No. To maximize security, consider using a gift card instead. This can protect you from potential fraud and theft loss. While debit/credit cards have fraud protections as to losses (which are different depending on which is used), it’s a hassle to work through the loss and get your money back in your bank account orcontinue reading…
Credit Reporting Disputes
I Received A Letter From Sentara About Possible Theft Of My Identity, What Do I Do Now?
Sentara has offered those affected a free one-year membership to monitor your credit reports – you should sign up for that immediately. Review your credit reports very carefully. If you do not see any errors at this time, be sure to check every few weeks or so over the next year. This information may havecontinue reading…
How Often Should I Check My Credit Reports?
We have advised, on several occasions, that everyone should obtain his or her free annual credit reports from the three main credit-reporting agencies. Try staggering them and get a report from one of the three agencies every four to five months, thereby allowing you to check your reported information periodically. You can use the form from ourcontinue reading…
What Is A Credit Report?
Although this term is widely used, the law that governs the reporting of credit matters, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”) actually doesn’t use the term at all. It discusses “consumer reports” and “consumer disclosures.” “Consumer reports” are any written, oral, or other communication of any information by a consumer reporting agency (“CRA”)(such as Equifax,continue reading…
How Do I Get Information About My Credit Information Held By The Credit Reporting Agencies (“CRAs”)?
You have the right to get your credit information from the three national CRAs (Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian) once every 12 months at no charge. Because it is best to obtain the cleanest report from the CRAs, as well as to document your request should future litigation be necessary, we recommend you mail in yourcontinue reading…