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If you have several credit cards and they are all limited out, your credit score is lower. · 15% of the total score is based on how long you have had credit. If you have never had credit or have only had credit for a short time, the lower your score will be. · 10% of the score is based on the number of inquiries that have been received about your report, particularly if there are several in the past year. Since identity theft has been on the rise in recent years, consumers are becoming more aware and vigilant about protecting their personal information. Anywhere you go whether online or on the street, identity theft is possible in the most unlikely of places. Having safeguards in place such as credit reporting agencies fraud alert which goes beyond your report and rating to protect you should be considered.

• Revolving credit card balances


• Any documents containing personal information, should be shredded


• 350-619 Poor


• Pinger Systems/Associated Credit Services Inc., 652 E. North Belt, Ste. #400, Houston, TX 77060


• Personal credit information besides just marketing application information


• Don't give your credit card information to any one on telephone


• Monthly payments

Of the three major credit reporting firms, Equifax and Experian have publicly confirmed that they sell trigger lists within twenty-four hours, but TransUnion has yet to comment. However, Equifax and Experian both state that such lists aren't in violation of any laws. Instead, they view them as simply fresher versions of preapproved credit lists they have routinely sold to lenders for many years. Your credit report is divided up into five main areas: personal profile/identifying information, inquiries, credit history, public record information and your credit score. INQUIRIES - in this section you will find listed all the parties that have requested a copy of your credit report and the date it was done over the past two years.

They will then investigate it with the company that issued the account.

Explain your reasons, give the facts and the companies are obliged to reply satisfactorily within 30 days. If they don't; you have the right to demand the negative (derogatory) info be removed and your demand must be posted in your report so others can see it. Credit card debt is a growing problem. The best way to get these items removed from your report is to send the agencies a letter stating that you think the information is wrong. They will then investigate it with the company that issued the account. And if they cannot prove it is true the information will come off your report! So it is in your best interest to look over your reports for errors and get them removed. You can even take it one step farther and dispute older negative information and get that removed as well. The end result will boost your credit scores.

A soft inquiry only shows on your credit report when requested by yourself and do not show to the creditors. A soft inquiry can come from your existing creditors that are monitoring your account, companies that are looking to offer you promotional applications for credit and each time you request a copy of your credit report. CREDIT HISTORY - in this section you will find an itemized list of your credit cards, loans and mortgages, both currently active accounts and past closed ones.

They often sell your report to other agencies that need to know your numbers.

These are known as the big three companies and are always the ones that come to mind when thinking about rating people based on their credit. The companies are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. These companies all work to get your report out there for people to view and for you to reference. They often sell your report to other agencies that need to know your numbers. They would of course have to conduct the necessary investigations to make sure that the contested information is indeed erroneous. If, on the other hand, it is the creditor who reported it in the first place is the one requesting for the deletion of the information, you stand a better chance of getting what you are asking for.