lynlee39 asked:


I am trying to get my credit report on-line but I do not have a credit card to pay for it. I have already gotten one from annualcreditreport.com but am trying to clean up some more things how can I get a credit report from all three credit bureaus???

Bernice

Marc Marseille asked:




A 3 credit bureau report can be useful for various reasons. There are 3 key credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, and each of them have their own knowledge about your credit, so to obtain a good credit score, you need all three.

Several financial institutions require a good score with all 3 credit agencies before they will approve you. For example, a house loan won’t be approved if you have a bad credit rating from 2 out of the 3 bureaus. You also will not qualify for low cost life insurance, a credit card with a low interest rate, or some cases even an apartment. In essence, knowing your three score can save you time from applying to services which you already know you will not be approve for.

Another advantage about knowing your 3 credit bureau report score is that it can show you if somebody has been defrauding you or hijacking your credit profile. If, for example, somebody has been opening accounts in your good name without your knowledge, that information will show up on your 3 credit score report as derogatory. The knowledge of this information will allow you to take legitimate action to get the derogatory items removed from your credit bureau report.

There are many ways you can enhance your credit rating, but none of these tactics can be implemented if you do not know your credit score. One solution to improving your score is to acquire a couple secured visa cards and pay off your bills before they are due. If you continually pay off your balances in a timely manner, this will affect your credit score in positive way.

In addition to paying your bills on time, maintaining a low balance on your revolving accounts and credit cards are mandatory. High balances reflects someone who is strap for money which creditors tend to stay away from. You may be surprised at how many points your credit can rise by simply reducing your balances.

In the long run, it is worth it for you to keep your credit in good standing, because it means you will be able to qualify the things that are important to you. The ability to stay on top of your finances does not have to be difficult, the main thing is not living beyond your means. The more discipline your are now, the more rewards you will receive in the future.

Lucy

This Is Not My Real Name asked:


This is somewhat an odd situation. I have had a 2 year credit history with all three credit bureaus prior to this problem. It seems that all of my credit cards have suddenly stopped updating on my equifax credit report. When I try to apply for a new credit card, I get denied because I have “no equifax credit file”
I requested a free credit report with equifax and even they can’t locate me!
It’s as if my equifax credit file just disappeared. But I have previous copies of credit reports from equifax so it obviously did exist. What can I do and what seems to be the problem?

Fyi: experian and transunion is working fine. My credit report is updated and my score is good. But all accounts have not updated since 2007 on my equifax credit report

Paula

business woman asked:


I been sent to collections 2 months ago for the medical bill. Anyways, the collection company called me to pay it off. I asked them to send me a document saying that if i pay it off now it will not be reported to the three credit bureaus. They faxed me a printout with my acct #, the $ amount, and it had the 3 bureaus on it. It says that the account is “withdrawn” from the 3 reporting agencies. An that it should appear “as such”. I’ve heard in the past that collection companies are sneaky and will say anything to get u to pay them, and ive heard if its already in collections, an agreement with that company does not matter, it will still be on there for 7 years. I didn’t pay them yet i just need answers.!! Thanks.. i just keep hearing different things and i need the truth.

Danielle

Mary asked:


What are the best secured credit cards that report to all three credit bureaus? Where can I go to get them online? What is your experience with them?

I need it to build good credit b/c I have horrible credit. I am currently paying off my debt by settlements and payment plans.

Ruth

Tim Bock asked:




Many times people are unaware of exactly what’s in their credit report, let along if there’s a collection account in there. There are usually 1 or 2 reasons why a collection account may exist.

- The account went to collections
- Mistaken identity

Fortunately it’s not the end of the world. There are steps that can be taken to get the collection off of your credit for good.

Get a copy of your credit report

There are 3 main credit bureaus where you can obtain a copy of your credit report. These are as follows:

- Equifax
- Transunion
- Experian

Dispute the findings

Each credit bureau operates separately. Therefore having the account deleted from one does not automatically mean it will disappear from all 3. Lenders do look at all three credit reports, so it’s extremely important to follow up with all of them. Not doing so will affect your ability in getting a loan.

Do it in writing

It’s important to mail your dispute in. Do not try to do it over the phone. Writing gives you documentation in case you need it. After they received the dispute, they will investigate the matter. If the investigation is not resolved within the allotted amount of time, the item will automatically be deleted from your credit report.

Fair credit reporting act

Become familiar with this law, before you contact the credit bureaus. It could save you a lot of time and trouble. It’s important to get the facts, so you have all the tools at your disposal when going up against the credit bureaus.

Phyllis

Skyler asked:


I won a judgement against a corporation, and I am wondering how to report it to Experian, Equifax, and Transunion. I called the court that issued the judgement and they said that I am responsible for reporting it to them. Any addresses, phone numbers, or other info would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
bddancer – Actually I’m a credit underwriter at Wells Fargo, so I know for a fact that there are business credit reports, some ‘top contributor’ you are. Thanks for the random attack for no apparent reason.
Yes it does make a difference to credit decisioners, most will not make a loan if there are outstanding judgements; I know because I turn them down daily. Who trusts someone to make a loan who hasn’t paid and stole from others in the past?

Phyllis

Jess Peterson asked:




Your credit is one of the most valuable assets that you have. Your credit score can determine not only your ability to borrow money and buy a home, but also what types of jobs you can get and whether or not you can even rent an apartment in a good community. More and more institutions require a credit check, and nearly all employers require one, especially in industries like government and finance.

Get Your Free Credit Report

You are entitled under the Fair Credit Reporting Act to receive your annual credit report from all three major credit reporting bureaus at no charge. Each agency will have a different account of your payment history and account history, which makes it necessary to get your free credit report from all three. When you pull your report, take note of any erroneous information that may be noted on your report. You will be required to write letters to the bureau(s) holding incorrect information in order to begin the process of having the item(s) deleted or removed. The credit bureau in question will have a certain period of time to respond to your inquiry by law.

Be Concise and Detailed When Contacting The Bureaus

Letters that you write to the credit bureau that you believe is holding incorrect entries about your credit performance should be concise, to the point, and contain appropriate details to allow the investigation to proceed timely. If you have supporting documentations, such as cancelled check stubs or payment booklets that are stamped as being paid, make copies of these documents and include them with your letter. In short, gather as much evidence to help you win your argument as possible when you initially write the letter to the credit bureau to avoid a long and drawn out process of getting the erroneous or false information and items removed from your credit record.

A well-written letter makes you stand out as being competent and legitimate. The sample below is indicative of a great way to open up communications on your behalf.

Dear Sir or Madam,

Upon review of my credit report from your agency, I have discovered erroneous information that requires your immediate attention. I hereby formally dispute the information that I have detailed below, and ask for a deletion of this information from the credit report that your agency holds in my name. Your prompt attention to this matter is both appreciated and desired.

The following is a list of the items, accounts, dates, and creditors that I would like to dispute, and the reasons that I am disputing the validity of each.

Sincerely,

John Q. Public

Include Pertinent Contact Information

Be certain to give the credit bureau your full contact details, including the best number to contact you and the best time to reach you at that number. If possible, list your home, work, and cell phone numbers to assure that the credit bureau can contact you as soon as possible should they need further documentation about the disputed accounts or have other questions to ask you.

Duane

Helen Hecker asked:




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

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

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

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

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

Here is a sample letter:

Date:

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

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

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

The error(s) I have found are:

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

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

Sincerely,

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

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

Tom

Jon Arnold asked:




In my mind, the credit bureaus demonstrate time and time again that they are run in a slipshod manner with little respect for the accuracy of the credit reports they distribute. But the good news is that with persistence and documentation, you can beat the credit bureaus at their own game, although you are going to need to really be persistent and not lose your cool at the incompetence you will undoubtedly meet when you are working with them.

As an example, a friend of mine was checking his credit reports and discovered an item which was charged off and determined “uncollectable” from several years earlier. The item was not a large amount, less than $50 but it was still a glaring negative listing in an otherwise pretty good looking credit report. The bill was from the cable TV company where they had claimed he had never paid his final bill.

Of course, he went through the proper procedure to dispute the item. Although most items like this do not appear on all three credit bureau reports, this one did. Remember that of the three major credit reporting agencies, some of your debtors reports to one of them, two of them, and occasionally all three of them. This means that in order to truly get your credit report as accurate as possible, you need reports from all three of them, since NONE of them have a truly complete picture of your credit history.

The dispute he filed was not answered two months later. The rules are that if the credit bureau cannot verify the information within 30 days, the item must be removed from your credit report. But it was more than 30 days and the item remained. He filed another dispute and got a letter back from the credit bureau that the item had been verified as accurate.

No way! He called the cable TV company and they went back through their records and verified that the final bill should not have been sent since he had moved out of that condo by then, and that the amount should not have been reported as overdue or uncollectable. So how had the credit bureau “verified” it as correct? The only answer was more incompetence on their part.

So with a letter from the cable TV company, he filed yet another dispute. The credit bureau sent him a letter several days later saying the item had been verified again and would remain. So he filed yet another dispute, this time sending the dispute via certified and registered mail with the letter from the cable TV company, and this time it did get removed.

The lesson here is that you need to be persistent when you are trying to get inaccurate information removed from your credit report. With that item corrected, my friend’s credit score shot up by more than 55 points. Don’t just file a dispute and think that will take care of it. The credit bureaus really don’t care, and they also know that the vast majority of consumer credit reports contain errors, so they do not seem to be motivated to get those errors corrected. Be persistent and provide documentation and it will happen but you will need to bird-dog it all the way.

Jon