LIST OF CONSUMER REPORT ING COMPANIES
Know when to check a report
It’s important to fact-check your consumer credit reports from the three nationwide consumer
reporting companies (Equifax, T ransUnion, Experian) every twelve months to ensure they are
accurate and complete
, especially if you intend to purchase a home or car with credit, or otherwise
intend to apply for credit in the future. By virtue of a 2019 legal settlement, you can now also get
six additional free Equifax credit reports per year, as we describe below. Roughly 90% of
consumers with credit files aren’t taking advantage of the free benefit to request their credit
reports.
2
There isn’t just “one” credit risk score, so it’s important to focus on the reporting
information itself from which risk scores are derived. If you are applying for a job, to rent a home,
or insurance policy, also fact-check your background screening reports to ensure there are no
errors.
We give you detailed tips on when best to check those reports in the sections below as
appropriate.
Data breaches are an unfortunate reality. If you have been, or fear you may become, a victim of
identity theft, fact-check your reports and consider blocking third-party access to your consumer
reporting data through a security “freeze.” Below we tell you which company websites offer
additional information for you about your options to block third-party access to your consumer
reporting data for certain purposes.
Finally, be aware of your options
to take greater control of your consumer reporting data,
including also, if you want, to opt-out from credit and insurance direct marketing you might not
want to receive. There are also steps you can take to help keep your personal information secure.
These steps may include enrolling in identity theft protection services. However, it’s important to
understand the limits of identity theft protection services, and to consider the free alternatives
described herein, and by clicking-on the hyperlinks we provide. As the FTC says, “
no service can
protect you from having your personal information stolen.”
You have the right to dispute the information in your reports
If you find information in your consumer report that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete, you
have the legal right to dispute the report’s content with the consumer reporting company and the
company that shared the information to the reporting company, such as your lender. Under the
FCRA, companies must conduct – free of charge – a reasonable investigation of your dispute. The
company that has provided the incorrect information must correct the error and notify all of the
consumer reporting companies to whom it provided the inaccurate information.
2
See Con sumer Fin. Prot. Bu reau, Consumer Vo ices on Credit Reports and Scores, at 7 (Feb. 2015), available at
h t tps://www.consumerfinance.gov /data-research/research-reports/consumer-v oices-on-credi t-reports-and -scores.