Your Credit Reports
DCIHC recommends that
you get a copy of your credit report from each of the three major
credit reporting agencies - once a year to make sure the information
is accurate. Each agency charges a service fee that varies from
company to company.
Experian (http://www.experian.com)
Trans Union (http://www.transunion.com)
Equifax (http://www.equifax.com)
To obtain a copy of your credit report, you must provide the following in writing:
 | Full name, including any previous
names.
| Current address.
| Previous address. (if needed
for five-year credit history)
| Social Security number.
| Date of birth.
| Signature
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Free Credit Reports
If you have been denied credit because of negative information
in your credit report, you may ask which agency provided your
credit history and then obtain a copy of your report from that
agency within 60 days at no charge .
In addition, you are entitled to one free report if:
| you are unemployed and plan
to seek employment within 60 days;
| you are on welfare; and/or
| your report is inaccurate due
to fraud.
| |
Negative Information on Your
Credit Report
If you find negative information in your credit report that is
correct, you can:
| pay any balances so that creditors
can update your file;
| wait seven years for negative
information to be taken off; (except for bankruptcies, which
may remain for 10 years)
| write a brief statement of explanation
to be included in future reports. (i.e., unemployment).
| |
Accurate information cannot be removed from your credit report. If you have any questions with regard to these topics, visit the Federal Trade Commission's Web site at www.ftc.gov.
Incorrect Information on Your
Credit Report
If you find there is incorrect information in your credit report,
you can:
| request, in writing, an investigation
that will be made within 30 days;
| contact the creditor, in writing.
| |
If you are not able to resolve the dispute, the creditor must report your dispute to the credit reporting agency.
If any deletion or notation is made regarding the information, you may request that new information be sent to any employer who has received a credit report during the past two years or anyone else who has requested credit information in the previous six months.