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What is a credit report?
A credit report tells a lot about you. It includes your full
name and any known aliases, your current and previous addresses
and employers, as well as your social security number and
birth date. It lists your credit information, which includes
accounts you hold with banks, credit card companies, utility
companies, etc. as well your payment history on the accounts.
Your credit report also includes any public record information
such as tax liens, bankruptcy or judgments. It will also show
any recent inquiries made by a bank or credit card company
considering you for a loan, a potential employer, landlord
or insurer or a government agency reviewing your financial
status or government benefits. A credit report is a record
of how you use credit and how much credit is available to
you. The information reported can stay on your report for
up to ten years.
Who maintains my credit report?
Your credit report is maintained by one of three consumer
reporting agencies (CRA’s). They collect information
about your borrowing, charging and repaying activities from
parties that have extended credit to you and save it in their
database. You should request a copy of your credit report
each year from each agency to view your credit rating and
to check for any errors. If you find an error, be sure to
report it to the agency immediately. The following is a listing
of contact information for the three CRA’s:
Equifax
PO Box 105873
Atlanta, GA 30348
http://www.equifax.com
1-800-685-1111
Esperian
PO Box 2104
Allen, TX 75013-2104
http://www.experian.com
1-888-397-3742
Trans Union
PO Box 1000
Chester, PA 19022
http://www.transunion.com
1-800-916-8800 or 1-800-888-4213
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