Handling your credit is increasingly important issue. Getting help and knowing
how to take charge of your affairs can be stressful and difficult. Here you
will find a topic for every possible
debt, credit or legal issue. Within each
article and/or resource is a host of hundreds of additional links that relate to
that subject so be sure to visit the pages to get valuable information. Some
links are inside our site while others may link to an outside source offering valuable
information.
Learn about a specific topic or simply browse our diverse range of credit related
resources to find information that will help you take control of your personal finances
and protect your identity.
Credit Agencies & Laws Affecting Your Credit
The Three Major Credit Agencies
Experian P. O.
Box 2002 Allen, TX 75013
888-397-3742
TransUnion
P. O. Box 2000
Chester, PA
19022-2000
800-888-4213
Equifax
P. O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374
800-685-1111
You have the right to have a free report from any of these three credit agencies
every 12 months. For a free report from Experian, TransUnion and Equifax, go to:
http://www.annualcreditreport.com
Credit, Credit Reporting & Credit Repair Regulations:
FCRA
Fair Credit Reporting Act:
Requires creditors and businesses to meet certain requirements before they can access
consumer credit information.
CROA Credit Report Organization Act:
Designed to ensure that those seeking
credit repair services from credit repair
organizations are provided with information necessary to make an informed decision
regarding the purchase of credit repair services and that consumer are protected
from deceptive or unfair advertising and business practices.
FCBA Fair Credit Billing Act:
Sets out guidelines and procedures for resolving billing errors that may appear
on credit card accounts.
ECOA Equal Credit Opportunity Act:
Prohibits the denial of credit because of sex, marital status, race, religion, national
origin, age or because a person receives public assistance.
FDCPA The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act:
Sets out guidelines and procedures for collections companies that prevents debt
collectors from using unfair or deceptive practices to collect overdue bills.
Specialty Consumer Reporting Agencies
You should be aware of other reporting agencies that are becoming more widely used.
Some examples are:
Checking Accounts - ChexSystems, Telecheck, SCAN
Employment - ChoiceTrust Employment Reports
Insurance - ChoiceTrust-Auto-Personal Property Reports
Medical Information - Medical Information Bureau (MIB)
Rental Information - Accufax, American Tenant Screen, ChoicePoint Tenant History,
National Tenant Network, Tenant Data Services Mortgage Financing - Innovis