I'm URGING everyone

[Chea]

to obtain your credit reports.

On FREEANNUALCREDITREPORT.com -- I was able to obtain all 3 for free. If your state isn't eligible yet it will be soon.

IMAGINE my astonishment to see that Transunion was reporting my birthdate as 83 instead of 73, with the name Philip and a strange addy. (hello I'm a female!!)

Lets all hope for the best for me but I think everyone needs to keep updated. I was reading how Identity fraud is so rampant b/c who thinks to look at credit reports?? Esp us frugal gals who aren't out charging up all kind of $$$ -- and opening loans all over the place.

I also signed up with a credit monitoring service so I can see my FICO and credt reports as often as I want. Its only $9.00 a month and well worth it -- at least for awhile. I'll have to post the name later as I can't think of it now.

[nodmicks]

I did my free report but not dh's yet. They have me at a job I've been gone from since 97.
I had my girl friend do hers. She is on diability with a very low income. They have her with lots of mistakes!!!! Including a 600$ mortgage (she has none!).

[Tootsiebella]

Gosh! Thanks for the tip! I will be sure to have a look at mine! I didn't realize they made SO many errors!

[jlxian]

I read somewhere that checking your credit report actually counts against your credit score. What's with that?

[dolphin]

Could someone please post the link. I tried copy and paste and I just get "page not found". Thanks.

[Mommy2five]

Originally posted by jlxian
I read somewhere that checking your credit report actually counts against your credit score. What's with that?

You reviewing your credit does not count against you. When you apply for a bunch of credit cards or loans and you have numerous checks, it can affect your report.

I just read this recently on equifax. Dh and I keep a close eye on our reports and scores because we are hoping to buy a house whenever we have the chance.

[Chea]

You checking your own report is what is called a "soft inquiry".... no harm done. And with all the mistakes they have, I advise everyone to keep a close eye. Its a very screwed up system -- just like anything else can be. However, these "mistakes" can ruin your financial picture.

[jlxian]

Originally posted by Mommy2five
You reviewing your credit does not count against you. When you apply for a bunch of credit cards or loans and you have numerous checks, it can affect your report.

I just read this recently on equifax. Dh and I keep a close eye on our reports and scores because we are hoping to buy a house whenever we have the chance.

This is good to know. I had wondered about it since everywhere you turn someone is urging you to check your credit report, but then I had read that stuff about it counting against your score. Thanks for straightening me out!

[dolphin]

Does anyone have the link to checking for free credit reports?

[TwirlingRainbowSky]

Try www.annualcreditreport.com.

[dolphin]

Thank you! For some reason when I tried to copy and paste and then just tried googleing it wouldn't work. Thank you for the link.

[baronmom]

unfortunately, I will not be able to get mine for free until September of 2005.

[Mom23boys]

I can't check mine yet either.

I can't wait to see what is on there being that so many are messed up. I pray mine isn't.

[dolphin]

Got mine printed off this morning and it is a nightmare as well. Both mortgage companies, the old one and the new one are reporting late payments and one says foreclosure and doesn't show my ontime payments for the last 18 months. It's all a mess. One credit card company that I've been paying for about 4 years says it was "charged off" back in 2003. One report says I have two "active" mortgages.

I was on the phone with the mortgage companies for hours today and they all want me to do all the work. I have to provide proof what happend and fax it all to them for review. It's not fair, it's their mistake but I have to do all of the work.

I also found a $3000.00 loan on their that is paid off and says I "paid as agreed" with no late payments, but, I never had a loan with that bank.

I haven't had the courage to check dh's reports yet. I can only imagine..........

Thank you for the link so I can begin to get this all fixed.

[Telephus44]

I'm in the "have to wait until Sept 05" camp too. DH and I have always paid for our reports every two years in the past. Since we will hopefully be buying a house in the next 2 years, we are trying to keep careful tabs. So far, all of the wrong information I have found has been current address and current job - but since I've had 4 addresses and 5 jobs in the last 4 years, I didn't really think that it was a big deal to correct them - yet. Besides, when I go for a mortgage the bank will know where I live and who I work for. All of the other credit information has always been accurate, with the exception of my oldest credit card which was reported by only 1 of the 3 credit bureaus - so my credit history looks really short to the other two. It probably won't make any difference 2 years from now anyway.