Credit Report 101 Archive •

Below we have gathered old articles, comments and Q&A about credit reports, credit score, credit building, credit repair, identity theft & more.

VantageScore vs FICO Score
VantageScore vs FICO Score – which is better? How do they differ, what are the key differences and how to convert VantageScore to FICO score? We’ll try to answer all those questions. Do we really need two different scores? Well, no. So why do we have both? The answer …

SafeRent Score
The SafeRent score predicts the likelihood a tenant will fulfill a lease obligation, and the probability that the lease will be beneficial to the landlord. Unlike Credit Score, the SafeRent Score DO considers annual income, requested rent amount and rental history …

VantageScore 3.0
VantageScore 3.0 was launched in 2013 by the 3 credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax & TransUnion) in an attempt to better tackle the dominating FICO score. The first versions of VantageScore initially ranged from 500 to 990, which confused users because it was almost impossible to compare the known FICO to the new VantageScore. For example …

Vantage Credit Score Conversion
Although Vantage credit score conversion to FICO is possible, it is far from accurate. Even though Vantage & FICO credit scores are quite similar, they use different formulas and weigh things differently. Thus, converting between Vantage …

Pay For Delete Letter
A pay for delete letter is your best option to remove a collection account from your credit report. Following is a sample pay for delete letter that you can use to send to collection agencies nad/or debt collectors as part of a pay for delete agreement negotiation …

Debt Validation Letter for Medical Bills
Challenging the validity of a medical bill debt (or any other debt) is actually quite simple. Below you can find a sample debt validation letter for medical bills that you can use as described here. Follow the outlined steps so that you stay on top of things and get the debt removed from your credit report …

How long chapter 7 lasts on credit report?
Chapter 7 bankruptcy lasts on credit report for 10 years from the date filed. Accounts included in bankruptcy last on credit report for 7 years from the date they were reported as included in the bankruptcy …

TRW Bureaus Free Credit Report
Looking for your TRW Bureaus Free Credit Report? TRW is now Experian Credit Bureau. Follow the following instructions to get your free credit report. …

Fico Score Credit Score
Fico credit score is a number from 300-850 that represents the risk of lending you money. Fico is the result of a complex mathematical formula that takes …

Bureau Report Free Credit Check
You have a right to receive bureau report free credit check from each of the 3 major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian & Trans-Union) every 12 months …

FICO vs Vantage
FICO vs Vantage – which is better? what are the key differences and how to convert between Vantage and FICO? We’ll try to answer all those questions …

Fico Score Credit Score
Fico credit score is a number from 300-850 that represents the risk of lending you money. Fico is the result of a complex mathematical formula that takes …

Bureau Report Free Credit Check
You have a right to receive bureau report free credit check from each of the 3 major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian & Trans-Union) every 12 months. …

3 Bureau Online Credit Report
Follow these instructions to get your 3 Bureau Online Credit Report. You are entitled to receive a copy of your credit report from each of the 3 national credit bureaus every 12 month. You…

Free Instant Credit Report Online
Everyone is entitled to receive free instant credit report online from each of the 3 major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian & Trans-Union) every 12 months. …

Convert Vantage to Fico
“How to convert Vantagescore to Fico?” is a question I get in the mail too often. Even though Fico and Vantagescore are quite similar, they use different formulas and weigh things differently. Thus, you can try to convert Vantagescore to Fico and vise versa using the following methods only…

After 7 Years Is Debt Erased?
“After 7 Years Is Debt Erased?” is a question I get too often in the mail. Unfortunately, the answer is NO. Debts never go away. People simply confuse Statute Of Limitations (SOL) with Credit Reporting Time Frame, two completely…

Auto Enhanced Fico Score
Auto Enhanced Fico Score was developed by Fair Isaac especially for the auto industry, to help it better predict the risks involved in lending money for car loans. Other names are ‘FICO Auto Industry Option Score’, ‘Beacon 09′ and…

What does a closed account mean on a credit report?
Closed accounts on your credit report means bad or good news to your credit score, depending on whether they’re closed in good standing ($0 balance) or …

How Long Does Chapter 7 Stay on Credit Report?
Chapter 7 bankruptcy stay on credit report for 10 years from the date filed. Accounts included in the chapter 7 bankruptcy stay on credit report for 7 …

Free Access to Credit Reports
Everyone has a right for free access to credit reports from each of the 3 major credit bureaus every 12 months. You should take advantage of this privilege …

Credit Report Dispute Letters
Here are 3 diffrent credit report dispute letters that you can send to the credit bureaus in order to dispute inaccurate, incomplete or missing information …

Bad Credit Repair Advice
If you’re having credit problems, use this free bad credit repair advice and guide to repair your credit and improve your scores for not cost at all! …

Bucketing, Rebucketing and credit scores
The terms bucketing and rebucketing refers different credit categories and the way Fico formula evaluate consumers’ credit scores. You may have expected …

Convert Vantage to Fico
How to convert vantage to Fico? I often get this question in the mail. Even though Vantage and Fico are quite similar, they use different formulas and …

Too Many Inquiries Last 12 Months
When your application is rejected because of Too Many Inquiries Last 12 Months it means that comparing to consumers with similar credit profile as …

Credit Bureau Information Is Missing or Unavailable
If you were denied credit because of “credit bureau information is missing or unavailable”, It means that the lender refused you application because …

Minimum credit score for FHA loan
While FHA guideline state that the minimum credit score for FHA loan is 530, that’s only good enough to qualify for financing. As of 2010 you’ll need …

Credit Equifax Free Report
Follow these instructions to get your credit Equifax free report and understand your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Equifax is one …

Fico Score Simulator
Use this free FICO Score Simulator (powered by FICO®) to get a sense at what your FICO score is, or to simulate how different credit scenarios (e.g. utilization, …

After 7 Years Debt Erased?
Does after 7 years debt erased? A question I get too often. The answer is NO. Debts never go away. People simply confuse between Credit Reporting …

SafeRent Credit Inquiry
What is SafeRent Credit Inquiry, and why is it on my credit report? SafeRent (First Advantage SafeRent) supplies renter reports, eviction reports …

Key Derogatory
The term “Key Derogatory” is often used by the credit bureaus to mark a significant negative entry on your credit report. Accounts listed as Key …

FAKKO
FAKKO (as in Fake-O) is an un-official term that refers to “non-real” FICO scores purchased anywhere but myFico.com. myFICO.com is the …

How Many Inquiries Is Too Many?
Just how many inquiries is too many and when does your credit get affected? While having a small number of hard inquiries on your credit report will …

What Does a Credit Report Look Like?
Here is what does a credit report look like. The following is a sample 3-in-1 credit report that combines your credit information from the 3 major credit …

How long does chapter 7 stay on your credit report?
Chapter 7 bankruptcy stay on your credit report for 10 years from the date filed. Accounts included in bankruptcy stay on your credit report for 7 years …

Closed Account On Credit Report
A closed account on credit report can have a positive or negative effect on your credit score, depending on whether it is closed in good standing ($0 …

3 Bureau Credit Report Free
You are entitled to a 3 Bureau Credit Report Free (a.k.a. Free Annual Credit Report) from each of the 3 major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian & Trans …

Fico Score Range
Fico score range is 300-850, and is further divided to 6 risk categories: Excellent, Good, Average, Low, Poor & Bad. These risk categories determine your …

Identity Theft Fraud Alert
Placing identity theft fraud alert on your credit reports and scores is the first action you need to take if you suspect that your identity had been stolen. …

Credit Free Report Trans Union
A step-by-step guide for obtaining your Free Trans Union Annual Credit Report. Read this important information BEFORE requesting your report, so that …

Credit Report Score Chart
Your credit score is the single most important number in your financial life! Here is the credit report score chart of the two most used credit scores: …

Legal Credit Repair Services
Finding trustwothy legal credit repair services is not easy – there are simply too many bad apples in the barrel. Here are reviews, tips and links that …

FICO and Credit Scores
FICO and Credit Scores are “grade marks” for how you behave financially. They estimate the risk of lending you money or providing you with a service. …

How Does Identity Theft Occur?
How does identity theft occur, how do ID thieves use YOUR identity to their benefit and how you can protect yourself against it. ID …

Fico Credit Score Estimator
Here is a free FICO Credit Score Estimator powered by FICO®, the most trusted name in credit scoring. Use it to get a sense at what your actual FICO score …

Free Equifax Annual Credit Report
A step-by-step guide for obtaining your Free Equifax Annual Credit Report. Read this important information BEFORE requesting your report, so that you …

Credit Report Self Help Repair
Having credit problems? Here is the complete credit report self help repair guide that you can use to repair your credit and improve your scores for not …

What Is Fico Score
FICO score is a number from 300-850 that represents the calculated risk of lending you money. Fico credit score is the result of a complex mathematical …

Credit Reporting Agencies Dispute
The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act) enacted 2003 incorporates credit reporting agencies dispute procedures and regulations that allow …

Consumer Credit Report Law
The Consumer Credit Report Law (better known as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)) establishes your rights in regards to credit reports. It governs …

Credit Bureau Dispute Letters
Here are three sample credit bureau dispute letters that you can send to the credit bureaus in order to dispute incorrect, incomplete or inaccurate information. …

Average US Fico Scores
While the average Fico score in the United States is 646 , the score between states can vary considerably. Here is the distribution of the Average …

Auto Loan Credit Scores
There’s a difference between your normal/classic FICO Score, and the score car dealers graded you when you apply for car loan. Auto …

Free Yearly Credit Report
Everyone has a right to receive a free yearly credit report from each of the 3 major credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion & Equifax). You should take …

Credit Score Rating Chart
Your credit score is the single most important number in your financial life! Here is the credit score rating chart of the two most used credit scores: …

How Does Identity Theft Work
With ID theft on the rise, it’s important to understand how does identity theft work, so that you can better defend yourself against it. …

Free Credit Reports On Line
You are entitled to receive free credit reports on line every 12 months from each of the three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Experian & Equifax). …

Fico Score Chart
Fico is the leading credit score. More than 90% of creditors and lenders are relaying on FICO for making their lending decisions and determining your …

Credit Score Chart
Different credit scores use different scales. Following is a credit score chart of the two most commonly known credit scores: Fico and Vantage. …

Fico Credit Score Range
Fico is the leading credit score, with over 90% of lenders and creditors using it for making their lending decisions and determining your terms. …

Free Credit Reports Online
Everyone can receive free credit reports online from each of the 3 major credit bureaus every 12 months. You should take advantage of this privilege and …

Credit Rating Scale
Different credit scores use different credit rating scales. Following is a comparison and a graphic illustration between the two most commonly known credit …

Credit Score Ratings
Your credit score is the single most important number in your financial life! There are many credit score ratings in use. You’ve probably heard some of …

Credit Debt Management Repair Services
Finding trustworthy credit debt management repair services may prove to be a difficult task. There are simply too many bad apples in the barrel. Here …

Credit Score Meanings
Credit scores can be viewed as a grade for your financial behavior. They are complex mathematical algorithms that factor large amounts of financial information …

Fico Credit Score Scale
Fico credit score scale runs from 300 – 850, and is further divided to 6 risk categories: Bad, Poor, Low, Average, Good & Excellent. Fico credit score …

Credit Repair Sample Letters
These free credit repair sample letters have been made available for your use, to help you fix bad credit, dispute a negative item on your report, validate …

Understanding My Credit Score
Your Credit Score is the single most important number in your financial life! Credit scores are a “grade mark” for how people behave …

FICA Credit Score
FICA credit score was developed by TRW credit reporting agency back in the 80’s together with Fair Isaac, the creator of Fico. TRW has evolved into Experian …

Fico Score Calculation
Your FICO score is the single most important number in your financial life. Understanding the different factors used in the fico score calculation can …

Credit Rating Score Scale
Different credit rating scores use different credit rating score scale. Here is a graphic illustration of the two most commonly known credit scores: Fico …

Free Online Credit Score
Looking for free online credit score but can’t find any? No Wonder. Like so many you confuse between “credit report” to “credit score”. …

SafeRent Inquiry
What is a SafeRent Inquiry, and why is it on your credit report? SafeRent (Core Logic) is the largest tenant screening services in …

Yearly Free Credit Report
You have a right to receive a yearly free credit report from each of the 3 major credit bureaus: TransUnion, Experian & Equifax. You should take advantage …

Really Free Credit Report
How to get really free credit report – Under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act) enacted 2003 you are entitled to receive a …

3 Bureau Free Credit Report
How to get your government 3 bureau free credit report – Every one is entitled to get a free copy of his credit reports from the 3 major credit bureaus …

Free 3 Bureau Credit Report
How to get your free 3 bureau credit report – Under the Fact Act (enacted 2003) everyone is entitled to receive a free copy of their credit report …

Free Credit Report Government
How to get your government-mandated free annual credit report (free credit report government) from the 3 major credit bureaus – The government has …

Free Credit Report Gov
How to get your government mandated free credit report (free credit report gov) from the 3 major credit bureaus – The FACT Act (enacted on 2003) …

3 Major Credit Reports
How to get your 3 major credit reports from the three credit bureaus (Equifax, TransUnion & Experian) – Under the FACT Act that was signed into …

Credit Bureau Phone Numbers
Here is an up-to-date list of 3 national credit bureau phone numbers (Equifax, Experian & Trans Union). Since the credit bureaus update their contact …

SafeRent
SafeRent (CoreLogic First Advantage SafeRent) is a consumer reporting agency (CRA) that supplies residential and employment screening services to third parties. Specifically, it supplies renter reports, eviction reports and tenant scoring to…

Credit Report Laws
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), amended by the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act) defines consumer credit report laws and rights. It incorporates …

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