Credit Report Monitoring Services
Frequently Asked Questions about credit report and score services.
What is credit monitoring and why do I need it?
Credit monitoring services track your credit file daily and alert you whenever there is a change. These services are great for making sure you stay on top of your credit and are even better for preventing identity theft. Since any new information on your credit report can affect your credit score and your ability to get credit, we highly recommend monitoring your credit for any changes or inaccuracies. Given the high cost of having negative information on your report, we think credit monitoring is a great idea. Correcting incorrect negative information on your credit report can significantly raise your credit score and literally save you thousands of dollars a year.
We think credit monitoring is even more important for preventing identity theft. Most identity thieves will attempt to open new accounts in your name. This will always result in a "hard inquiry" to at least one of the credit bureaus. Credit monitoring services alert you within 24 hours of any change to your credit report, including credit inquiries. Thus if an identity thief is attempting to open an account in your name, you would see an inquiry or perhaps several inquiries from lenders you are not requesting credit from. You can then follow up with the lender or with your credit monitoring service to stop the identity theft before any damage is done.
Search our blog archives and frequently asked questions for more information about Credit Report Monitoring Services
Recently answered questions about Credit Report Monitoring Services:
What if a teenager loses his wallet?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question.
Q: If someone who has just turned 18 and has no prior credit history loses his wallet, what can he do to prevent someone using his driver's license to open up new accounts in his name? Would it do him any good [...]
Will a reduced credit card limit hurt my credit score?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: My bank is lowering my credit card limit, even though I always pay on time. Will this hurt my credit score?
A: Unfortunately, [...]
Why do I have different credit scores from TrueCredit and Experian?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: I have a 3 score report from True Credit and one from Experian. They have totally different scores. Why would this be? [...]
Reader Questions: Is there a free on line credit report service that has no ...
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: Is there a free on line credit report service that has no trial or any other hidden fees?
A: Thanks to [...]
If LifeLock requests reports on my behalf, do I still get my 3 free reports p...
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: Each person is entitled to a free credit report from each of the 3 bureaus each year. If LifeLock requests the [...]
Do credit reports show the drop off dates for delinquent loans?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: Do the credit reports from Equifax with Score Power show the approximate drop off dates for delinquent cards or loans?
A: The credit [...]
Why does my credit score fluctuate?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: Why does my credit score fluctuate by 3-5 points from one month to the next when I have paid accounts on time, [...]
Do the Virgin Islands use seperate credit reporting practices and bureaus?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: Do the Virgin Islands use seperate credit reporting practices and bureaus?
A: No. The U.S. Virgin Islands use the same [...]
I am trying to select the best credit report monitoring service for my needs ...
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: I am trying to select the best credit report monitoring service for my needs and have questions. Can I call [...]
Can I print my credit report?
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: Can the Equifax report be printed? About how many pages will it be? I have an ink jet printer and am worried [...]
