Thursday, September 5, 2013

Learn the Ropes to Get Free Credit Reports the Right and Safe Way

All these times, you've been hearing about the importance of a free credit score in battling the crime of ID theft and in reinforcing your identity protection efforts. But the crucial questions are – Do you have a clear understanding of what a credit report really is? Are you well informed of the do’s and don’ts of requesting for one?

If you are not a 100% certain, then be sure to go over the following details:

What should a credit report include?

It should cover vital information which are as follows: your place of residence; your mode of bill payment; possible cases where you may have been sued; and your bankruptcy claims if there are. 

How should you go about in ordering your free report?

You may use the official website, the toll-free phone number, or the mailing address of nationwide credit reporting companies such as Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion

What should you be warned about?

Legally speaking, there is only one official website that is authorized to fill orders for free annual credit reports. And that is the annualcreditreport.com. Other sources may be fraudulent in nature.

What data should you provide to get the free credit report?

You are mandated to provide your name, date of birth, Social Security number, and address. In the case where you have moved in the past two years, you may need to give your previous address. 

Why do you need to have a copy of your credit report?

A copy would help you ensure that the information on the report is complete, accurate, and recent. And, such copy would also aid you in protecting yourself against ID fraud. 

Speaking of ID theft, another smart move would be to take advantage of an identity fraud protection service. With experienced and knowledgeable experts, a trustworthy identity fraud detection program should come handy. 

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