Experian Credit Report
Written: Jan 27 '02
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Pros: Experian is easy to view and understand. Customer support is good.
Cons: Experian reports may not contain ALL your credit information.
The Bottom Line: It is extremely important to check your credit reports once a year to make sure they contain correct information.
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| khahn86351's Full Review: Experian/TRW |
The three major credit reporting agencies are Trans Union, Equifax & Experian/TRW. Not all creditors report to all 3. It is extremely important to check ALL 3 once a year to make sure your credit reports are correct.
What to expect on your Experian Credit Report:
The first page of your report will contain your name, report number, report date and Experian contact information.
CREDIT ITEMS:
The following pages will show items that have been reported to your Experian credit report. Each account is listed numerically starting with the number 1. If you have any negative accounts, usually they are listed first and have dashes before and after the number. (Example: - - 1 - - ) If the account has no adverse information it will be listed without dashes. (Example: 1 )
Each account should include the creditors name, address and phone number. It will also show the date the account was opened, date it last reported to Experian, type/term/monthly payment, responsible party, credit amount/high balance, current balance or payment, and lastly the status of the account.
Those pages are what potential creditors will view to decide whether or not they will issue you credit.
YOUR USE OF CREDIT:
This section contains detailed information pertaining to each account. Mostly showing the last 24 months of payment and balance history on each account. This section is also numbered, correlating with the CREDIT ITEMS section.
REQUESTS FOR YOUR CREDIT HISTORY:
Any current and/or potential creditors are able to view who and when you’ve applied for credit. Potential creditors may use this information to provide or deny credit to you. This section also will show the date the information will stay on your credit report.
REQUESTS VIEWED ONLY BY YOU:
Examples of this includes any creditors who want to offer you credit, an employer who wants to offer you employment, or Experian reports when they send you a copy of your report. These requests are ONLY SEEN BY YOU, not potential creditors.
PERSONAL INFORMATION:
The last part of your credit report will list information pertaining to your name and/or names, current or previous addresses, date of birth, drivers license number and current or previous employers. Remember, not all creditors report to EVERY credit-reporting agency. You Experian credit report will only show what has been reported to Experian.
Experian can be contacted several ways:
Via Phone:
1-888-EXPERIAN – Consumer Center
1-800-972-0322 – Deaf & Hearing Impaired
Via Mail:
Experian
701 Experian Parkway
Allen, TX 75013
Via Email through their website: www.experian.com
Experian’s website allows you to order your credit report plus get your credit score. You can choose to view your report online, or have it sent to your home via mail. The site asks you personal information such as your social security number, date of birth, address, ect. This is all done via a secure server. Also, you must provide a credit card incase you are not eligible for a free report. If you are eligible, they do not charge your card. Otherwise, expect to pay $12.95.
You can also choose to purchase the Credit Manager. This service monitors your credit report for you by alerting you via email when either positive or negative information has been added to your credit report. You also have unlimited access to your credit reports while you are subscribed to the service. They offer a 30 FREE trial when you sign up for the $79 annual membership.
Need Credit Advice? Here you can find answers to general questions pertaining to your credit report via “ASK MAX” columns. You can either search through previous columns, or submit your own that may be included in future columns.
The Fraud Center area allows you to submit fraud claims, investigate fraudulent activity, and offers tips and prevention advice to protect your credit.
Something not right? The Credit Investigation section allows you to request an investigation if you find there is incorrect information on your credit report. You can also check the status of the investigation, and view the results . . . all online!
Experian also offers a Business Service section. If you own a business that requires running credit reports on your clients, Experian can handle that online as well.
In comparison to TransUnion & Equifax’s websites, I found www.experian.com to be simple to use. I request a copy of my report about twice a year and have never had any problems with Experian, or their website. A friend of mine ordered a copy of his credit report online a month or so ago. He was kicked offline in the middle of the transaction and was unsure if his credit card was charged, nor did he get to view his report. He called Experian’s 800 number and they corrected the problem the same day so that he could view his report online. Overall, I’ve been satisfied with my experience with Experian.
Extra Information
FAIR CREDIT REPORTING ACT:
Consumer Reporting Agencies are regulated under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). This protects you, the consumer, and gives you additional rights besides those provided by your state. You can find more information pertaining to the FCRA at the Federal Trade Commission’s website: www.ftc.gov
©khahn86351 2002
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