Free Instant Credit Reports – Score

Patsy Rose asked:




When you have bad credit, it seems that nothing is easy. Questions about how to get a credit card, how to get a bank account with bad credit history and where to get a free instant credit report are frequently asked. Many people are interested in learning how to repair their bad credit as well. It may be wise to make efforts to repair your credit before you worry about how to get a bank account with bad credit history.

It is quite possible that if you have been denied a bank account by one bank, another may allow you to open an account. All banks have different policies, so shop around first. If you really need someplace to keep your money, you can get a prepaid credit card, no matter what your credit history is like. If you want to know what information is stored on your credit report, you can get a free instant credit report.

It is wise to check the information on your credit report at least once a year. Due to a recently enacted law, a free instant credit report is now available on line. The three major credit bureaus created one website, http://www.annualcreditreport.com, to allow consumers easier access to their free instant credit report. Each consumer is entitled to one every year. If you are trying to learn how to get a bank account with bad credit history, then you have probably either been denied an account or denied credit. If you have been denied credit then you are entitled to a free instant credit report within 60 days of the credit denial. The lender must tell you why you were denied credit, in specific terms. If you were denied because of information on you credit report, he must furnish you with the name and address of the credit bureau that he used.

Some companies that advertise a free instant credit report have similar website addresses. Some companies offer a free instant credit report, if you sign up for their credit monitoring, credit repair information or services. The Federal Trade Commission advises consumers to spell the website address correctly or link to it from the FTC official website to avoid the impostor sites.

If you are trying to learn how to get a bank account with bad credit history and you have a record of bouncing checks, you may want to open only a savings account. Instead of writing checks to pay your bills, you can use money orders. Most banks will give you an ATM to use for cash withdrawals. You will probably not be able to get a debit card. Debit cards are generally linked to one’s checking account. If your balance is large enough, some banks offer a secured credit card. The credit limit is determined by the balance in the savings account. Some of the prepaid credit cards offer on-line bill pay and free direct deposit. This may be a good temporary solution for someone interested in how to get a bank account with bad credit history.

It may be possible to learn how to get a bank account with bad credit history. It is definitely possible to learn how to repair bad credit. Some companies that offer prepaid and secured credit cards charge a fee to report account activity to the credit bureaus. Before you pay a company to report good credit history, get a free instant credit report. If you have problems that you do not know how to correct, contact a law firm that specializes in credit repair. For more information, visit Credit Fix Solutions.

Carolyn

Patsy Rose asked:




Almost ten years ago, I was looking to buy a new home. A builder was advertising a “no down-payment mortgage”. With my permission, he pulled a copy of my credit report and told me that I had problems. I knew that I was entitled to a free credit report. Without a credit card, I began searching on-line for a source. The builder told me that the credit bureau was in town and that I could get a free credit report without a credit card if I went directly to the credit bureau. I could not even find the address.

For your information, if you are ever denied credit. The lender is required to provide you with the name and address of the credit bureau which provided them with the information they used in reviewing your application. You are entitled to a free credit report, without a credit card, within 60 days of the denied application.

This builder was a little strange. He printed out a copy and waved it in front of my face, telling me that he was not supposed to even let me see the report. He told me that in a couple of years, I might be able to qualify for his program. I had no idea what information he was talking about. I had owned and recently sold my own home because I had moved to a new city. I decided to rent for a while, just in case I did not like the new town. I did not have an active credit card, because I do not like credit cards. They sometimes get me into trouble. But, I was sure that this alone was not reason to refuse me into his no down payment program. So, my search began for a free credit report without a credit card. The builder said that I should be able to get one on-line, but that I would probably have to pay a fee. This made no sense to me, because I knew that I was entitled to a free copy.

I found a site that offered a free credit report without a credit card. They said they would send me my “free credit report” in the mail in a couple of weeks. My free credit report without a credit card turned out to be a magazine. The title was “My Free Credit Report”. This was my free copy, but they wanted me to know that subscribing was easy. I would be billed in three easy installments. I think that at this point, I gave up looking for a free credit report without a credit card. Having a case of “sour grapes”, I decided that I was not ready to buy a new house anyway.

Today, because of a recently enacted law, commonly called the FACT act, consumers can view and print a free credit report without a credit card, on-line, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The website was created by the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. The website was created to make it easier for people like me to find their free credit report without a credit card. Actually, it was created to make it easier for anyone to access the information stored on their credit reports. You are entitled to a free credit report without a credit card once in a 12 month period, if you have been denied credit within the past 60 days, if you are unemployed and planning to look for a job within the next 90 days and for various other reasons. The website address is http://www.annualcreditreport.com. It will come up if you type in free credit report into a web search engine, but other offers and services will pop up as well. If you type in “free credit report without a credit card”, it will not show up on the first page at all. Misspellings of the website address are being used by companies to attract customers to the services they offer. In order to avoid an experience like mine, you can type the website address correctly or access it from the Federal Trade Commission’s official consumer credit website. Hope this information makes your search for a free credit report without a credit card a little easier.

Erik