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The Expert can help you find information to answer credit concerns.Get answers to FAQ's below. Search the site. Consult a glossary of credit-related terms.
Credit report
Who is eligible for a free credit report?By Federal law, you are entitled to one free credit report per year directly from a credit reporting agency only if you certify that: You are unemployed and seeking employment in the next 60 days What information is included in my credit report?Your personal credit report contains: Specific information about each account such as the date opened, credit limit or loan amount, balance, monthly payment and payment pattern during the past several years. This information comes from companies that do business with you. Federal district bankruptcy records and state and county court records of tax liens and monetary judgments. This information comes from public records. The names of those who have obtained a copy of your credit report. (On your copy of your Experian credit report, addresses are included.) This information comes from the credit reporting agency. Statements of dispute, which allow both consumers and creditors to report the factual history of an account. Statements of dispute can only be added after a consumer officially disputes the status of an account, the account has been reinvestigated, and the consumer and creditor cannot agree about the account status. Both the consumer's and creditor's statements of the account status will appear on the credit report. Most of the data Experian has on file is positive, indicating that most people pay their bills on time. Your Experian credit report does not contain - and Experian does not collect - data about race, religious preference, personal lifestyle, political preference, medical history, friends, criminal record or any other information unrelated to credit. How often should I check my credit report?Your credit report plays a major role when you apply for any type of credit or loan, such as a credit card, auto loan, mortgage, employment screening, utilities deposits and insurance. It is a good idea to know what is on your credit report before applying for credit or a loan. If you know that you have information that may raise your level of risk in the eyes of lenders, then it is a good idea to try and clean the information up prior to applying for the loan. Creditors and lenders use your credit report to determine if you are a credit risk. It is a good idea to keep your credit report clean by paying all of your debt obligations on time. Why aren't my spouse's accounts displayed on my credit report?The credit reporting agencies maintain individual credit files for each U.S. resident. They do not maintain joint files for spouses. Therefore, your credit report is separate and different from your spouse's. What bureau provides the consumer credit information for CreditExpert?Experian provides the consumer credit information that you see on CreditExpert. Credit scoreWhat is a score?A credit score is a number lenders use to help them decide: "If I give this person a loan or credit card, how likely is it I will get paid back on time?" It is generated through statistical models using elements from your credit report; however, your score is not physically stored as part of your credit history on the credit file. Rather, it is typically generated at the time a lender requests your credit report, and is then included as part of the report. Your credit score is a fluid number, and it changes as the elements in your credit report change. For example, payment updates or a new account could cause your score to fluctuate. There are many different credit scores used in the financial service industry. Your score may be different from lender to lender (or from car loan to mortgage loan), depending on the type of credit scoring model that was used. What information is contained in a credit score?The information that impacts a credit score varies depending on the score being used. Credit scores are only affected by elements in your credit report, such as: Number and severity of late payments If the business card/corporate card or gas card does not appear on your credit report, it will not affect your score Why is my score today higher/lower than it was yesterday?Your credit score is calculated by taking a snapshot of your credit history at a particular point in time. Your credit score is a fluid number, and it changes as the elements in your credit report change. Slight variances in your score may be due to a change in balance on one or more of your credit cards, payment updates or the addition of a new account. Changes in your credit history will directly affect your score. Why is the score on my score analysis and homepage different from my score on the score simulator page?Your credit score as reflected on the score analysis section is a real credit score. The simulator is for educational purposes only. It should not serve as a guide for changing your actual credit score. Instead, use the simulator to better understand the relationship between score factors and credit scores. The simulator allows you to better understand your actual credit score by looking at how it might change if your credit behavior were different. The score that you receive on your credit report is your actual score from Experian. DisputeHow do I dispute an item on my credit report?You may do this online, by phone, or through US mail.
To initiate a dispute by phone: You must have your Experian credit report on hand to initiate a dispute by phone. Start by calling Experian's National Consumer Assistance Center. You will need to identify the piece of information that is incorrect and include what you know to be the correct information. To initiate a dispute by mail: Please be specific. Simply saying an item is wrong does not give enough detail to help resolve the issue. Keep in mind all dispute processes can take up to 30 days. You will be contacted by mail of the results, if disputed by p hone or mail. If disputed online, you have the option to receive results by US mail or e-mail. BrowserWhich web browser do I need to best navigate the site?Our web site is best viewed in Internet Explorer (IE) 4, IE 5, and IE 5.5, Netscape 4, and Netscape 4.73. If you are using AOL 4.0 or 5.0, please minimize your AOL browser and open the Internet Explorer browser that came with AOL. To download the latest browser go to http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/. Do I need to change my Internet Options to best view your site?To gain the most benefit from the site, we suggest the following: When using Internet Explorer:
In Netscape:
Remember to close your browser after making any changes EnrollmentWhy do you request all of the information you do on the enrollment page?The information is necessary to authenticate your identity for security purposes, obtain your credit report for you, and complete our online billing process. Your previous address for example, can help us verify that we have the correct person and report if your current address does not appear on your credit report. What is authentication?We are required to verify your identity in order to provide you with your personal credit information online. The authentication check is part of the registration process. We use your personal information and well as your answers to the three to four multiple choice questions about your credit history that only you should know. Your correct answers ensure that we provide your credit report only to you. I was not able to authenticate on line. What do I need to do?You will need to send two forms of ID (Driver's License, Utility Bill) to the below address: CreditExpert Fax Option: 1-800-660-3986 Once we receive your information we will send you an e-mail notifying you that you will be able to log on to the site using the ID and Password that you selected when you enrolled in the service. You will not be billed until your authentication is complete. MembersI have forgotten my user ID and PW.
How do I cancel my membership?You may cancel online by clicking on the Subscription accounts hyperlink on you Member Profile page; or by phone at 1-800-787-6864. Your credit card will not be charged. Should you choose to cancel, your refund will be prorated. Where do I update my membership information?Click on the My Profile button located in the upper left hand corner of each member page. How do I access the unlimited credit report feature?Go to your customized homepage and click on the View My Credit Report button in the top right corner. Credit bureausWhat is a credit bureau? Is CreditExpert.com a credit bureau?A credit bureau is an agency that gathers information about consumers' credit relationships and provides creditors with credit reports and scores on consumers. CreditExpert is not a credit bureau; but utilizes the Experian credit report to provide the Credit Manager Service and features. We do operate under some of the same federal and state regulations that credit reporting agencies must adhere to. Where does a credit bureau get its information?Credit Bureaus collect and organize information about you and your credit history from public records, your creditors and other reliable sources. VisitorsWhat is your privacy policy?The privacy policy can be found by clicking on the link at the footer, or bottom, of every CreditExpert web page. What is your security policy?The security policy can be found by clicking on the link at the footer, or bottom, of every CreditExpert web page.
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