When is the last time you checked your credit report? The information it contains may matter more than ever in this digital age, and 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft looked into an alarming number of mistakes on the reports that can affect a consumer's entire financial life. Find out how to make credit report disputes to the three major agencies.
Now, I'm actually someone who checks their credit report quite often. Every time I do a churn, usually every 90 days, I'll run a copy of my credit report and credit scores. Remember, you can get your free TransUnion score from CreditKarma and your free Experian score from Credit Sesame. Don't forget that you are also entitled to a free credit report each year from the 3 major credit reporting bureaus, thanks to Uncle Sam. I've actually been lucky enough to never find any mistakes on my reports...that is until my recent April churn. I noted an incorrect address, one that I had never lived at but was listed as a residence.
Experian, Transunion, and Equifax are the three companies that dominate the credit reporting market, tracking the financial prowess of US consumers. 60 Minutes: 2013 FTC Credit Reporting Study 60 Minutes investigated the stunning number of errors on consumer credit reports and how to make credit report disputes to Equifax, Transunion, and Experian. This information is sold to everyone from employers to insurance companies and creditors.
When I did that, I was again asked for the non existing report number. After more Googling, I learned that tons of consumers have had the same problem and gotten absolutely no where online. They were forced to call in for assistance. Something I was very hesitant about after watching the piece showing all calls being routed to Mumbai. Step 3- They win, I decided to just purchase a $1.00 7 day free trial so that I could have a fresh report with a report number. Now this is going to be easy right? Step 4 - Wrong! After receiving my new report, I returned back to the dispute site and selected the option that I had a credit report number.
The research also revealed that 20% of victims were exploited by a close friend, a neighbor or an in house employee. Usually only about 27% of identity theft happenings actually center around financial or credit card fraud. The more common forms here seem to center more around bank, employment, utility or phone fraud which actually account for roughly 50% of identity theft cases. On a more positive note here, it has been proven time and time again that if the criminal act of identity theft is caught in the early stages, the likelihood of any real significant financial damage becomes a lot less. Lastly, and on another positive note, lending agencies and financial institutions like banks, credit unions or creditors, will normally only hold the member accountable to pay back the initial 50 dollars of the criminal charges.
They're not doing a reasonable investigation," DeWine said. "They're not doing an investigation at all."
Credit reporting agencies are being accused of stonewalling customers who are desperate to correct errors. DeWine said the problem isn't making mistakes, but a refusal to fix them. 60 Minutes: Credit Report Customer Service About eight million consumers file disputes every year, visiting the credit reporting websites to begin the process, if they can first navigate sales pitches for financial products offered by the companies. Steve Kroft called a customer service number and got a call center in India, where he was not given much help after a 15-minute phone call to a toll-free number. What about that post office box number?
Step 6 - 12 days later I received an email from Experian that indicated that there was an outcome to the investigation. I was instructed to access a special dispute site. Step 7 - Shocking success - The address was deleted and the leasing account was updated to indicate closure! Conclusion - Finding the right way to actually dispute items on my Experian report was a challenge, but the actual process worked and was dare I say timely...perhaps I was just lucky. What has your experience been? Nightmarish?
Now, I'm actually someone who checks their credit report quite often. Every time I do a churn, usually every 90 days, I'll run a copy of my credit report and credit scores. Remember, you can get your free TransUnion score from CreditKarma and your free Experian score from Credit Sesame. Don't forget that you are also entitled to a free credit report each year from the 3 major credit reporting bureaus, thanks to Uncle Sam. I've actually been lucky enough to never find any mistakes on my reports...that is until my recent April churn. I noted an incorrect address, one that I had never lived at but was listed as a residence.
Experian, Transunion, and Equifax are the three companies that dominate the credit reporting market, tracking the financial prowess of US consumers. 60 Minutes: 2013 FTC Credit Reporting Study 60 Minutes investigated the stunning number of errors on consumer credit reports and how to make credit report disputes to Equifax, Transunion, and Experian. This information is sold to everyone from employers to insurance companies and creditors.
When I did that, I was again asked for the non existing report number. After more Googling, I learned that tons of consumers have had the same problem and gotten absolutely no where online. They were forced to call in for assistance. Something I was very hesitant about after watching the piece showing all calls being routed to Mumbai. Step 3- They win, I decided to just purchase a $1.00 7 day free trial so that I could have a fresh report with a report number. Now this is going to be easy right? Step 4 - Wrong! After receiving my new report, I returned back to the dispute site and selected the option that I had a credit report number.
The research also revealed that 20% of victims were exploited by a close friend, a neighbor or an in house employee. Usually only about 27% of identity theft happenings actually center around financial or credit card fraud. The more common forms here seem to center more around bank, employment, utility or phone fraud which actually account for roughly 50% of identity theft cases. On a more positive note here, it has been proven time and time again that if the criminal act of identity theft is caught in the early stages, the likelihood of any real significant financial damage becomes a lot less. Lastly, and on another positive note, lending agencies and financial institutions like banks, credit unions or creditors, will normally only hold the member accountable to pay back the initial 50 dollars of the criminal charges.
They're not doing a reasonable investigation," DeWine said. "They're not doing an investigation at all."
Credit reporting agencies are being accused of stonewalling customers who are desperate to correct errors. DeWine said the problem isn't making mistakes, but a refusal to fix them. 60 Minutes: Credit Report Customer Service About eight million consumers file disputes every year, visiting the credit reporting websites to begin the process, if they can first navigate sales pitches for financial products offered by the companies. Steve Kroft called a customer service number and got a call center in India, where he was not given much help after a 15-minute phone call to a toll-free number. What about that post office box number?
Step 6 - 12 days later I received an email from Experian that indicated that there was an outcome to the investigation. I was instructed to access a special dispute site. Step 7 - Shocking success - The address was deleted and the leasing account was updated to indicate closure! Conclusion - Finding the right way to actually dispute items on my Experian report was a challenge, but the actual process worked and was dare I say timely...perhaps I was just lucky. What has your experience been? Nightmarish?
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