Check Credit

The time to check credit ratings and scores is now, not when you are trying to purchase a car, home or other commodity requiring good credit. In fact, you should get in the habit of doing a credit check once every 12 months. Go to our menu for more information on how to do this for free.

Why should you check credit scores? Well, other than protecting yourself from horrible identity theft, making sure your creditors are treating you fairly, ensuring that all your personal information is correct, and making sure your credit rating is up to par for potential purchases, rental applications and even employment interviews we can’t think of a single thing!

Your ability to borrow, be approved for insurance and job offers can be adversely affected by a bad credit rating. Mistakes can be made and although they might not be your fault they can take a great deal of time to clear up from 30 days to years! If you keep a sharp eye on your credit report you will be able to catch things before they grow hideous in proportions.

What should you look for when you check your credit? You should routinely check for the following:

Credit balances
Open credit accounts
Credit checks requested by financial and retail establishments
Correct personal information such as address, employment etc.
Check for payment history
Verify account numbers
Verify any delinquencies
Check for other names or aliases

What do you do if you find errors? Consider the following tips:

Contact the consumer reporting company to notify them of the incorrect information.
Do this in writing and then follow up with a call within 2 weeks.
Use certified mail so you can prove when you first notified them of the error and sent in the dispute.
Never send the originals. Make copies and send those.
Take notes on times, dates and persons who you spoke to about the credit dispute.
Contact the creditor that provided the false information.
Don’t give up!