Statistics show that 80% of credit histories have at least one error. Most of them are minor and inconsequential but some can have an adverse effect on your credit score, often costing your thousands on mortgages and car loans. I believe credit bureaus were so lackadaisical about accuracy because it forced consumers to buy their credit reporting services. You wouldn't know there's an error unless you paid Equifax for a copy of your report. Fortunately, federal law now makes it possible for us to police our own records and force bureaus to correct them, all on their dime. Here's how:
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) lets you request a free copy of your credit report from each bureau every twelve months at AnnualCreditReport.com. It's been mentioned numerous times before (along with all the scam sites looking to profit off it) but do you regularly check your credit history for errors?
It's no wonder consumers find an estimated 13 million inaccuracies on their credit reports each year.
From the Comsumerist at http://consumerist.com/
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