By now you probably know that you can get a free credit report.  It is NOT from the singing pirates with the catchy jingle – they are actually sponsored by one of the credit bureaus who require enrollment in one of their products to get your ‘free’ report. 

NOTE:  Any time you are asked to give a credit card number to get something free, it is not free.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) allows consumers to obtain three credit reports each year, at no cost; one from each of the three major credit bureaus.  We recommend that everyone check one of their three free reports every four months to effectively monitor your credit throughout the year.

When you find errors on your credit reports and notify the credit bureaus in writing that these items are not correct, they have thirty (30) days, per the FCRA, to respond. Be aware that the credit bureau replies, which include a complete or abbreviated version of your updated credit report, WILL NOT BE FORWARDED.

If you move within a month or so of writing to the credit bureaus, you should notify them via mail or online that you have a different address. Otherwise, you may not receive the updated information about your credit file. OR someone else who now lives at your old address has access to your personal and financial information when your credit report is delivered to that old address.

WHAT TO DO:

Keep track of the dates you contact the credit bureaus to be sure that they do their job in a timely manner as required by law.

Allow for mailing time and mark your calendar for the date by which you should receive the credit bureau replies.  We suggest 6 weeks from when you first mailed your correction request to them.  If you do not receive them by that date, contact the credit bureau immediately to make sure that your information is safe.

Learn about your credit report and scores with a Credit Check-up from us.  For only $100, you get a complete analysis of your current credit report with strategies to make a positive impact on all five parts of your credit scores.  Contact us today to get yours.

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