Prevent Identity Theft
Did you know that identity theft is a $50 billion a year business, and that a stolen identity is often used 30 times before a victim even discovers it? Last year, $8.4 million people in the United States had their identities stolen. Many times you won't realize it until you get turned down for a loan or a credit card. It happens to kids, too. And what's really alarming, is a child might not find out for years and years— until they apply for a student loan or get their first job— that someone has been using their identity to get loans and credit.
The goal of ProtectionCredit.net is to make you more aware of the risks of identity theft and to present clear steps you can take to protect yourself. The most important step is to know what's on your credit report. By knowing what's being reported, you can detect obvious ID theft, fraud, and unintentional errors and take steps to correct any problems right away.
Identity theft can happen anywhere to anyone. To add insult to injury, it’s the victim who spends hundreds of hours struggling to clean up the mess and clearing their name, so it's better to take precautions and do everything you can to protect your credit and identity, such as using a Credit Monitoring Service, and not let it happen in the first place.
The goal of ProtectionCredit.net is to make you more aware of the risks of identity theft and to present clear steps you can take to protect yourself. The most important step is to know what's on your credit report. By knowing what's being reported, you can detect obvious ID theft, fraud, and unintentional errors and take steps to correct any problems right away.
Identity theft can happen anywhere to anyone. To add insult to injury, it’s the victim who spends hundreds of hours struggling to clean up the mess and clearing their name, so it's better to take precautions and do everything you can to protect your credit and identity, such as using a Credit Monitoring Service, and not let it happen in the first place.
How do I get a FREE Credit Report Each Year?
As of September 1, 2005, everyone in the U.S. has access to one free credit report per year from each of the credit bureaus. An amendment to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. To receive it, you can visit their website, order your credit report over the phone by calling 877-322-8228 (takes about 5 minutes while you talk to the nice automated phone lady), or complete an Annual Credit Report Request Form (takes about 15 days to arrive) and mail it to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
Should I order one report or all three?
You can get a free report from Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian, but perhaps you might not want to order all 3 at the same time. By staggering when you receive your free reports, you will be able to see changes to your credit record over time. The downside is that you have to remember to order your next report every 4 months. In other words, order one report now, order another report in 4 months, etc. For example:
JANUARY 1st - Order Equifax report
MAY 1st - Order Trans Union report
SEPTEMBER 1st - Order Experian report
On the other hand, because nationwide consumer reporting companies get their information from different sources, the information in your report from one company may not reflect all, or the same, information in your reports from the other two companies. That's not to say that the information in any of your reports is necessarily inaccurate; it just may be different. For this reason, you may want to order all 3 reports at the same time and compare the information reported on each.
If you want to immediately have the best protection in place, enroll in a credit monitoring service such as Life Lock or Identity Truth or Trusted ID right away. Credit monitoring is the BEST protection you can get!
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
Should I order one report or all three?
You can get a free report from Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian, but perhaps you might not want to order all 3 at the same time. By staggering when you receive your free reports, you will be able to see changes to your credit record over time. The downside is that you have to remember to order your next report every 4 months. In other words, order one report now, order another report in 4 months, etc. For example:
JANUARY 1st - Order Equifax report
MAY 1st - Order Trans Union report
SEPTEMBER 1st - Order Experian report
On the other hand, because nationwide consumer reporting companies get their information from different sources, the information in your report from one company may not reflect all, or the same, information in your reports from the other two companies. That's not to say that the information in any of your reports is necessarily inaccurate; it just may be different. For this reason, you may want to order all 3 reports at the same time and compare the information reported on each.
If you want to immediately have the best protection in place, enroll in a credit monitoring service such as Life Lock or Identity Truth or Trusted ID right away. Credit monitoring is the BEST protection you can get!
What Information is Included in My Free Credit Report?
A credit report contains information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you've been sued, arrested, or filed for bankruptcy. Nationwide consumer reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home.
What information do I have to provide to get my free report?
You need to provide your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. If you have moved in the last two years, you may have to provide your previous address.
To maintain the security of your file, each nationwide consumer reporting company may ask you for some information that only you would know, like the amount of your monthly mortgage payment. Each company may ask you for different information because the information each has in your file may come from different sources.
Annualcreditreport.com is the only authorized source for your free annual credit report from the three nationwide consumer reporting companies. They will NOT send you an email asking for your personal information, nor will they call you and ask for personal information. If you get an email or see a pop-up ad claiming it's from www.annualcreditreport.com or any of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies, do not reply or click on any link in the message - it's probably a scam. Forward any email that claims to be from www.annualcreditreport.com or any of three consumer reporting companies to the FTC's database of deceptive spam at spam@uce.gov.
What information do I have to provide to get my free report?
You need to provide your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. If you have moved in the last two years, you may have to provide your previous address.
To maintain the security of your file, each nationwide consumer reporting company may ask you for some information that only you would know, like the amount of your monthly mortgage payment. Each company may ask you for different information because the information each has in your file may come from different sources.
Annualcreditreport.com is the only authorized source for your free annual credit report from the three nationwide consumer reporting companies. They will NOT send you an email asking for your personal information, nor will they call you and ask for personal information. If you get an email or see a pop-up ad claiming it's from www.annualcreditreport.com or any of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies, do not reply or click on any link in the message - it's probably a scam. Forward any email that claims to be from www.annualcreditreport.com or any of three consumer reporting companies to the FTC's database of deceptive spam at spam@uce.gov.
Sitemap
HELPFUL LINKS:
Free Credit Report
FinancialPrivacyNow.org
Identity Theft Resource Center
CREDIT BUREAUS:
Equifax.com
Experian.com
TransUnion.com
CREDIT MONITORING:
LifeLock
Identity Truth
Trusted ID
Equifax Credit Watch
HELPFUL LINKS:
Free Credit Report
FinancialPrivacyNow.org
Identity Theft Resource Center
CREDIT BUREAUS:
Equifax.com
Experian.com
TransUnion.com
CREDIT MONITORING:
LifeLock
Identity Truth
Trusted ID
Equifax Credit Watch
Why Would I Want to Know What's On My Credit Report?
Everyone definitely needs to know what is on their credit report. If you don't, how can you to ensure protection credit? The information your report contains affects whether you can get a loan - and how much you will have to pay to borrow that money. Especially before you apply for a loan for a major purchase like a house or car, buy insurance, or apply for a job, you need to know the information being reported about you is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. It's a well-known fact that 70% of credit reports contain errors, but unless you monitor them frequently, you won't discover errors until you try to get a loan. At that point, you could end up being denied credit until you clear up the errors.
You also want to know what's on your credit report to help guard against identity theft - when someone uses your personal information like your name, your Social Security number, or your credit card number - to commit fraud. Identity thieves may use your information to open a new credit card account in your name. Then, when they don't pay the bills, the delinquent account is reported on your credit report. Inaccurate information like that could affect your ability to get credit, insurance, or even a job. Another reason to be diligent in your protection credit.
Are there any other situations where I might be eligible for a free report?
Under federal law, you're entitled to a free report if a company takes adverse action against you, such as denying your application for credit, insurance, or employment, and you ask for your report within 60 days of receiving notice of the action. The notice will give you the name, address, and phone number of the consumer reporting company. You're also entitled to one free report a year if you're unemployed and plan to look for a job within 60 days; if you're on welfare; or if your report is inaccurate because of fraud, including identity theft. Otherwise, a consumer reporting company may charge you up to $9 for another copy of your report within a 12-month period. To buy a copy of your report, contact:
Equifax • 800-685-1111 • www.equifax.com
Experian • 888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742) • www.experian.com
Trans Union • 800-916-8800 • www.transunion.com
You also want to know what's on your credit report to help guard against identity theft - when someone uses your personal information like your name, your Social Security number, or your credit card number - to commit fraud. Identity thieves may use your information to open a new credit card account in your name. Then, when they don't pay the bills, the delinquent account is reported on your credit report. Inaccurate information like that could affect your ability to get credit, insurance, or even a job. Another reason to be diligent in your protection credit.
Are there any other situations where I might be eligible for a free report?
Under federal law, you're entitled to a free report if a company takes adverse action against you, such as denying your application for credit, insurance, or employment, and you ask for your report within 60 days of receiving notice of the action. The notice will give you the name, address, and phone number of the consumer reporting company. You're also entitled to one free report a year if you're unemployed and plan to look for a job within 60 days; if you're on welfare; or if your report is inaccurate because of fraud, including identity theft. Otherwise, a consumer reporting company may charge you up to $9 for another copy of your report within a 12-month period. To buy a copy of your report, contact:
Equifax • 800-685-1111 • www.equifax.com
Experian • 888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742) • www.experian.com
Trans Union • 800-916-8800 • www.transunion.com
What if I Find an Error on My Credit Report?
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, both the consumer reporting company and the information provider (that is, the person, company, or organization that provides information about you to a consumer reporting company) are responsible for correcting inaccurate or incomplete information in your report. To take advantage of all your rights under this law, contact the consumer reporting company and the information provider.
Tell the consumer reporting company, in writing, what information you think is inaccurate. Consumer reporting companies must investigate the items in question - usually within 30 days - unless they consider your dispute frivolous. They also must forward all the relevant data you provide about the inaccuracy to the organization that provided the information. After the information provider receives notice of a dispute from the consumer reporting company, it must investigate, review the relevant information, and report the results back to the consumer reporting company. If the information provider finds the disputed information is inaccurate, it must notify all three nationwide consumer reporting companies so they can correct the information in your file.
When the investigation is complete, the consumer reporting company must give you the written results and a free copy of your report if the dispute results in a change. (This free report does not count as your annual free report). If an item is changed or deleted, the consumer reporting company cannot put the disputed information back in your file unless the information provider verifies that it is accurate and complete. The consumer reporting company also must send you written notice that includes the name, address, and phone number of the information provider.
Tell the creditor or other information provider in writing that you dispute an item. Many providers specify an address for disputes. If the provider reports the item to a consumer reporting company, it must include a notice of your dispute. And if you are correct - that is, if the information is found to be inaccurate - the information provider may not report it again.
What can I do if the consumer reporting company or information provider won't correct the information I dispute?
If an investigation doesn't resolve your dispute with the consumer reporting company, you can ask that a statement of the dispute be included in your file and in future reports. You also can ask the consumer reporting company to provide your statement to anyone who received a copy of your report in the recent past. You can expect to pay a fee for this service. If you tell the information provider that you dispute an item, a notice of your dispute must be included any time the information provider reports the item to a consumer reporting company.
How long can a consumer reporting company report negative information?
A consumer reporting company can report most accurate negative information for seven years and bankruptcy information for 10 years. There is no time limit on reporting information about criminal convictions; information reported in response to your application for a job that pays more than $75,000 a year; and information reported because you've applied for more than $150,000 worth of credit or life insurance. Information about a lawsuit or an unpaid judgment against you can be reported for seven years or until the statute of limitations runs out, whichever is longer.
Tell the consumer reporting company, in writing, what information you think is inaccurate. Consumer reporting companies must investigate the items in question - usually within 30 days - unless they consider your dispute frivolous. They also must forward all the relevant data you provide about the inaccuracy to the organization that provided the information. After the information provider receives notice of a dispute from the consumer reporting company, it must investigate, review the relevant information, and report the results back to the consumer reporting company. If the information provider finds the disputed information is inaccurate, it must notify all three nationwide consumer reporting companies so they can correct the information in your file.
When the investigation is complete, the consumer reporting company must give you the written results and a free copy of your report if the dispute results in a change. (This free report does not count as your annual free report). If an item is changed or deleted, the consumer reporting company cannot put the disputed information back in your file unless the information provider verifies that it is accurate and complete. The consumer reporting company also must send you written notice that includes the name, address, and phone number of the information provider.
Tell the creditor or other information provider in writing that you dispute an item. Many providers specify an address for disputes. If the provider reports the item to a consumer reporting company, it must include a notice of your dispute. And if you are correct - that is, if the information is found to be inaccurate - the information provider may not report it again.
What can I do if the consumer reporting company or information provider won't correct the information I dispute?
If an investigation doesn't resolve your dispute with the consumer reporting company, you can ask that a statement of the dispute be included in your file and in future reports. You also can ask the consumer reporting company to provide your statement to anyone who received a copy of your report in the recent past. You can expect to pay a fee for this service. If you tell the information provider that you dispute an item, a notice of your dispute must be included any time the information provider reports the item to a consumer reporting company.
How long can a consumer reporting company report negative information?
A consumer reporting company can report most accurate negative information for seven years and bankruptcy information for 10 years. There is no time limit on reporting information about criminal convictions; information reported in response to your application for a job that pays more than $75,000 a year; and information reported because you've applied for more than $150,000 worth of credit or life insurance. Information about a lawsuit or an unpaid judgment against you can be reported for seven years or until the statute of limitations runs out, whichever is longer.
Who has Access to My Credit Report?
The Fair Credit Reporting Act specifies who can access your credit report. Creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use the information in your report to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home are among those that have a legal right to access your report. Your employer can get a copy of your credit report only if you agree. A consumer reporting company may not provide information about you to your employer, or to a prospective employer, without your written consent.
The goal of this Protection Credit website is to make you more aware of identity protection and credit protection by providing information and resources about credit reports and credit monitoring, fraud alerts, placing a credit freeze, as well as taking proactive steps to not become a victim of identity theft in the first place. Thanks for visiting this site today and referring it to your friends!