free credit report instantly » Equifax

Equifax Recommends Consumers Go Online to Get Answers Quickly and Safely

admin — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:40:08 +0000

Equifax Recommends Consumers Go Online to Get Answers Quickly and Safely

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) May 28, 2008

Most Americans do not use the Internet to update information or place a fraud alert on their credit reports, according to information solutions leader Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX). The company recommends that consumers use the Internet as their primary channel to obtain and update their critically important Equifax credit information. While phone and mail channels continue to be available, the Internet provides consumers with immediate access to the services they need to get their answers quickly.

“Many people do not realize how convenient the Internet is for inquiring about the information contained in their Equifax credit report,” said Andy Bodea, Senior Vice President, Global Operations. “Using the Internet is a fast and easy to use tool, and can be used whenever the time is convenient for you. The whole process can be managed online – getting instant answers to your questions without having to wait for the mail.”

The following are online links that consumers can use today with Equifax:

Inquire about information in an Equifax credit report at http://www.investigate.equifax.com. Equifax enhanced the investigation process by providing automatic email notification and online access to investigation results.

Initiate an Initial [90-day] Fraud Alert or Active Duty [Military] Alert at http://www.fraudalerts.equifax.com. Consumers who suspect that they are, or about to become, a victim of fraud now can request an Initial Fraud Alert be placed on their Equifax credit report easily online. This site will also allow consumers to request an Active Duty Alert online. A successful online alert request is automatically sent to the other two nationwide credit reporting agencies. Confirmation is sent to the consumer automatically via email with easy online access to a free Equifax credit report.

Access your Equifax Credit Report at http://www.equifax.com/fcra. Consumers who are denied credit or are entitled to a free or discounted credit report under state law now can obtain their Equifax credit report easily online. Other consumers may obtain a free copy of their credit report once a year from all three national credit reporting companies at http://www.annualcreditreport.com .

These online services as well as information about accessing services by phone or mail are available at http://www.equifax.com/answers/en_efx.

Equifax has a long history of providing consumers with a wide array of online products and solutions. Among these, Equifax credit monitoring products alert consumers to key changes in their credit report that could signal potential identity theft and serve as an early warning detection system. A new feature of the credit monitoring products is Equifax Credit Report Control which allows members to lock and unlock their Equifax credit report easily online as often as they wish for one low monthly fee. As part of its commitment to educate consumers about credit management and identity theft protection, Equifax also provides a wealth of information and resources at http://www.learn.equifax.com.

About Equifax Inc. (http://www.equifax.com)

Equifax empowers businesses and consumers with information they can trust. A global leader in information solutions, employment and income verification and human resources business process outsourcing services, we leverage one of the largest sources of consumer and commercial data, along with advanced analytics and proprietary technology, to create customized insights that enrich both the performance of businesses and the lives of consumers.

Customers have trusted Equifax for over 100 years to deliver innovative solutions with the highest integrity and reliability. Businesses – large and small – rely on us for consumer and business credit intelligence, portfolio management, fraud detection, decisioning technology, marketing tools, HR/payroll services, and much more. We empower individual consumers to manage their personal credit information, protect their identity and maximize their financial well-being.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Equifax Inc. employs approximately 7,000 people in 14 countries throughout North America, Latin America and Europe. Equifax is a member of Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500® Index. Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol EFX.

###

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

More Instant Credit Report Press Releases

New Easy to Understand Consumer Credit Score is Introduced by Equifax, Experian and TransUnion

admin — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:58:08 +0000

New Easy to Understand Consumer Credit Score is Introduced by Equifax, Experian and TransUnion

Brooklyn, NY (PRWEB) March 15, 2006

Surprisingly good news for consumers were announced by the three major consumer credit reporting bureaus. An unified VantageScore(SM) credit score is being introduced to replace the currently confusing field of multiple credit scores offered by the three competing credit bureaus.

Currently, each credit bureau uses a proprietary credit score to rate credit worthiness of each consumer. Creditors use credit scores derived from credit reports to grant or deny credit, including credit cards, loans and mortgages.

Different creditors use credit scores from Equifax, Experian, TransUnion or FairIsaac. Fair Isaacs produces the best known credit score, known as the FICO™ credit score. Because of the differences in formulas used by competing credit agencies, the same consumer can have either good or bad credit score depending on who does the scoring. This variability in credit score-based credit worthiness creates nightmares for thousands of unlucky credit seekers who score badly with one of the credit bureaus despite having a good credit history.

Credit-Score.org, the authoritative guide to consumer credit scoring, introduced a news section devoted to the new VantageScore (SM) credit score. It helps consumers understand the Vantage Score (SM) credit score and to transition from the current system.

“Introduction of a simplify and unified Vantage Score credit score is a victory for consumers and creditors alike, who until now had to grapple with confusing and often contradictory attributed scoring algorithms,” said credit score expert and editor of Credit Score Online Information Center, David Caro.

Under the new scoring system, credit hitting differences between credit reporting companies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion will be attributed to data differences within each of the three consumer credit files. Credit tally will no longer vary due to the variation in the credit scoring algorithm model since the same formula will be used by all credit bureau.

VantageScore will offer consumers and businesses a highly predictive, and uniformly reproducible credit hit that is easy to understand and apply. VantageScore uses score ranges from 501 to 990.

According to credit-score.org, a credit score of 501 is equivalent to the low possible credit score that signifies significant credit risk. A consumer with a lower credit tallying is expected to have difficulty obtaining credit and will pay higher interest rates.

A score of 990 signifies excellent creditworthiness. A consumer with an excellent credit score is expected to benefit from the lowest possible interest rates and ease of obtaining credit from creditors.

VantageScore imputed score is derived from consumer credit reports managed by Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. According to Steve Brown, a credit consultant from Denver, Colo., accuracy is a big problem when it comes to credit report. “The ‘big 3’ reporting agencies maintain files on roughly 90 percent of all American adults,” says Brown.

“What’s scary are the estimates that roughly eight in 10 reports have serious errors or other mistakes of some type.” He cautions that it is ultimately up to the consumer to make certain the reporting agencies get their information right.

Keeping a constant watch on your credit report and your credit score can be simplified with continuous credit monitoring services. http://www.free-credit-reports.com is a consumer advocacy resource recognized for continuous monitoring of special offers from the credit bureaus. Consumers will find reviews of free credit report offers from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Free credit score and report offers are also reviewed and updated monthly.

About Credit Score Information Center

Credit Score Information Center is a swelling respected consumer resource on consumer credit scoring. It helps consumers understand what imputed score is, how impute score is used and how to improve credit.

For more information, visit the company’s Web site at http://www.credit-score.org

Contact:

Alex Shtenshlyuger

Phone: 917-541-5393

Email: alex@credit-score.org

###

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC. Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Find More Credit Score Press Releases

A Quick Primer on Online Credit Reports

admin — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:12:28 +0000

Richard Larkin asked:

When you access your online credit report, you should have an idea of what you are looking at. Many individuals spend their hard earned dollars to see their online credit score, but it doesn’t help them because they are either confused by some of the terms or they aren’t looking at the correct report. In short, there are a few things you should be on the lookout for when accessing your credit rating report.

Things you should know before obtaining your credit report:

Be careful, as there are many fraudulent reports online that are misleading and have been known to fool many people. Always look for the official FICO score on the bottom of your credit report, especially since you are paying good money to obtain that report.

You want an official FICO credit report when you get a copy of your report. The name of this report varies, based upon which credit reporting agency you use.

You will be receiving the Experian/Fair Isaac Risk Model credit report when you get a free instant credit report from Experian. Equifax calls their reports “Beacon Score Reports.” Trans Union does it a bit differently, having different names for each of their three credit reports.

It will either be called the Empiria Report, FICO Risk Score report, or the Classic. If you choose to go with merged credit reports from all three of these companies, then you can sometimes miss out on having all of these scores at your disposal.

Watch out for Special Offers

These offers made by companies for their online credit reports often are trying to get you involved into another type offer which will cost you more. By agreeing to sign up for their credit monitoring service, these companies provide free access for your online business credit report and your personal credit report.

While it may sound like a temptingly good deal to begin with, in the long run credit monitoring can be expensive. Checking your online credit report on occasion is a much more cost effective way to prevent any problems before they happen, and it is an effective way to monitor your credit.

Scams are Almost Everywhere

Each and every month, more scams pop up in which people try to use your sensitive personal information for fraudulent purposes. Be aware of companies out there that are posing as credit repair companies or a credit counseling agency. If they make promises that seem a little bit out of the ordinary to you, then there is a good chance they are pulling a scam.

Avoid suspicious emails and websites. Exercise caution when considering who to give your personal information to. Unwary people are lured by the promise of inexpensive credit reports.

MyFICO.com

Try Myfico.com for a trustworthy site where you can access your personal credit report. The vital information you will be looking for is included in the online credit reports provided by them.

You will have a chance to view your official FICO score from each of the credit reporting agencies, as well as all of the current information that each of the three bureaus has on you. You have access to all of that for about $45.

Susan

FREE Equifax, Experian, TransUnion Credit Report

admin — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:52:43 +0000

Zach Ford asked:

Because of recent laws passed by the Federal Trade Commission, all major credit reporting agencies in the United States, including Equifax, TransUnion, Experian (formerly TRW), are required to provide consumers (that’s you!) with a totally free copy of their credit reports, if requested, up to once every 12 months. This means that you can acquire a 100% free credit report from any of these three major credit reporting companies once every year. It has never been easier or cheaper to stay on top of your credit report and score than today.

Everyone should check their credit report! It’s FREE

There really is no good reason why you shouldn’t check your credit report, at least once a year. Knowing what is in your credit report and your credit score can save you time and money when shopping for a loan or lease. Also, it is an excellent idea to frequently check your credit report for errors, out of date information, fraud, or identity theft. All of these wrongful entries can negatively effect your over all credit score, tarnishing your reputation and relationships with banks and lenders.

All three of the major credit reporting agencies can be contacted for a free annual credit report by going to their official website: http://www.AnnualCreditReport.com. They may also be contacted individually, online or by regular postal mail; however, be aware that when going to one of their individual websites ( http://www.experian.com, http://www.equifax.com, http://www.transunion.com ) they will require you to also sign up for an account and other services to receive your credit report. So your best bet is to not deal with them through their commercial sites, and instead use the http://www.annualcreditreport.com site.

How Do I Get a Free Online Credit Check?

Megan

Free Annual Credit Report – 3 Reasons to Get One

admin — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:23:58 +0000

Scott Lovingood asked:

Managing your credit history is a very important step in creating wealth in your life. A good bit of it is based on handling your money and credit correctly. The other part though is how it gets reported as well.

Every person in the US has a credit history. For some people it is blank. They don’t have a record yet of how they handle history. For some people it could fill a large volume of encyclopedias. Now the question becomes is your credit history accurate?

The US government requires the major credit bureaus to provide a copy of your credit history for free once a year. That is why you will often hear people talk about the free annual credit report.

It isn’t the same as your credit score though. It is important to realize that your credit score is still tough to determine as each company calculates them differently.

The three major credit bureaus are Experian, Equifax and Transunion. Think of them as giant record keepers. They get reports from credit card companies, auto loans, mortgage loans, and other areas. Not every company reports to all three. Some will only report your information to one or two of them.

There are three main reasons to get a copy of your free annual credit report. We will discuss each of them in more detail below.

Inaccuracies Identify Theft Forgotten Credit Lines

Inaccuracies can riddle your credit report. The systems involved in collecting this information is not perfect. It is very possible that information is reported to the company incorrectly. For example your credit card company can report that you had a card be placed into collections. It can happen from an employee mistyping information into a computer program.

It is also possible that someone else’s credit is being sent under your identity. I have a friend whose name is the same as her sister in law. They share first and last names but have different middle names. When she went to apply for a loan on a home, they were very confused by her credit history. They lived in different states, had different jobs, and different financial histories. The credit bureaus had mixed them up in places.

It took a while to get everything corrected so she could purchase her home. Getting a copy will allow you to find these errors quickly and get them corrected.

Identify Theft is a growing problem in the world. Getting a copy of your credit history can allow you to find out if someone has stolen your personal information. The credit bureaus will show any credit that is opened in your name. By checking it on a regular basis you can prevent this. You can also request that they put a freeze on your credit. This prevents anyone from opening credit in your name. Just remember to take it off when you get ready to apply for credit.

Forgotten credit lines may not sound like a big deal but they can be. It is not a good idea to have credit lines floating around. I found a couple of store credit cards on my report that I had completely forgotten about. I had gotten them when I was much younger and establishing my credit.

I kept the credit lines but requested that they be frozen. I didn’t want to remove them as they would impact my credit score. I also didn’t want to leave them laying around in case someone got the information and started using them.

Scott

How to Get Your Free Instant Credit Reports Online

admin — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 04:09:35 +0000

Mike Irons asked:

Is your credit going down the tubes?

FREE Instant Credit Report

admin — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 07:27:19 +0000

Zach Ford asked:

Everyone should understand their credit report and apply for a free instant credit report online. Items contained there are the most important determining factors for a loan, getting an apartment, obtaining a good credit card, and much more. The credit score you have will tell your potential lenders information about how you handle your financial business.

Credit reports are what all lending companies and banks use to decide whether an applicant is worthy of a loan from them. Applicants who have a history of not paying their debts on time will most likely repeat the scenario if they are given another loan. This makes applicants undesirable to lenders. The higher your credit score is and the better your credit report is, gives you the opportunity to be able to borrow at a lower interest rate.

Previously it would take days to get a copy of your credit report to view it for errors and other mistakes. But today, with advances in technology, it is easy for anyone to get their hands on a copy of their credit report within minutes, not days as before.

The United States Federal Trade Commission requires the big three in credit reporting agencies to provide you once a year, with a free copy of your credit report. You can contact Equifax, TransUnion or Experian to receive your annual free copy.

If you need more assistance, there are many helpful online sites that will guide you through the process of obtaining your credit report. Many of these same business online will even help you to improve your credit score, if need be.

In your credit report, you will also see the list of companies who have inquired about your credit so that you can make sure they are all legitimate inquiries. Another benefit is verifying that you haven’t fell a victim to identity theft or fraud of any kind. Fraudulent activity in your credit report can affect your chances of qualifying for a loan or getting a good credit card. Also out of date information contained in your credit report should be reported for removal.

Thomas

Why Should I Get My Totally Free Credit Report?

admin — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 02:37:02 +0000

Gary Bunn asked:

Your credit file is a document that presents a complete picture of your financial situation, both past and present, and is the primary deciding factor that leads your creditors to accept or decline your applications. So you can clearly see how important your credit report is! It’s also really important that you make sure the information recorded on your report is up to date and accurate. It is estimated that 7 in every 10 credit reports requested contain an error or incorrect entry of some sort! Just imagine the effect this must be having on your applications.

Your credit report is used to decide not only if you should be approved for a credit application, but it will also affect the rate of interest you pay, and also whether you will be required to provide a deposit or guarantor. Checking your credit file can be a quick and easy task that could mean the difference between getting that next credit card, motor loan or even a mortgage, so the sooner you check your report the better!

There are 3 main companies that collect and record your details and these are known as ‘credit referencing agencies’. The major 3 are Experian, Equifax and Trans-Union. You can apply individually to these agencies who are required to provide you with a copy, however there may be a fee associated with it.

Alternatively you can get a free copy of your credit report from all three companies here. These companies also offer subscription services to protect and monitor your files, which also helps prevent identity theft, but don’t think you have to pay for this! Regular credit report checks and common sense with your personal details (such as shredding) will certainly help keep you one step ahead!

Once you have copies of your report take a few minutes read through your file and highlight any potential problems you see. Once you have a list you can contact the referencing agency and let them know your disputes, they are legally obliged to look in to these for you. It may also help to write to the company who has entered the inaccurate info.

The most important thing for you to do is to get a copy of your report and check the details! You could be very surprised at what you discover! Remember you can get a free copy of your Free Instant Credit Report here, it really won’t cost you a dime. Good luck!

Norma

Instant Online Credit Report From Experian/ReportAccess

admin — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 00:44:20 +0000

Karen R. Miller asked:

If you are reading this article, there is a good chance that you are interested in finding out more about your credit report. Experian.com ReportAccess gives you a complete assessment of your financial standing and credit worthiness as seen by your lenders, insurers, credit cared issuers, and employers.

Only certain institutions are authorized to grade your credit score with Experian being one of them. The other two agencies are Equifax and TransUnion.

This article will discuss in detail exactly what an Experian.com ReportAccess will show you. Before we get into that, here is a little bit more of information about credit scores in general.

More about credit scores

An individual’s credit score falls in the range of 280-850, with 850 being the best and 280 being the worst. The national average for a credit score in 2009 was 693. This would mean that you have a less than average quality credit history if your score is lower than 693. If your score however is in the 700+ range, it would mean that you have better credit than the average population.

Why are credit scores useful to you?

Now that you know exactly what credit scores establish, you might wonder about their use. A credit score or a credit report is an important tool with which you can negotiate in the financial world. Let’s say that you are applying for a mortgage for a house. A lot of things will be taken into account before a bank decides to give you a mortgage. They will find out about where you work, whether you have a spouse and so on but the most important thing that they will look into is your credit report.

Your credit report would have summarized your whole financial history in a few pages. Loans that you took out before and repaid, loans that you took out and failed to pay, late payments and many other details will be shown. There is also the all important credit score number that will allow the bank to quickly evaluate you for a loan.

This is why a Experian.com ReportAccess is very important as it would allow you to leverage your good credit history to get the best possible deal on your mortgage. If however your credit report is less than spectacular and is in fact poor, you will be able to understand why a bank might turn down your loan request or give you unusually high interest rates.

The Experian.com ReportAccess credit report

The Experian.com ReportAccess credit report will give you 6 sections with which you can analyze your credit history. From personal information to credit summary to individual account details, you will be able to get a snapshot of your credit history by viewing just a couple of pages. The Experian.com ReportAccess will also give out information such as Creditor information and public records information. The report will also show you how many times your credit history has been requested by various entities. The more number of times your credit history has been requested would mean that you are generally considered high risk in terms of credit worthiness.

Laurie

Credit Report Service – Are Free Credit Report Services Legitimate?

admin — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 10:00:43 +0000

Tomas Loden asked:

Can you trust online credit report services? That is the question that consumers are asking today, especially with the hundreds of offers that flood your e-mail in-box promising accurate credit reporting scores with just the click of a mouse.

The good news is that most, if not all of these companies, are legitimate and do in fact provide you the necessary information that is directly related to your credit report and your overall score, which depends on whatever particular credit bureau system the company uses to check your background with.

Free credit report services

Just about every credit report organization will offer you some type of “free” background check of your credit score. While this free report may not entail every detail that you would like to know in terms of your debts, there is some valuable information that can be obtained. However, you should know that these introductory offers are merely just to give you a taste of their product so that you can upgrade to the paid credit reporting services they offer.

Is it safe to submit your personal information for a free credit report service?

If you stick with the most popular credit reporting agencies then you should have absolutely no problem worrying about your personal information being delivered over the Internet such as your Social Security number, driver’s license, etc. This information is typically handled by a secure server and there is little need to worry about the credit form being hacked and stolen by an unauthorized user.

What credit bureaus are checked when using a free credit report service?

Since there are three main credit bureaus that most agencies use to locate and filter your debts and credit score information, this free reporting service may use one of these entities or a combination of all three.

The three national credit reporting organizations used by most businesses is Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.

Remember, the most accurate scoring for your credit and history can only be obtained by having a combination of all three major credit bureaus. In other words, let’s say for example you sign up with a free reporting service and the information comes back only partially accurate. This means that you would need to upgrade to the paid service in order to get 100% up-to-date credit information.

Is it possible to contact the three national credit reporting agencies on your own, instead of relying on a paid service?

While utilizing a credit reporting service is the most efficient way of compiling your information into one easy-to-read scoring system, you can in fact request your credit history from the three major national credit bureaus. Below is the contact information for Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax:

1. Experian: The phone number is 1-888-397-3742 and Experian will send you your report by mail within seven to ten business days.

2. TransUnion: The contact number for TransUnion is 1-800-916-8800 and in most cases you will receive your credit report within seven business days.

3. Equifax: The phone number is 1-800-685-1111. Equifax is faster than most services and usually sends your credit report out to you within 48 hours.

Dolores