Credit Report Monitoring Services
Frequently Asked Questions about credit report and score services.
What type of credit monitoring should I get?
We highly recommend you get "three bureau" credit monitoring. "Three bureau" refers to the three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. It is important to monitor all three bureaus, and not just one, since changes to your credit report often occur at only one bureau. For example, a potential identity thief may apply for a credit card using your information. If that credit card issuer requests your credit report (a "hard inquiry") from the Equifax credit bureau, but you are only monitoring your TransUnion credit report, then you will never know. If you are going to go through the trouble and expense to get a credit monitoring service, we think it is silly to try to save a few dollars to get a solution that is incomplete and may not work. We believe you need a service that monitors all three credit bureaus so you can be sure to stop identity theft before it happens. We think it is also critical to monitor all three bureaus from a general credit management perspective. If erroneous negative information, such as a late payment, gets reported to Experian but you are only monitoring Equifax, you will not know that your credit has just been harmed and will not be able to correct it.
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 [...]
