| Credit Reports |
| A credit report includes 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. |
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| What is a credit score? |
| A credit score is a number that summarizes the historical credit information on a credit report. The number reflects the likelihood of becoming delinquent on a loan or credit obligation in the future. |
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| What information goes into calculating a credit score? |
| Credit scores use information from three key areas of your credit report: account information (such as credit cards, auto loans, student loans and mortgages), public records (such as tax liens or bankruptcies), and inquiries (requests by lenders to view your credit). Information such as race, gender, where you live, and marital status are not used in credit scores. |
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| Fixing errors on your credit report |
| It’s possible for incorrect, incomplete or outdated information to appear on your credit report. If it does, it can drastically lower your chances of getting the loans, credit cards, and other credit products you deserve. If you find an error, take the following steps to fix it as soon as possible. If you see evidence of fraud, contact the credit reporting companies immediately. Explain the situation and ask that a fraud alert be placed in your file. Also report the fraud to the police, and your creditors. |
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Contact the credit reporting company
Contact the Creditor Regarding the Problem
Contact the Other credit reporting companies
Ensure the Error Is Fixed
If You Cannot Resolve a Disputed Item... |
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You have the right to file a brief statement with the consumer reporting agency, free of charge, explaining the nature of your disagreement. The consumer reporting agency may limit your statement to not more than 100 words if it provides you with assistance in writing a clear summary of the disagreement. Your statement will become part of your credit file, and will be included each time your credit file is accessed, for as long as the disputed item remains in your credit file. |
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| How To Get Yours |
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