In
much the same way that a resume displays your work experience
to a prospective employer, a credit report provides prospective
creditors (and in some cases employers and insurers too) with
a detailed picture of your credit history. And like a resume,
your credit report can influence whether you will receive what
you are applying for.
Ideally,
your credit report is an accurate, up-to-date reflection of your
credit history. However, since we don't live in an ideal world,
there are many reasons that your credit report could contain inaccuracies
that might prevent you from receiving the credit you deserve.
The good news is you can take action to keep your report accurate.
Here are the top five reasons why you should make a practice of
regularly reviewing your credit report:
Inaccuracies
& Mixed Credit Files
Many
inaccuracies on a credit report can be the result of simple human
error, and are therefore are not difficult to dispute. Of course,
if you don't order your credit report, you might never know about
it. Whether the inaccuracies relate to payments not credited,
late payments, or data mixed in from the credit file of someone
else with a name similar to yours, you will want to contact the
credit bureau to dispute inaccurate information promptly. If you
would like to get a free copy of your credit report right now,
click
here.
Tracking
Payments
One
of the most important elements of credit is a demonstrated history
of on time payments. Once you send the check though, anything
can happen--a delay in the payment being received can kick you
over to a 30-day delinquency. If you call your creditor and explain
the situation, they might adjust the information. Of course, if
you don't read your credit report, you won't necessarily know
which payments are being received and reported properly. If you
would like to get a free copy of your credit report right now,
click here.
Identity
Theft
This
issue alone is reason to order your credit report immediately.
Identity theft is an insidious crime, involving a thief who assumes
your name to open new accounts, divert your card statements to
another address, and run up all sorts of bad debt without you
ever knowing about it until collectors come calling. Over time,
identity theft could jeopardize your ability to obtain further
credit. The best way to catch a thief who is using your name is
by getting a copy of your credit report, which will show you if
there are accounts listed you know you haven't opened. For example,
if a thief has intercepted a pre-approved credit card offer in
your name and sent it in with a change of address, your credit
report will include the account. If you would like to get a free
copy of your credit report right now, click
here.
Inquiries
If
you're shopping around for a loan or more credit, you should know
that when creditors check your credit, it places an inquiry on
your credit report. Inquiries can add up, which is often interpreted
as a negative by creditors. For this reason, too many inquiries
can actually make getting credit more difficult. Moreover, if
you didn't authorize someone to look at your credit report and
they did, they may have broken the law. If you would like to see
who's been looking at your credit, click
here to get a free copy of your credit report right now.
Credit
Fraud--Unauthorized Charges
Credit
fraud involves the theft of your credit card or account number
to make unauthorized charges to your account. Though consumers
are protected financially from this abuse, other creditors may
take note of all this activity and decide to raise your interest
rates or refuse to grant you a loan. Ordering your credit report
will help you catch new activity on accounts that you haven't
been using, or may have closed. If you would like to get a free
copy of your credit report right now, click
here.
When
it comes to managing your credit worthiness, your credit report
is your best resource. Ordering your credit report gives you the
opportunity to manage your credit wisely today, while planning
your credit strategy for achieving future goals--a credit-savvy
move every consumer should make! click
here to get your credit report right now, for free!
