Whether you’re contesting an error or combating fraud, use our guide to give yourself the best shot at success.
Have you ever found yourself fuming at the credit bureaus? You have plenty of company. Among companies in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s database, the three major credit-reporting bureaus—Equifax, Experian and Trans Union—have logged the most complaints for four years running, according to a report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
Most of the complaints involve hassles remedying inaccurate information on credit reports. But some are from consumers who find themselves caught in a tangle of red tape or facing an impenetrable wall of indifference. Each year, Margaret Finelt, of Richmond, Texas, gets her free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com. At the site, you are directed to each of the three bureaus. But for the past couple of years, although she’s had no problem claiming her reports from TransUnion and Experian, she’s been unable to obtain her Equifax report.
On the phone, Equifax representatives have given her a number of possible reasons: that her credit report is frozen (a freeze prevents lenders from seeing the report in response to a request for new credit in her name), that she failed to correctly answer a security question, or that AnnualCredit Report.com was having a technical issue. Margaret’s husband, Daniel, has since frozen his credit reports—and now he can’t obtain his Equifax report online. By law, a freeze doesn’t prevent you from getting your free annual credit report. In a statement to Kiplinger’s, Equifax confirmed that a credit report is available via the “online, phone or mail channel even if you have a security freeze.” The Finelts finally managed to get their Equifax reports by calling customer service and verbally answering security questions.
Denne historien er fra October 2019-utgaven av Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra October 2019-utgaven av Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
My Top 30 Index: An Update
A year ago, I put together what I called \"my own reinvention\" of the Dow Jones industrial average, the popular 142-year-old large-cap index.
Balance Your Risk and Reward
These new ETFs let you cut stock market losses. But you'll sacrifice some gains.
IS A HYBRID CAR RIGHT FOR YOU?
Hybrids offer a fuel-saving option for drivers who have reservations about all-electric vehicles. But there are trade-offs.
HOW TO REACH YOUR INVESTING GOALS
Patience helped these four investors make their portfolios work for them.
WHERE TO INVEST NOW
Expect a lot of midyear churn, with a rally toward the end of 2024.
TIPS FOR FINANCING A HOME PROJECT
I recently had a call with a client who was looking to fund the construction of a swimming pool at his house.
MORE WOMEN THAN EVER ARE STARTING BUSINESSES
Retail and travel businesses, along with health, beauty and fitness, are popular with women entrepreneurs.
Finding Home Health Care
It’s important to hire a caregiver you trust.
UNDERSTANDING BOND FUND YIELDS
What's a 30-day SEC yield? A trailing 12-month yield? A yield to maturity? We explain what each measure says about an income fund.
ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS ON STUDENT LOANS
If you have federal student loans, you may benefit from new government policies. Here's what you need to know.