Questions & Answers about: Credit Reports

September 2007

What is a credit report?
Do credit bureaus have reports on everyone?
What information is in my credit report?
What information cannot be in my credit report?
How do I get a copy?
What must the credit bureau tell me?
What can I do if there are errors in my credit report?
Who can get a copy of my credit report?
What can I do if I think I was denied credit, insurance or a job because of something in my credit report?
What is an investigative consumer report?
What can I do if a credit bureau has broken the law?
Consumer Tips
Questions?

Credit Reports

A credit report has a lot of information about consumers. When you apply for a job, a loan, an insurance policy or an apartment, the business or homeowner will often want to have some credit information about you. Your credit information (or history) is written in a report called a credit report or consumer report. These reports are kept by a consumer reporting agencies (also called credit bureaus).

There are federal and state laws which give you rights. These laws protect you against a credit bureau giving out wrong or old information. They also require that credit reports are given only to those which have a "legitimate business need" (see p. 5). Under these laws, you can:

• get a copy of your credit report,
• know who gets a copy of your report,
• disagree with wrong information and try to get it corrected,
• explain negative information in the report,
• complain to the appropriate government agency.

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Do credit bureaus have reports on everyone?

Credit bureaus have reports on almost everyone. You probably have a credit report if you have ever had applied for a credit or charge account, a life insurance policy, a personal loan, or even for some jobs.

What information is in my credit report?

Your credit report has more than credit history information. It will probably have information about:

• your income and jobs held;
• your social security number and birth date;
• your current and former addresses and phone numbers;
• money you have owed and money you now owe;
• your payment record (for example late or no payments to utility companies, hospitals, landlords, credit card companies, etc.)
• whether you have been sued, filed for bankruptcy, been arrested, and more.

What information CANNOT be in my credit report?

Credit bureaus cannot report old credit information. For example, negative information such as debts, lawsuits, judgments, or other actions against you can only stay on for 7 years. A bankruptcy can stay on your report for 10 years (except Chapter 13 bankruptcy which can only stay on for 7 years).

Also, medical information cannot be in the report unless you agree. (Your age, marital status or race cannot be given to a current or possible employer). And, information about arrests, charges, or convictions that have been erased cannot be on your report. (See the legal aid pamphlet, Is Your Criminal Record Keeping You From Working?).

How do I get a copy of my report?

You can now get a free copy of your credit report once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies (credit bureaus). The companies are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Do not contact these companies individually.

• Call toll-free: 1-877-322-8228

• Visit on the web: www.annualcreditreport.com.   Important: This is the only authorized website to order online. Be very careful of other websites claiming to offer "free credit reports or scores".

• Mail your completed Annual Credit Report Request Form to:  Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

In addition, there are other reasons you can get a free credit report including:

• you have been denied credit, insurance or a job (you must ask for it within 60 days after you get something in writing saying you were denied credit, insurance or the job);
• you write a letter saying you are on welfare/public benefits; or
• you are not working and will be applying for a job within the next 60 days, or
• you believe your report is wrong because of fraud.

In these cases, contact the individual companies:

• Experian: 1-888-397-3742

• Equifax: 1-800-685-1111

• TransUnion: 1-800-888-4213

The information you need to give each company may be different, so call first to find out what you need to send and where to send it.  (See below).

What must the credit bureau tell me?

Once you provide proof of your identity, the credit bureau must then:

• tell you the kind of information that is in your file;
• give you a written summary of your rights;
• tell you where the information came from except when the report is an "Investigative Consumer Report." (See below).
• tell you the names of businesses or creditors who have been given copies of your credit report recently.

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What can I do if there are errors in my credit report?

Many credit reports have errors and you have the right to have errors changed. There are two main reasons for errors:

(1)You are mistaken for another person with a similar name and  their information is on your record, and
(2) Fraud; that is when someone has purposely used your personal information to get credit in your name.

If you don’t agree with some of the information in your credit report, you should tell the credit bureau in writing. The credit bureau must then:

• give you a toll-free number so you can call again without cost,
• write a letter to the creditor which gave the information you think is wrong to tell them there is a disagreement,
• re-investigate the information without charge to you, and
• report the results of the investigation to you within 30 business days (subject to one 15-day extension if you provide new information).

After the new investigation, the bureau must quickly remove from your file any information which is not correct or cannot be proven.

If you still do not agree with the information from the second investigation, you can write a letter explaining your reasons why the information is wrong. This letter must be put in your credit report.

Note: If you ask, the credit bureau must send the changed credit report to any creditor who asked for a report in the past year if:

• information has been removed from your file at your request, or
• you have not been able to get the credit bureau to correct your file and you have sent the letter explaining how you disagree with what is in the file.

Who can get a copy of my credit report?

The credit bureau may only give a credit report if the person asking for the report has a "legitimate business need" including:

• those considering giving you credit;
• landlords;
• insurance companies;
• employers and potential employers (but only with your consent);
• child support enforcement agencies.

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What can I do if I think I was denied credit, insurance or a job because of my credit report?

If you think that you have been denied credit, insurance or a job based even in part on your credit report, the user of the report must tell you the name and address of the credit bureau.

You have a right to a free copy of your credit report if you ask for it within 60 days of being turned down. The credit bureau can tell you what is in your report, but only the creditor or user of the report can tell you why you were denied.

What is an investigative consumer report?

An investigative consumer report is a detailed report that has information about your character, lifestyle and reputation. The credit bureaus get this information from interviews with your friends, neighbors or associates. You must be told when a company asks for an investigative consumer report.

What can I do if a credit bureau has broken the law?

You can file a complaint with the state and federal agencies that enforce the credit reporting laws. Write/contact:

Director
Connecticut Department of Banking
Government Relations & Consumer Affairs
260 Constitution Plaza
Hartford, CT 06103-1800
(860) 240-8299 or 1-800-831-7225

and

Federal Trade Commission
Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A
600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20580
1-877-382-4357 (1-877-FTC-Help)

If a credit bureau has broken the law, you also have the right to sue the bureau. If you win, you may collect any money you have lost plus attorney’s fees and court costs.

For More Information, call Statewide Legal Services 1-800-453-3320 or (860) 344-0380

CONSUMER TIPS:

• Order your FREE credit report once a year and check it for errors. Call toll-free: 1-877-322-8228 or visit on the web: www.annualcreditreport.com.   Important:  This is the only authorized website to order online.  
• Check your report at least 1 to 2 months before it will be used for important decisions such as applying for a car loan, renting an apartment, etc.
• Know your rights.
• Beware of credit repair services that say, "Credit problems? No problem," or "We can erase your bad credit," etc. Don’t believe these statements.
• Call Statewide Legal Services at 1-800-453-3320 or 860-344-0380 or contact the University of Connecticut, Cooperative Extension Center, 305 Skiff Street, North Haven, CT 06473. Phone: 203-407-3161.
• Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC is a part of the federal government and has free information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices. To get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261.

This pamphlet was produced by the Legal Assistance Resource Center of CT in cooperation with Connecticut Legal Services, Greater Hartford Legal Aid, New Haven Legal Assistance Association, and Statewide Legal Services. The information in this pamphlet is based on the laws in CT as of September 2007. We hope that the information is helpful. It is not intended as legal advice for an individual situation. If you need further help and have not done so already, please call Statewide Legal Services (see above) or contact an attorney.

Copyright: September 2007