Protecting your name and your credit

There are several rules that govern or give specific guidelines to credit reporting agencies that hold your credit history. It is valuable information if you have a dispute and feel you aren't getting anywhere with it.

Credit reporting agencies must give you the information in your file if you ask for it and provide the agency with proper identification.

An agency may not give your credit information to an employer or potential employer unless you first give that employer written permission to request your credit.

There are a couple of ways you can keep track of your credit and know what is happening.

1. You need a credit reporting service that monitors you fico score and where you can have access to your credit report and history. The two better companies for this is Equifax or Experian.
2. After if you need it, get help fixing your credit history by using a professional credit repair service. Lexington law firm is the only legal company that has a very high record of success.
3. Use a credit monitoring service and keep a check on any unauthorized accounts opened in your name.
4. Use lifelock to protect yourself against identity theft

A credit reporting company must correct or, as the case may be, delete from your credit file the information that is found to be inaccurate or can no longer be verified from your credit file.

Remove your name from marketing lists upon request.

They are all contained in the "Fair Credit Reporting Act", it is a lengthy piece of legislature so we have provided a link for each section that you may want to read.

Requirements on users of consumer reports:

Whenever credit for personal, family, or household purposes involving a consumer is denied or the charge for such credit is increased because of information obtained from a person other than a consumer reporting agency bearing upon the consumer's credit worthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living. The user of such information shall, within a reasonable period of time, upon the consumer's written request for the reasons for such adverse action received within sixty days after learning of such adverse action, disclose the nature of the information to the consumer.

Other identity theft information

• identity theft awareness
• identity theft protection

Entire collection of regulations can be found here: http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fcra.htm this is a public service and a pretty good one at that. ( http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fcra.htm#615 )

Disclosure of investigative consumer reports: A person may not procure or cause to be prepared an investigative consumer report on any consumer unless you are notified in writing within a specified time limit. ( http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fcra.htm#606 )

Procedure in case of disputed accuracy: In general. If the completeness or accuracy of any item of information contained in a consumer's file at a consumer reporting agency is disputed by the consumer and the consumer notifies the agency directly of such dispute.

The agency shall reinvestigate free of charge and record the current status of the disputed information, or delete the item from the file. ( http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fcra.htm#611 )

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