Proven Credit Solutions

(832) 433 - 5700

 

What is a credit score

     

     A credit report is a summary of your personal credit history. Your credit report includes identifying information like your address and date of birth, and information about your credit history, like

    how you pay your bills or if you filed for bankruptcy. Three nationwide credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) collect and update this information. Not all creditors report information

    to credit bureaus, but most nationwide chain store and bank credit card accounts, along with loans, are included in credit reports.

 

    The information in your credit report can affect your buying power. It can also affect your chance to get a job, rent or buy a place to live, and buy insurance. Credit bureaus sell the information in

    your report to businesses that use it to decide whether to loan you money, give you credit, offer you insurance, or rent you a home. Some employers use credit reports in hiring decisions. The

    strength of your credit history also affects how much you will have to pay to borrow money.

 

    The credit bureaus must

 

      1 - Make sure that the information they collect about you is accurate

      2- Give you a free copy of your report once every 12 months

      3- Give you a chance to fix any mistakes

 

      The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), a federal law, requires this.

 

                                                                   

                  Can I get my reports in Braille, large print, or audio formats?

                 

                  Yes, your free annual credit reports are available in Braille, large print, or audio formats. It takes about three weeks to get your credit

                  reports in these formats.

 

                  If you are a person who is blind or print disabled, call 877-322-8228, give personal information to verify your identity, give additional

                  information to certify that you're visually impaired according to the Americans with Disabilities Act, then pick the format you want.

 

 

                  If you are a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, call 7-1-1 to access your local TDD service, then refer the Relay Operator to

                 

                  AnnualCreditReport.com’s TDD service at 1-800-821-7232

 

 

                   

                  How To Monitor Your Credit Reports

 

                  Is it good to order reports from all three credit bureaus at the same time? you have options: order your free reports at the same time, or stagger your requests throughout the year. Some financial advisors

                  say staggering your requests during a 12-month period may be a good way to keep an eye on the accuracy and completeness of the information in your reports. Because each nationwide credit bureau gets

                  its information from different sources, the information in your report from one credit bureau may not be the same as the information in your reports from the other two credit bureaus

 

 

                  Is it possible to buy a copy of my report?

               

                  Yes, if you don’t qualify for a free report, a credit bureau may charge you a reasonable amount for a copy of your report. But before you pay for a report, always check to see if you can get a copy for free from                                     

                  AnnualCreditReport.com.

 

                  To buy a copy of your report, contact the nationwide credit bureaus:

 

                  Equifax: 1-800-685-1111; Equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services

 

                  Experian: 1-888-397-3742; Experian.com/help

 

                  TransUnion: 1-888-909-8872; TransUnion.com/credit-help

 

 

                  Who Can Get Copies of Your Credit Reports

 

                  Federal law says who can get your credit report. If you’re applying for a loan, credit card, insurance, car lease, or an apartment, those businesses can order a copy of your report, which helps in making credit

                  decisions. A current or prospective employer can get a copy of your credit report — but only if you agree to it in writing.

 

 

                  Avoid Other Sites Offering Free Credit Reports

 

                  You might see companies and sites offering free credit reports, but there’s only one authorized place to get the free annual credit reports you’re entitled to by law: AnnualCreditReport.com. Other sites pretend

                  to be associated with AnnualCreditReport.com or claim to offer free credit reports, free credit scores, or free credit monitoring. They also use terms like “free report” in their names. They might even have URLs

                  that misspell — on purpose — AnnualCreditReport.com in the hope that you’ll mistype the name of the official site. If you visit one of these imposter sites, you might wind up on other sites that want to sell you

                  something or collect — and then sell or misuse — your personal information. AnnualCreditReport.com and the credit bureaus will not email you asking for your Social Security number or account information.

                  If you get an email, see a pop-up ad, or get a phone call from someone claiming to be from AnnualCreditReport.com or any of the credit bureaus, don’t reply or click on any link in the message. It’s probably a scam.

 

 

                 Report Scams

                 If you see a scam, fraud, or bad business practices, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. We can’t resolve your individual report, but we use reports to investigate and bring cases to stop wrongdoing. Your report can

                 help protect others from fraud.

 

                                                                             

         

 

                                                                                                                    Soure:  http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre03.shtm