| QSpace,
makers of iCreditReport.com, claim it is the
first service to deliver credit reports in real-time over the Internet. iCreditReport.com
gives Internet users the ability to access their credit files at any time, determine if
their report contains information or inquiries that they do not recognize, and challenge
inaccuracies more rapidly. iCreditReport.com allows users to instantly receive their
personal credit reports over the Internet for $8 a report. Consumers struggling with debt problems can check out Debt Counselors of America, which offers a variety of
publications and debt restructuring programs, and National
Foundation for Consumer Credit (NFCC), a network of 1,300 local groups that provide
credit education, budget and debt counseling, debt repayment programs and help with other
debt difficulties. NFCC is a nonprofit outfit funded by contributions from lenders, credit
unions and community organizations. Consumers also can find a wealth of credit information
on the three largest independent mortgage brokerage sites, QuickenMortgage, E-Loan
and HomeShark. |
How's Your Credit? Here's How to Find Out
The three major credit tracking companies, Experian,
Trans Union Corporation and Equifax, offer digestible chunks of easy-to-understand
consumer information. Experian's Web site explains
credit reports, divorce and credit, risk scores, credit advice, applying for credit and
bankruptcy. Trans Union Corporation's Web site
offers an FAQ section, a look at the positive effects of credit reporting, guidance for
victims of credit fraud and more. Equifax's Consumer
Center also has FAQs, plus a sample credit report, a products and services section and a
glossary of credit terms. All three of the sites explain how to order your own credit
report, and two of the sites, Trans Union and Equifax, allow you to order your report
through the Internet.
If you don't want to order your credit reports online or
round up the order forms yourself, you can buy a package of forms and instructions from MyCreditFile or Right to Know. The $80 top-of-the-line package from
Right to Know includes forms and letters to obtain your own medical information bureau
(MIB), education, employment, FBI, motor vehicle and credit reports. Lower cost options
are available too. These companies don't order your reports for you, they simply provide
the paperwork you need to fill out and send in.
A number of commercial companies provide credit reports
to mortgage lenders, automobile dealers, apartment landlords and even employers. One of
the largest is First American
CREDCO, which offers mortgage, automotive and consumer finance reporting, tenant
screening and direct-to-consumer credit reporting services.
|
