Obtaining one's credit report

[howdidithappen]

My credit is shot. If I request a copy of my credit report, will I be able to tell who has been looking at my credit record? Someone told me there are now SIX credit bureaus that have reports for an individual. How many are there? Thanks.

[Genenco]

My credit is shot. If I request a copy of my credit report, will I be able to tell who has been looking at my credit record? Someone told me there are now SIX credit bureaus that have reports for an individual. How many are there? Thanks.

As far as I know, there's only 3 Trans-union, Experien and a third who I can't recall.

Yes, there's a place on the last page (Or 3,4,5,6) that shows who asked for a credit report. Some for the purpose of extending credit, some for locating purposes, some for checking when you applied for credit..They (If I recall correctly) aren't listed by dates, but just who did do a check.

Oh and of course (I know you know this but still I'll mention it) that the three reports are FREE (There's a website you can get by websearch) and have no cost to have them sent to you..Or you can view online.

Each of them is a bit (Or alot) different from each other, but the usually hold the same information.

[howdidithappen]

Thanks - if an individual looked at your report, how would that be reported?

[StartingOver08]

If someone looked at your report, it would be in the inquiry section. The name of the company that pulls the report would show - but sometimes it does not match the name of the company you expect to see.

All the inquiry's will show, including the request to see your own report. Seeing your own report does not count against you. The name of the site for free reports by the big three CRA's (TransUnion, Equifax and Experian) is www.AnnualCreditReport.com

There are a few other agencies: Lexis Nexis, Dunn and Bradstreet etc. They generally are used for specialized purposes (business credit ratings or public records etc). There may be more, but I don't know who they are!

[twuoo]

Would it matter to request for the free credit reports today, or wait till closer to the end of the month?

Does the annualreport.com site go from year to year or is it when you first request it and it's a year from that point?

[heyu]

Its free each year for a one time use, all three Credit companies, just logon and sign up.

[howdidithappen]

I;m wondering if an individual has knowledge of your social security number and therefore could request a copy of your credit report.?. How would that be reported?

[Intoodeep80]

Thanks for the reminder. I had pulled Experian and Equifax before, but never Transunion. I just pulled it up and was surprised to see that my bk filing (filed 12-22) is already on the credit report and a few creditors have "Chapter 7 bankruptcy" in their notes section. Wow!!!

[twuoo]

Apparently, the annualreport.com does not go from year to year (ex 2008, 2009). I tried to get my reports and it said I already got my report, which was from last year.

Unfortunately, it doesn't tell me when I'm entitled to get my next reports.

[StartingOver08]

Apparently, the annualreport.com does not go from year to year (ex 2008, 2009). I tried to get my reports and it said I already got my report, which was from last year.

Unfortunately, it doesn't tell me when I'm entitled to get my next reports.

You get your report 12 months from the last time. If you don't have a copy of your report, you of course can go to each individual credit reporting site and order your report (or order all three on one site). The web sites are:
www.experian.com and www.equifax.com and www.transunion.com

The hard part is finding where you can just order one report and a score! They all try to sign you up for monitoring on a monthly basis.

[howdidithappen]

Does the report give individual names, other than compnaies, that requested the report? What is the notation when you, yourself, request the report?

[StartingOver08]

Does the report give individual names, other than compnaies, that requested the report? What is the notation when you, yourself, request the report?

There are different sections in your report. For example, on Trans Union you will see a section labeled: Regular Inquires and another labeled: Account Review Inquiries.

When you pull your report from the www.annualcreditreport.com it will show the following: FACTACT FREE DISCLOSURE and when you pull it yourself from the regular website it will show: your name via Transunion Interactive. Both of these show under Account Review Inquiries.

Some CRA's do not differenciate by section of inquiries. Instead they have a prefix in front of each inquiry to tell you the type: AM or AR is account review, EMPL is employment, Equifax or EFX is Equifax's activity in response to your contact with them, ND are general inquiries that do not display to credit grantors, PRM is promotional, PR is a creditor reviewed your account as part of a protfolio they are purchasing.

I have seen many different company names for inquiries, but never an individual name (unless it is your own name for your own review) so I don't know how that would show if an individual would pull your credit.

[heyu]

Its real easy and you do not have to guess or spend days asking, the reports are free as long as you did not ask in the last 12 months, everything is included, names of company inquiring, name of cards delinquent and how long delinquent, etc,etc, and if you do not want to go that route you can sign up for a subscription and cancel before the month is over. The cost runs about $12 to $15 per month, you can download and copy everything for future reference, just make sure you cancel before the month is over. Oh, to find one of these companies, just bring up the search engine GOOGLE and put Credit Report in the search bar and hit enter, the choice is all yours.

[howdidithappen]

I would like to know if I can determine who has been looking at my credit report - i.e. everyone who has been looking at it. If you know someone's social security number, what's to stop someone from viewing that person's report?

[heyu]

It takes more than just someones SS# to get in to the CRS, they ask for a lot of personal information, if that was the case as your are asking then Identity thief would be rampant.