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Last Updated : 04 June 2008 09:56

 

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Five Reasons to Check Your Credit Report Regularly
Applying for a Loan? Start by Ordering Your Credit Report
Why Check Your Credit Report ?
Can Consumers Fight Back Against Credit Fraud?
Companies Supplying Consumer Credit Report Services

 

 

 

 

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Credit files are used not just to assess your credit risk, but also when you apply for some jobs, or when you seek to rent a property. Check yours out now for peace of mind. Calculate your credit score online in seconds. Free instant access to data held about your area and its residents. Register now to receive their free quarterly credit e-newsletter with latest news and advice about maintaining your credit file. They can obtain and independently analyse your full credit file for you.ans keep tabs on your file if required with an expert monitoring services. 

 

 

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Five Reasons to Check Your Credit Report Regularly

In much the same way that a resume displays your work experience to a prospective employer, a credit report provides prospective creditors (and in some cases employers and insurers too) with a detailed picture of your credit history. And like a resume, your credit report can influence whether you will receive what you are applying for.

Ideally, your credit report is an accurate, up-to-date reflection of your credit history. However, since we don't live in an ideal world, there are many reasons that your credit report could contain inaccuracies that might prevent you from receiving the credit you deserve. The good news is you can take action to keep your report accurate. Here are the top five reasons why you should make a practice of regularly reviewing your credit report:

 

Inaccuracies & Mixed Credit Files

Many inaccuracies on a credit report can be the result of simple human error, and are therefore are not difficult to dispute. Of course, if you don't order your credit report, you might never know about it. Whether the inaccuracies relate to payments not credited, late payments, or data mixed in from the credit file of someone else with a name similar to yours, you will want to contact the credit bureau to dispute inaccurate information promptly. If you would like to get a free copy of your credit report right now,  click here

 

Tracking Payments

One of the most important elements of credit is a demonstrated history of on time payments. Once you send the check though, anything can happen--a delay in the payment being received can kick you over to a 30-day delinquency. If you call your creditor and explain the situation, they might adjust the information. Of course, if you don't read your credit report, you won't necessarily know which payments are being received and reported properly. If you would like to get a free copy of your credit report right now, click here

 

Identity Theft

This issue alone is reason to order your credit report immediately. Identity theft is an insidious crime, involving a thief who assumes your name to open new accounts, divert your card statements to another address, and run up all sorts of bad debt without you ever knowing about it until collectors come calling. Over time, identity theft could jeopardize your ability to obtain further credit. The best way to catch a thief who is using your name is by getting a copy of your credit report, which will show you if there are accounts listed you know you haven't opened. For example, if a thief has intercepted a pre-approved credit card offer in your name and sent it in with a change of address, your credit report will include the account. If you would like to get a free copy of your credit report right now, click here

 

Also: ConsumerInfo® For Free Experian Credit Report

Plus 30 FREE days of the CreditCheck® Monitoring Service

 

Inquiries

If you're shopping around for a loan or more credit, you should know that when creditors check your credit, it places an inquiry on your credit report. Inquiries can add up, which is often interpreted as a negative by creditors. For this reason, too many inquiries can actually make getting credit more difficult. Moreover, if you didn't authorize someone to look at your credit report and they did, they may have broken the law. If you would like to see who's been looking at your credit, click here to get a free copy of your credit report right now.

 

Credit Fraud - Unauthorized Charges

Credit fraud involves the theft of your credit card or account number to make unauthorized charges to your account. Though consumers are protected financially from this abuse, other creditors may take note of all this activity and decide to raise your interest rates or refuse to grant you a loan. Ordering your credit report will help you catch new activity on accounts that you haven't been using, or may have closed. If you would like to get a free copy of your credit report right now, click here.

When it comes to managing your credit worthiness, your credit report is your best resource. Ordering your credit report gives you the opportunity to manage your credit wisely today, while planning your credit strategy for achieving future goals--a credit-savvy move every consumer should make! click here to get your credit report right now, for free!

 

 

Avoid Unnecessary Inquiries

Each time a prospective creditor looks at your credit report, an inquiry notation is added to your file, and most inquiries stay on your credit report for up to two years. Inquiries you make yourself, inquiries made during screening for a pre-approved offer of credit, or an inquiry that is part of a background check for employment purposes are not reported to potential credit grantors.)

It is best to avoid over-applying for credit and running up excessive inquiries, for the simple reason that lenders of creditors may think you’re trying to get credit due to financial difficulty, or taking on more debt than you can repay.

Lenders do of course realize that some inquiries are a result of shopping around for the best rates on a loan, and so they will often overlook a block of inquiries within a very recent period. It may help if you explain the inquiries in the application process. 

 

Understanding how your credit report affects your financial future is the key to smart credit management. Incorporating a review of your credit report into your financial planning is also one of the best ways to make sure you meet your goals--especially when those goals involve major purchases, and you’re shopping for a loan with the most favorable terms possible. 

Applying for a Loan?

 

Start by Ordering Your Credit Report

If you are considering applying for a loan, ordering a copy of your credit report may well be the best place to start. Why? Because it’s also the first thing a potential creditor will be looking at, and even if you pay your bills on time, you will want to ensure that all the information in your credit file is up-to-date and accurate.

Studies have shown that many credit files contain inaccuracies that could affect your credit rating, and even lead to the rejection of a loan application. That’s why reviewing your credit report beforehand may be a good idea, giving you time to dispute any items that may be the result of simple human error or a technical glitch.

And depending on whether you are applying for an auto loan, a mortgage loan, or a loan for business or personal use, different lenders may apply different standards in rating your credit worthiness. For this reason, reading your credit report and understanding how your credit data might be interpreted may give you a chance to improve your credit worthiness from the point of view of a lender. If you would like to get a free copy of your credit report right now,  click here

 

Also: ConsumerInfo® For Free Experian Credit Report

 

If you are in The UK -

 

Before you begin the application process, check your credit report for the following items: 

 

Clerical Inaccuracies

Sometimes credit reports contain inaccuracies that are the result of a computer glitch or a clerical error. These may include payments not credited, late payments, or data mixed in from a credit file of someone with a name similar to yours. Ordering your credit report will quickly show you what the lender will see--then it’s up to you to dispute any information that you consider inaccurate. 

 

Excess Unused Credit

To make your credit more attractive to a potential lender, you may wish to consider reducing the number of revolving charge accounts that are listed as active on your credit report. Lenders will sometimes view too much revolving debt as a negative when considering a loan application.

In situations where you have stopped using a credit account, it is often a good idea to close the account if you don’t plan to use it anymore. Make sure your creditor notates the account “closed at consumer’s request”--otherwise, a prospective lender might assume the creditor closed the account for other reasons. A few credit cards managed well may improve your chances for a loan--particularly a mortgage loan, where lenders use stricter qualifying guidelines. Another rule of thumb is to keep balances on credit cards around 75% of the available credit limit. Ironically, credit cards that have lots of room on them may be viewed as potential debt, while maxed-out cards make you a less desirable credit risk--both of these situations could compromise your ability to obtain a loan. If you would like to get a free copy of your credit report right now, click here

 

 

30-day and 60-day Late Payments

Even if your credit report contains a couple of 30-day late payment entries that are accurate, many lenders will overlook the occasional late payment if you explain the situation and your credit is otherwise good. Try to avoid any payment being 60 days late however, as this may be a red flag for some lenders--even if they do grant you the loan, it may come at a higher rate of interest and with less favorable terms.

 

The primary period lenders are interested in on a credit report is the last two years, so try to maintain on time payments, and verify that the payments are being credited properly by checking your credit report regularly. If you would like to get a free copy of your credit report right now, click here.

 

 


Why Check Your Credit Report?

To stay on top of your credit, it is essential to be aware of the contents of your credit report. Why? Because checking your report is the most convenient way to review your complete credit history, and make well-informed decisions on all your past, present and future accounts. Also, it's a good idea to monitor your report for new derogatory information and unauthorized accounts that might affect your credit.

Studies have shown that many credit files contain inaccuracies, which could influence the approval process when you apply for loans, insurance, or even a job. Often the result of simple human error, they can be caused by anything from a clerical error to a computer glitch in which your file is mixed with that of someone with a similar name.

And that's not the only reason to check your report. In the past few years, identity fraud has risen dramatically. In this form of credit fraud, a thief takes over or opens accounts in your name, running up large balances in goods or cash advances. If you don't check your credit report, it could be months before you even hear about such a situation. Fortunately, new accounts opened by a thief using your identity will appear on your credit report, alerting you to the fact that identity fraud has taken place.

That's why it's essential that you check your credit file--and monitor your credit regularly--with resources such as the  Credit Check Monitoring Service, which provides monthly online updates on new derogatory information that is added to your report, plus several indicators of possible fraud. And if you act right now, you can take advantage of a FREE 30-day trial of the

Credit Check Monitoring Service, along with a FREE Credit Report delivered online, at no obligation!

 

Also: ConsumerInfo® For Free Experian Credit Report

Plus 30 FREE days of the CreditCheck® Monitoring Service

 

 

Can Consumers Fight Back Against Credit Fraud?

 

In this age of information, credit fraud is not a difficult crime to perpetrate. The idea that a thief could gain access to your account information or personal data is not as implausible as you might think--social security number misuse has increased over the last two years, resulting in a variety of credit-related crimes.

Fortunately, you can fight back against credit fraud by learning how credit fraud and identity theft occur, and by actively monitoring your credit report for unauthorized account use on a regular basis. Your credit report will list any new activity on accounts you haven’t been using, as well as new accounts that you did not open.

 

One of the best ways to keep track of new information that is added to your credit report is the CreditCheck Monitoring Service, which provides Online Monthly Monitoring Alerts to inform you of new derogatory information, recent inquiries into your credit, and several indicators of possible credit fraud. 

 

If you would like to sign up for the CreditCheck Monitoring Service,  click here now . You’ll get a free copy of your credit report when you sign up for a free 30-day trial.

To have credit report information at your fingertips is the best way to shut an identity thief down--you can begin the process of notifying your creditors of the fraud, changing your passwords, and closing down fraudulent accounts before they wind up in the hands of collectors and compromise your good credit.

 

How Credit Fraud and Identity Theft Occur

Specific personal data, such as your Social Security number, home address and mother’s maiden name, can be all a thief needs to obtain a fraudulent driver’s license, take over existing bank or credit accounts, divert card statements to a different address, or even apply for new credit card accounts under your name. Thieves can obtain this information in variety of ways, including fishing through trash for account statements, lifting cards from lost or stolen purses, wallets and briefcases, or through telephone or Internet scams.

 

How to Prevent Credit Fraud and Identity Theft

Customers may be in a position to prevent potential identity theft by closely guarding their personal data. For example, never give out your Social Security number over the phone unless you know the company you are dealing with and have initiated the call.

Similarly, if your mother’s maiden name is not likely to be a secure password, consider changing it to something a little more difficult for a thief to obtain. Also, carry only the cards you are actually going to use, and leave official documents like Social Security cards, passports and birth certificates at home or in a safety deposit box.

 

Account Takeover Fraud

Credit card account statements contain a lot of sensitive information that you don’t want thieves to get a hold of, and even store receipts will frequently have your credit card number printed on them. Sometimes an account number is all a thief needs to make charges and obtain cash advances. It’s a good idea to shred all financial documents before discarding them.

A thief in possession of sensitive information about you may also be able to go one step further, and commit account takeover fraud, simply by calling your creditor, reading off your account number, a partial Social Security number and your mother’s maiden name, and asking them to change the mailing address on the account. For this reason, if you don’t receive a credit card statement on time, you should call your creditor immediately to verify that the address has not been changed.

Checking your credit report may also reveal activity on an account you don’t use get a FREE copy of your credit report to see your currently open accounts, and stay on top of the situation with the CreditCheck Monitoring Service.

 

Pre-Approved Credit Offers

Another source of potential credit fraud is pre-approved credit offers. A thief who intercepts one may fill out the application and change the address to obtain a credit card in your name for which you will never receive a statement. (To combat this, some creditors will not issue a card to a new address on a pre-approved offer certificate, but this policy isn’t universal.) This makes checking your credit report especially important, because it will show you if there are accounts being reported in your name of which you are not aware.

The thief may even make the minimum payments for a while, until such time as the card is maxed out. Then the account would eventually be turned over for collections--in your name, and listed on your credit report. 

 

The CreditCheck Monitoring Service Can Help

In many cases, the only way you’ll catch credit fraud early is by obtaining a copy of your credit report. However, most consumers may not have time to order a copy of their credit report on a month-by-month basis, and read through all the information looking for the items that may indicate possible credit fraud.

 

That’s why the Credit Check Monitoring Service is ideal for consumers who want to keep current on their credit information. 

At roughly half the cost of ordering your credit report every month, the CreditCheck Monitoring Service provides Online Monthly Monitoring Alerts that show you only recent changes for easy reference. In addition, you can obtain unlimited free copies of your credit report at any time during your paid membership

 

Also: ConsumerInfo® For Free Experian Credit Report Plus 30 FREE days of the CreditCheck® Monitoring Service

 

 

If You are in The UK - go to: To Check YOUR Credit Report on Line - for UK Residents.

 

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