Obtaining one's credit report

[arkienurse]

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?

Well, in my case, and my husband's case- when you put in your ssn to request the report, it also asks you other questions to verify you are who you say you are. Thinkgs like who your mortgage is with, general amount of payment, or year opened. Stuff like that. So while I do know enough to be able to pul DH's report, the only other people that would know all this is... no one. Unless someone has intimate knowledge of your business. So I wouldn't worry too much about someone being able to pull your credit report, unless it is a vindictive ex spouse.

[howdidithappen]

so if I suspect someone's been looking at mine, I will be able to confirm that?

[StartingOver08]

[QUOTE=howdidithappen;229078]so if I suspect someone's been looking at mine, I will be able to confirm that?[/QUOTE]

It will show as an inquiry. However, if it is an individual person looking it probably will show as your name. Just like arkienurse says - the information required to pull your own report is very personal to you so that person would have to know your security questions and probably pose as you.

[howdidithappen]

and I guess it's very difficult to prove that someone, other than oneself, has requested the report.... as you all have mentioned above, there are people who do have knowledge of the information that you all have indicated is needed. Thanks for your help. Do private investigators even pull these reports?

[StartingOver08]

Private investigators can pull the reports. They don't need to answer the security questions, but they are suppose to get your permission to pull the report. Now if a creditor hired a private investigator, then the creditor can pull the report (usually as an Account Review).

Private investigators apparently have other data bases they use too - skip tracing data bases. There is quite a bit of information on the web regarding skip tracing - just google. In fact the CRA's have skip tracing 'products' available to creditors too. Look at this link for an example by Experian:

http://www.experian.com/products/metronet.html