disputes on personal credit reports. Many times there will be errors with purchases or credit records. Other times, you may be dealing with fraud from information being stolen and used by someone else. No matter what the error, the Credit Bureau can offer tips, information and help for credit reports that don`t have the right information.

There are three major Credit Bureaus that provide reports to individuals so they know what their credit standing is. These are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You can request a credit report every six months for free to make sure there are no errors and that identity fraud is not occurring; otherwise you will have to pay a small fee to access your report. 

If you notice that your credit report is inaccurate, then you have the right to dispute inaccuracies. There are three ways to dispute information in your credit report, including online, by telephone or through mail. It is important to note the confirmation number of the report first sent to you. If you don`t have a confirmation number it means that the credit file is compiled by an affiliate or you have purchased your credit report through a reseller. If you have an affiliate, a dispute can be made through the credit bureau which will also have your credit file. If you have gone through a reseller, you will have to get another credit report from one of the three companies listed above.

Once you have the credit report, simply review the report for inaccuracies and those entries that are not valid may be disputed. With everything that you claim is incorrect and dispute, you must give a reason why you believe the information is false. You can dispute information by mail or online. If you are disputing a credit item online, be assured security measures are always taken. These are known as Secure Socket Layers and have codes in order for you to be able to provide the proper information without it being lost or stolen online.

After making a dispute with the Credit Bureau, an investigation will begin of your credit
report. Whichever bureau you go through will collect and organize information from several different resources, including records, historical information, and sources, such as your bank and information from the company the supposed false information is with. After the investigation is completed, the Credit Bureau will send you a confirmation which you can view online. This will contain the results of their investigation. The full time allotted for any of these disputes is a maximum of thirty days. It is always possible to check the status of the investigation at any time during the process. If you have disputed your credit by phone or mail, the results will be mailed to you after thirty days.

If you are not satisfied with the conclusions the Credit Bureau has made regarding your report you may make a consumer statement about the part of your credit that you are not satisfied with. This additional explanation will help your credit if the report does not clear and comes back in the future. The information will also be reviewed a second time to be sure that the investigation was accurate. Many people who have incorrect information on their report will also use credit repair companies to remove inaccurate information. It is important to look into these companies first, as many provide false information to customers and may not be able to fix the inaccurate information as claimed.

As with anything, mistakes will inevitably happen and this applies to credit reports from the three major credit bureaus as well. Additionally, fraud will occur too, however if you are the victim of fraud or a simple credit bureau mistake regarding your credit information there are methods in place that will allow you to have the information corrected.

Discover the Parts of a Credit Report and What They Mean

So you ordered a copy of your credit report to check for inaccuracies and get the most from your credit score. Now how do you read it? Your credit report is read and used by any number of people you deal with on a daily basis, from your landlord to your employer to a potential lender. Fortunately, it has gotten easier to order a copy of your report, but it's not so easy to understand what all those abbreviations and numbers mean once you've got it.

If you haven't ordered your credit report yet, you will soon be entitled to a free copy from each of the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Some states can already take advantage of this new policy, but people living in eastern states will have to wait until September of 2005. Order your free yearly copies from all three agencies and check for the availability of the annual reporting program in your area at the same website: annualcreditreport.com < annualcreditreport > . Each report will contain different information because retailers and creditors only report to the agency in their area or with whom they have an agreement.

Once you have your credit report in your hands, you will see that it is divided into four main sections:

    • Consumer information
    • Account histories
    • Public records
    • Inquiries


Double check the accuracy of your identifying information. This will include your name, address, phone number, previous addresses, date of birth, and Social Security number (SSN).

Next, for each account history, or trade line, you will see the following information:

    • Date you opened the account
    • Type of credit account (either installment, such as a car loan or mortgage, or revolving, such as a credit card)
    • Name(s) on the account
    • Total loan amount, credit limit, or highest card balance
    • Amount you currently owe
    • Amount of your monthly payment
    • Account status (either open, closed, inactive, paid, or other)
    • How promptly you have paid on the account


Credit agencies vary as to how they word various sections of the report and should provide you with a guide to reading their versions. One agency might report in the last column of an account history that you paid "on time" or "30 days late." Another agency might use a numeric code to rate how well you paid off a debt. R1 is the code used for an excellent repayment history on a revolving charge account. I1 is the code used for an excellent repayment history on an installment account. Obviously, the higher the number next to either the R or I, the lower your repayment history is rated. So an R4 would indicate a history of late payments.

The public records section will include any tax liens, bankruptcies, judgments, or other financial-related legal matters. Depending on the type of action taken, these damaging records may stay on your credit report for up to 7 to 10 years.

The last section lists the inquiries made on your credit. Hard inquiries are those requests to pull your credit when you apply for such things as loans or lines of credit for services. Soft inquiries result when companies sending out promotional items to pre-qualified individuals check your history or when your current creditors check your payment status. The soft inquiries only show up on the report that you order, not on reports pulled by lenders.

While too many inquiries in a short period of time can signal a red flag to a lender, most credit scoring models are least affected by this portion of your report.

Check your report for any errors and report them immediately in writing. If you need more information about how to reach the three main credit bureaus, please go to apscreen.com.

Don't forget that the credit agency providing your report is also a great source of information on not only reading your credit report, but raising your credit score.

Credit Report Score

Credit report score help to know how credit worthy you have been. Credit report is your personal financial report card in other words it`s nothing but all your credit history. Your credit report can affect your daily life from where you live and work to how much you pay for a loan or insurance. Here's a guide to protecting your financial reputation

Unfortunately many of us do not know our credit score, if you take an approximate you will come to know that only 33 percent of consumers know their credit scores according to Government Accountability Office.

As important as it is to know how much money you have available before you write a check, it is equally important to know your credit score and what is on your credit report. Not knowing these things could cost you money.

You can have a copy of your credit report and one should know where he financial stand at the end year. This credit report keeps all the track of your purchasing and payments of your bills and many other financial matters.

This credit report helps agency to determine whether or not to give you a line of credit or loan you money. As higher the score, the les risk the lender believe you to be. As your credit score climb you interest rate you are offered probably decline.
The credit report lists your each and every financial detail, like the account you have open, even if it contains a zero balance.

Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well.

Credit Report Questions and Answers

It is a written report (stored in computers comprised of the following information about your personal credit worthiness and debt repayment history.

•Identification by name, address, spouse's name, date of birth, Social Security number, telephone number, place of employment, mother's maiden name, etc.

•Credit inquiries - every time a subscriber (credit provider) runs a credit report on a consumer, a record of the file inquiry is made. It will remain on the file in most states for one or two years. This is of interest to creditors because it reveals recent credit activity.

•Information in public records and collection accounts are also collected by (or reported) to these agencies. Public records include courthouse records, bankruptcies, judgments, law suits, criminal records, etc.

•Credit history - which includes the name and ID number of each subscriber who makes a report and your credit/debt repayment history. Also included is the date an account was opened, credit limits, current balance, monthly payment amount and payment frequency for the last 12-24 months. Records are dated with each request of entry. Other information includes, but is not limited to, consumer disputes, criminal convictions, individual liability or joint liability of accounts, co-maker or guarantor of payment on a certain account, secured accounts and charge offs (when a creditor has reported an unpaid balance as a loss).

•Consumer statements - a statement, not to exceed 100 words, regarding any account(s) an individual may wish to more accurately and completely explain, often very helpful to credit decisions.

When is a credit file created?

Usually when you make application for a loan or credit card or when a party who extended credit makes a report to their credit reporting service on your debt repayment.

Who can legally look at my credit report?

Credit reporting agency subscribers comprised of banks, other lenders, merchants extending credit, life insurance companies, companies on employment applications, rental leasing, security clearance, etc. may not access an individual's credit record unless disclosure is made that a credit report will be requested and in many instances must receive authorization from the consumer. This authorization is standard procedure when you sign an application in any of the above transactions. Read the fine print on the applications for more details.

How often should I look at my credit report?

If you are actively using credit, using one or more credit cards with monthly or bimonthly charge activity, have installment loans(s), vehicle lease, etc. review your credit file every nine to twelve months, otherwise every 15 months is adequate.

What if I need help?

Avoid any type of credit repair firm or service. Do it yourself instead. It is easy and inexpensive.

Credit report is your financial proof

Credit report is a legal statement of your credit history. Credit report shows actual where do you stand in your financial dealing and it has all the detailed information about a consumer like address, date of birth, telephone number, method of paying bills, and also the information`s like did you ever been arrested, any legal dispute civil judgment, bankrupt and many more.

One can easily get their credit report thanks to FACT Act, under this Act a consumer can get a free copy of their credit report which can be helpful for them in all their financial dealing like purchasing furniture, house, vehicle and all others. Some time it may be problem for you as it has all your financial history.

At a time one can have the credit report from all the three legal financial companies. It`s not a big thing to get your credit report online as all three financial companies have their own legal websites. One has to fill up their online form which they have provided with all your correct information so that you will be able to get your credit report as soon as possible. Make sure you enter all the correct details as some of them won`t give their credit card number correctly. If it happens then your form will get rejected and will not be accepted by any of three sites.

You can find many online sites those who are providing you with credit report but it`s always good to have a copy of your credit report from a legal financial sites.

Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well.

Credit Report form Three National Credit Bureaus

Today any resident can have one free copy a year of their credit report from each of the three national credit bureaus. The annual free credit reports are mandated by to reduce the incident of identity of theft by encouraging consumers to regular check their credit histories for suspicious activity, such as a new credit card account that was never requested.

The three national credit bureaus are competing companies. The gather all the details of their consumer separately, they don`t share their consumers data with each others. Though the format of credit report of three national credit bureaus in different but they all has got the same information`s about their consumers like former address, employers, fraud alert, recent inquiry by credit generator, and all other public records on which the credit report is based on.

The trade lines includes the credit limits, balances owing, the payment histories of loan , credit card and all other accounts as reported by the subscribes to the respected bureaus whether Experian, Equifax or Trans Union.

As this bureaus don`t share their data. It`s common to find a difference in the data, as well as the scores for the same consumer. Many of companies are members of one or two bureaus but not all the three.

Consumer should be prepared. Getting the credit report may not be easy as number of consumers have complaint about the programs it`s because many times consumer won`t provide all the correct information. Avoid all the incorrect information and get your credit report.

Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well.

Credit Report and Credit Score

Credit Report and Credit Score is used to check credit worthiness of a person. Credit score is based on the data provided by the credit report that indicates payment history, accounts, etc. Today many lenders and retailers take the help of credit report and credit score to lend credit. Credit report and credit score helps the bank lenders to judge the credit worthiness of a person at the time of allotting him credit.

Person with bad credit report and score find it difficult to raise the credit whereas the person with good credit score and report does not face any financial stake. The credit report and score provides a true picture of a person's financial position. But it is the initiative of individual or financial institution to ask for it. This credit report and score are provided by credit bureau within few days of your request.

It is advisable that every person must understand his/her credit report. Initially the law prohibited for its disclosure but later on it was made available on request. It is vital that one should check his/her credit score and report any errors found. Remember a small error in your credit score can harm your credit report in a big way. Generally credit score ranges from 300-750 but many people have their credit score within 600-750. In business terms, score above 700 is regarded as excellent credit score.

Why Check Free Credit Report and Score?
Checking Credit Card does not harm your credit score. Checking removes the bad remark in your credit report and similarly in the credit score. It indicates your financial position in the business. Regular updating of credit report also helps to rectify any major financial error. If you find any error or mistake in your credit report assure that you rectify it immediately.

How can you get your Credit Score?
It is true that credit score is totally based on the content in credit report. As the content in credit report varies there is variation in your credit score. It is possible to view your credit report online just by requesting for it. The credit report and credit score that you get through these online services do not cost much.

Credit report agencies: they affect your personal credit as part of their business

Credit reporting agencies are organizations that help credit card companies, loan companies, banks, and departmental stores in the country to ascertain the credit worthiness of their would be clients. They provide these companies information about those who are good credit risk and those who are not.

They receive most information about consumers from loan companies, credit card companies, banks, credit and lending sources. In this report you will their will be information on your occupation, place of employment, residence record, court and arrest records, income status, details on payment of your past and present bills and loans.


Once they have detailed information from these sources, they into give it to any organizations in need of it when requested. Though they keep on file information concerning you and your credit, they don`t make final judgments as to your credit worthiness. The decision is up to the credit card companies or any lender which you are dealing with to provide this.

Whenever you apply for new credit card, loan or any form of credit from any sources lenders will base their acceptance or rejection of your application on your personal credit report. If your credit report shows you`ve been reliable in the past, then you will most likely get the credit card or loan you apply for. However, if you have in one way or the other defaulted on particular account or you were constantly late in making payments, it will likely be impossible for you to get the credit you applied for.


You can get a copy of this report from credit bureau because it`s your personal credit file and you have absolute right to know what is in it. You have right to know exact information they are giving out concerning your name and credit worthiness. If the report is not good enough or you can proof to yourself that it`s all about your past, you can change it. You can build your new credit worthiness. It`s possible.

Credit Report -- 5 Secrets Credit Bureaus Don`t Want You to Know

If you've ever applied for a loan or credit card, chances are your lender acquired and examined a copy of your credit report before deciding whether or not to grant you credit.

Your "Credit Report" is a record of your credit history and it's prepared by agencies called "Credit Bureaus", or "Consumer Reporting Agencies." These are private organizations and have no affiliation with the United States (or any) government. There are 3 major credit bureaus in the United States (2 in Canada) and their names are Experian, EquiFax, and Trans Union.

Did you know that credit reporting is a multi-billion dollar a year industry? It's true! The credit bureaus are for-profit organizations that generate billions of dollars in revenue each year from selling copies of credit reports to creditors and mailing lists.

Your credit report affects more than your financial life. It could affect your education, career, and even your relationships. Your credit report is used not only by lenders and creditors, but also by auto, life, and home insurers, future employers, and even some educational institutions. It affects the interest rates you'll pay on everything!

So as you can see, your credit report can have a critical impact on many facets of your life. For example, because of a bad credit report you could be forced to pay tens of thousands of dollars MORE in loan interest over the life of your home mortgage. This is no exaggeration!

Since the credit bureaus prepare and distribute your credit report to lenders, they clearly wield a great deal of power over both your financial and personal life. But it would be a grave mistake to be intimidated by them, or to think that you have no choice but to live with the negative effects of a bad credit report.

In fact, there's plenty you can do!

Always remember; Knowledge is power! There're a few facts the credit bureaus would rather you don't know. Let's take a look at them, and you'll see why.

1. Credit reports are filled with errors!

It will probably astonish you to learn the percentage of credit reports that contain errors. While there seems to be some disagreement, estimates range from 1 out of every 3 (on the low end) to as high as 90%! Here's a "run down" on error estimates.

Percentage of Credit Reports Than Contain Mistakes

Attorney General of NY     1/3
Consumers Union         48%
US Congress            1/2
Charles Givens Organization    90%

So no matter who you believe, it's clear that way too many credit reports have errors. So even if you think you have good credit, it might be well worth your while to get a copy of your credit report and take a careful look at it.

2. The law is on your side!

In 1972 Congress passed the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to curb abuses by the credit bureaus. The FCRA is the governing federal law on the issue of credit reporting.

Under the FCRA, you have the right to dispute negative information in your credit report. The credit bureaus then have 30 days to verify the disputed information with the creditor. If they cannot (or do not) verify the disputed information within 30 days, it must be deleted from your credit report.

3. Even accurate data in your credit report must be deleted if it's not verified.

If you've done any research into credit repair you've no doubt run across statements to the effect of "Negative data in your credit report that is accurate cannot be removed." As stated above, the FCRA stipulates that any disputed information must be verified within 30 days, or it must be deleted. The "burden of proof" (in a manner of speaking), is on the credit bureaus.

4. Credit repair DOES WORK in most cases!

You'll hear all kinds of opinions as to whether "credit repair" (i.e. efforts to improve your credit report) can be successful. The truth is, credit repair doesn't always work perfectly. But in almost every case the process of credit repair will result in at least SOME improvement in your credit score, and most often that improvement is substantial. So credit repair does work!

Now you may be wondering why repairing your credit score would be of any concern to the credit bureaus. After all, don't they make money by compiling and distributing credit reports regardless of whether those reports are negative or positive?

Well, yes they do, BUT...they also make money (a GREAT DEAL of money) selling names of people with poor credit, to creditors who have a specific interest in those people.

So why would some creditors want to bother with people who have poor credit? Because they know they can charge higher interest rates to those people, because the "bad credit risks" have no choice but to pay those exorbitant rates or forgo credit altogether!

Besides, investigating disputed information costs the credit bureaus time, manpower, and money. They have nothing to gain, and plenty to lose, when people take the initiative and dispute negative information on their credit report.

5. It's perfectly legal to hire third party help to repair your credit.

There are plenty of "Credit Repair Agencies" who will help you repair your credit. But if a credit bureau even suspects you're using such an agency, it's likely they'll try to discourage you from doing so. In some cases they'll even go so far as to send you a letter stating that use of such agencies is illegal.

Such statements are (to put it as politely as possible) garbage! In fact there are laws that regulate such agencies. Now laws don't exist to regulate illegal activity, except to ban it! When was the last time you saw laws that regulate what cocaine dealers must do to operate within the law?

Once again, repairing a bad credit report just isn't in the best interest of the major credit bureaus. But unless you happen to be the CEO of one of those bureaus, the most important question as far as you're concerned is "What's in MY best interest?"

First of all, get a copy of your credit report and examine it. You can get a free copy of your report at annualcreditreport.com.

Secondly, take steps to improve your credit report. You can go about it in one of two ways.

1. Hire third party help.

If repairing your own credit report sounds too intimidating, there are plenty of credit repair agencies that will do it for you. But if you take this approach, there are three things you need to know.

First, they're not cheap. Expect to pay from $2,500 to $5,000 for an attorney or $795 to $2,000 or more for a credit repair agency. Secondly, they don't always do it right! Some will manage to get the negative data on your credit report removed while actually doing damage to your "credit score" (a calculated number used by creditors to evaluate you credit worthiness.) Finally, many are outright scams!

That's not to say you shouldn't hire third party help. If you do your "home work," ask for references, and carefully select a reputable credit repair agency, you'll be much better off than if you had done nothing. Still, if you're willing to do a little work, there's a much better alternative.

2. Repair you own credit report.

Anyone can fix their own credit report. If you can write a few letters, address, stamp, and mail them you can repair your own credit. There're plenty of good books available that can walk you thought the whole procedure, and once you're done a little study, you'll be surprised at how simple the process is.

Bad credit will cost you many thousands of dollars and limitless anxiety. Even if you have fair credit, fixing you credit could still save you thousands in interest payments over the years.

Get a good book on the topic of credit repair, and get started fixing your credit report today! And don't be intimidated by the credit bureaus. Remember, the law is on YOUR side!

Credit Reports! When You`re Not Watching Your Credit, Who Is?

This may be old news, or this may be information that has just come to light for you, but your credit and consumer habits are being monitored, and unless you take some action to obtain the necessary credit reports, you more than likely don`t know if you`re credit worthy or not!

Requesting your credit report does one of two things; first it keeps you on top of what`s being reported about you and your financial habits. If you have missed previous monthly payments, have creditors and financial lenders hounding you for their funds, or you have the annoying collectors calling you everyday, then the odds are you will have all this reported at specific bureaus, such as Equifax and Transunion, to name a few.

The second reason to check your personal report at these select bureau companies is because there is an increase in credit and identity fraud, and even though you have gone through most of your life with no problems, it only takes one occurrence where a credit thief steals your identity and/or credit information, and you then have to spend many months of painful damage control in trying to re-establish your credit rating and identity.

When I acquired my first credit score, I was amazed on how much detail was on that report. The day you sign-up for your first credit card, or sign for your first loan, your credit history is recorded on virtually every action you take. Again, many of you may already know this, but for the individuals that are new to this information, this is the time to research further, and really understand how credit bureaus create reporting information and your identity reports.

When Is The Right Time To Obtain These Reports From The Variety Of Bureaus!

Depending on whom you talk to, whether it`s your bank or any other financial institution you`re currently dealing with, most may say that you should check your personal history periodically and in some cases once a year. Even if you make your monthly payments on time, or pay off your debt in full, you would be surprised at how many times there can be a mistake or error placed on your report, and you wouldn`t even know it until you go to qualify for a personal loan, or possibly your first mortgage.

Imagine when you decide to visit your bank as a first-time homeowner, you`re ready to sit down and negotiate a really good interest rate, and your mortgage agent turns to you and says that there are credit issues on your bureau report. Not only would this be a shock to you, but also it would probably make you feel really embarrassed finding this out through your financial institution.

You can avoid that embarrassment as you check bureaus regularly and have them provide you a written personal report on you to check for any inaccuracies. If you know that you have a less than accurate history, then these credit reports will give you a guideline where you can start to repair the damage that`s already done, and this way you can give your bank the head`s up and give yourself better negotiation leverage.

Now if you`re thinking that you don`t need to check for errors or discrepancies, because you don`t ever plan on getting a loan or mortgage in the future, then you should consider the other side of contacting Equifax and Transunion to obtain information to make sure you`re protected from credit theft.

This would apply to everyone, however, for individuals that do purchases in a variety of avenues including over the Internet, I would recommend that you verify and check frequently to make sure no one has obtained your identity. I know you may say that this could never happen to you, but if it did, wouldn`t you feel better that you caught it quickly to avoid major damage to your reputation and good credit that took you so many years to establish. In a matter of days, you can have your excellent rating damaged due to some thief that is currently using your identity!

I Would Like To Get My Hands On My Report History, How Can I Do This?

If you`re currently searching ways to obtain your report`s score, you can easily get a free credit bureau copy by either contacting the online bureaus, or checking locally to see if you have agencies that will do this service for free.

You should not have to pay money for your reports, and when you contact the bureaus directly, they will instruct you on what information is required to have your free reports sent to you in the mail. However, there are services online and in your local area that provide reporting and identity protection services, but I will go into more detail on those types of services in another article. In conclusion, if you`re so new at obtaining this necessary information, or you just don`t have the time, a paid service may be an option for you to consider, and we can touch on these topics another time.

Credit Reports: Managing your credit history

Credit reports are used by financial companies to evaluate their customers for loans, mortgages, and other borrowings. They are also used by landlords, employers, and other interested parties to evaluate their clients. It is important to be aware of what is on your credit report so as not to face surprises in the future.

A credit report contains a history of your credit life: amounts borrowed, credit card dues, loans, payments, dates, periods, late payments, defaults, public records, and so on. This information can be used by a prospective lender or creditor to find out if you have defaulted on your loan payments, or credit card payments, and how regular you have been in paying back your dues.

A credit report also comes with a credit score - FICO score – that can range between 300 to 850. This comparative score shows in a nutshell where a consumer stands with respect to others in the overall soundness of his or her credit history.

The credit score, like the credit report, can be used by a prospective creditor or finance company to instantly judge and sanction a service. A high score may get you a low interest rate and save valuable money, whereas a very low score may even result in a denial of service.

There are three major credit bureaus that collect information from other companies about consumer credit history and provide a return feedback on any prospective client.

It is important to know whether your credit report contains any mistakes, errors, and adverse comments against your financial activities. Everyone is entitle to obtain a free credit report from any of the major credit bureaus, and one should go for the same.

Credit Reports and Scores Often Confuse Consumers

Most people who are of an age to care about their credit are aware that the three main credit bureaus, Experian, Trans Union and Equifax, maintain credit reports on them. The bureaus keep track of loans, credit cards and bankruptcies and make note of whether each consumer pays his or her bills on time. Most people are also aware that their credit history is also available in the form of a credit score, which is, in essence, their overall credit worthiness reduced to a three-digit number.

Beyond that, many people have, at best, a vague understanding about how their financial transactions are regarded by the credit bureaus. There are a number of myths and misconceptions about credit reports and credit scores and how they are affected by things people do financially. Here are a few examples of these popular misunderstandings:

A consumer has only one credit score - Not true. Each bureau keeps track of financial transactions independently of the others and may have more or less information to work with than the other bureaus. Plus, until recently, each bureau used their own scoring system. In all likelihood, if a consumer were to contact each bureau to obtain his or her credit score, the result would be three completely different figures.

Your salary affects your credit score - Your score is simply a reflection of how well you handle the credit available to you. If you earn more money, you might have more available credit, or not. Either way, the score is simply a reflection of what type of credit you have and whether you pay your bills on time. How much you earn is not part of the equation.

Canceling a credit card raises your score - Not necessarily true. Credit bureaus examine how much of your available credit you are using. Less is more; the bureaus like to see that you are using as little of your available credit as possible. If you owe a lot of money on credit cards and you cancel an unused account, it may look like you are using a larger portion of your available credit. That will actually raise your score!

Marriage merges credit reports - Your credit report is your own. That will not change if you get married. Jointly borrowed money will show up on both reports and will affect both of your scores. And just as marriage doesn't merge the reports, divorce won't separate the joint items. If you get divorced and your ex doesn't pay on your joint loans, your score will decrease.

The process of compiling credit scores is a complicated one. It's understandable that many people don't entirely understand how the system works. Perhaps the best way to keep tabs on what is going on with your own finances is to check your credit report regularly.

Credit Reports -- Your Free Report Could Cost You

The growing prevalence of identity theft and increased concern about good financial health has led many consumers to seek copies of their credit reports online. Doing so is certainly laudable; the more you know about how potential creditors and lenders see you, the more prepared you can be when it comes time to apply for a loan or credit. An added bonus is that consumers can obtain one copy of their credit report from each of the three main credit bureaus once a year through the official Web site set up for such purposes at AnnualCreditReport.com.

Unfortunately, there are still many Web sites that exist for the sole purpose of tricking consumers who are seeking copies of their free reports. A quick Google search for the term "free credit report" today turned up no fewer than twenty four million sites in the search results. There certainly are not twenty four million Web sites that are going to provide copies of credit reports for free, so what is this all about?

It's about money. Aside from the "official" site, the others are there to profit, and they can profit in one of two different ways:

Sell you something - Some of these sites actually belong to the credit bureaus; they have set them up to give you the credit report while selling something else to you in the meantime. These sites will offer the "free" report in large letters, while telling you in smaller ones that by accepting the free report you are agreeing to buy a credit monitoring service, which can cost you $10-15 per month. The credit bureau-owned sites will also tell you that you can get your report for free at the "official" site. That is usually stated in fairly small print near the bottom of the page.

Steal something from you - Unfortunately, there are still many unscrupulous crooks out there on the Internet who see the interest in credit reports as the ideal way to steal personal information from people. Their sites will offer a "free" report, and perhaps some other services for which you can pay. But when you fill out the application and provide your name, Social Security number and credit card, you get nothing in return. Instead, the operators of these sites use the personal information to borrow money and take out credit in your name, leaving you to pay the bills.

If all you want is a free credit report, the best way to avoid this problem is to obtain it from the official Web site at AnnualCreditReport.com. Alternatively, you can call 1-877-322-8228 to receive your report by mail. That way, you can avoid being victimized by the thousands of Web sites that might cause you to pay dearly for your "free" credit report.

Credit Reporting And Your Bottom Line

If you have ever been issued a credit card, received a personal loan, obtained a mortgage or held a job, chances are someone is keeping a file on you. This file contains information on how you pay your bills, whether or not you`ve been sued, and if you`ve filed for bankruptcy. Companies that gather and sell this information are called Consumer Reporting Agencies, or CRAs. The three most common are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

What`s in a credit report

Congress passed the Fair Credit Reporting Act requiring CRAs to provide correct and complete information to businesses to use in evaluating your applications for credit, employment or insurance. Credit reports are only provided to those with a legitimate business need. CRAs generally report unfavorable information for a period of seven years. Exceptions include bankruptcy information, which can be reported for ten years, and information concerning a lawsuit or judgment against you, which can be reported for seven years or until the statute of limitations runs out, whichever is longer.

When applying for a job with a salary of more than $20,000 or for more than $50,000 worth of credit or life insurance, there is no time limitation for reporting credit information.

Know what`s in your credit report

If you request it, the CRA is required to tell you about the information in your report and, in most cases, the sources of that information. You also have the right to be told the name of anyone who received a report on you in the past six months. If you filed an application for credit and it was denied based upon information supplied by a CRA, you can request a free report within 30 days of receiving the denial. If you have not recently received a denial but still wish to receive a report, you may be charged a reasonable fee. To receive a copy of your report, contact:

Experian
P.O. Box 2002
Allen, TX 75013
888-397-3742 (voice)

Equifax
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374-024
800-685-1111

TransUnion
Two Baldwin Place
1510 Chester Pike
Crum Lynne, PA 19022
800-888-4213

Fixing Credit Report Errors

If you find inaccurate or incomplete information in your credit report, notify the CRA immediately. They are required to re-investigate the items in question. If the new investigation reveals an error, a corrected version must be sent, at your request, to anyone who received your report in the past six months. If the new investigation doesn`t resolve your dispute, request that the CRA include your version or a summary of your version of the disputed information in your file and in future reports. There is no charge for this service if it is requested within 30 days after you receive notice of your application denial.

Fixing a Poor Credit History

Unfortunately, there are no quick or easy cures for a poor credit history. Time is the only thing that will repair your credit report. There is a brisk business among so-called "credit repair" companies which charge from $50 to more than $1,000 to "fix" your credit report. The only information in your credit report that can be changed are items that are actually wrong. If that`s the case, you can fix the errors yourself for free.

Credit Counseling

While only time can fix a poor credit history, there are some organizations that may be able to help if you find yourself confronted by overwhelming money problems. Many of these problems arise from inflation, overuse of credit, faulty planning or a lack of money management. For example, a credit counseling corporation may be an option. These non-profit corporations offer specialized counseling services to over-indebted consumers and handle their money as their agent. The corporations may charge a nominal fee for services provided. A credit counseling corporation is not a lending institution, charity, government or legal institution.