Credit Report formats and info in them

[Anonymous]

Hi All,

 Quick question about credit reports formatting and the info in them...I am new to pulling my reports. I first pulled my reports in Oct 2007 with the annual reports. I liked the formatting and info within them. I have this month pulled reports straight from TransUnion, straight from Experian, and pulled Experian and Equifax from MYFICO mainly to see my scores...here's the specific items I am concerned about:

My annualcredit reports 2007 (online):

• TransUnion - Included my file number, full account numbers on accounts, estimated dates item will be removed
• Equifax - Last few digits of account numbers were XXXX, has date of 1st delinquency,
• Experian - Has report #, under status detail it typically shows how much longer the account will stay on record

This year's pulls (all online also)

• TransUnion from TransUnion - File number NOT listed, last few digits of account numbers have ****, and no indication as to when items will be removed
• Experian from Experian - Horrible looking screens, but other than that last few digits of account number have XXXX, no indication as to when items will fall off, no report #

• Experian from MyFico - Most account numbers are all XXX, some have a few number, no indication when items will fall off, no report #
• Equifax from MyFico - Most account numbers show up as not reported or lots of XXX, no indication when items will fall off

So my questions are: What is the best way to pull a report so you get complete information, as it seems that you get a different level of information pulling different ways (even if pulling straight from the company as I compare the annual report directly from TransUnion and my pull this year straght from TransUnion). Has reporting formats changed since last year???for security reasons or something? And for dispute purposes via mail, don't I need a report number / file number or something to reference?

I really liked last years TransUnion report as it seemed to be a complete report and would like to get that same amount of info from each.

Thanks for the help.

[RobertEG]

skimpy, great question.  I had been pulling myFICO reports for months, but when I then pulled my free CR through annualcreditreport.com, I was amazed at the difference in level of info that was included.

Commercial vendors of CRs dont t give you your full credit file, they give you truncated files.

They provide basis info that is scored in the FICO algorithm, but dont go much further than that.

So your CR may not be a reflection of your full credit file.

On a related matter, the FCRA provides and exemption from what may normally be excluded from your CR for larger credit transactions, such as most mortgages.

FCRA Section 605(b). Exempted cases. The provisions of subsection (a) of this section are not applicable in the case of any consumer credit report to be used in connection with

(1) a credit transaction involving, or which may reasonably be expected to involve, a

principal amount of $150,000 or more;

(2) the underwriting of life insurance involving, or which may reasonably be expected

to involve, a face amount of $150,000 or more; or

(3) the employment of any individual at an annual salary which equals, or which

may reasonably be expected to equal $75,000, or more.

So some creditors have access to different data in your credit file.  It is all not just plain vanilla. Reports provided to consumers on the commercial sites are plain vanilla.

[Anonymous]

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RobertEG wrote:

Commercial vendors of CRs dont t give you your full credit file, they give you truncated files.

They provide basis info that is scored in the FICO algorithm, but dont go much further than that.

So your CR may not be a reflection of your full credit file.

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What you purchase through 3rd party sellers are "credit reports". What you get from the CRA themselves is a "consumer disclosure".

From TC website:

A "consumer disclosure" is all the information in your credit file that the credit reporting agencies maintain on you, including a record of everyone who has received information about you from the credit reporting agencies ("inquiries"). You are entitled to receive a copy of your disclosure from the agencies under Federal law. A "credit report" contains only some information from your credit file, including the information typically seen by a credit grantor or other party who requests a report on you. It does not contain all the information found in your disclosure (such as certain inquiries that only you can see).

http://content.truecredit.com/LearningCenter/welcome/factAct.page?

[Anonymous]

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skimpy wrote:

So my questions are: What is the best way to pull a report so you get complete information, as it seems that you get a different level of information pulling different ways (even if pulling straight from the company as I compare the annual report directly from TransUnion and my pull this year straght from TransUnion).

What you pull from annualcreditreport.com comes straight from the CRA. I've never compared reports from annualcreditreport.com to a report I went to equifax.com, transunion.com, or experian.com and pulled.

I can't imagine there being a difference, as annualcreditreport.com is to be a consumer disclosure not simply a credit report.

Has reporting formats changed since last year???for security reasons or something?

It could be that formats have changed. I don't have my reports from last year(wasn't aware of the importance of keeping them at that time). Yes, only partial account numbers are shown in order to help protect you. I don't know when they started this, it seems I remember my past reports showing a full number.

And for dispute purposes via mail, don't I need a report number / file number or something to reference?

There should be a file number listed. On myFICO, I've only seen a File Number on my TU I pulled from the "transunion quarterly monitoring".  I have recently pulled a report from TU direct and EX direct and they both have report numbers.

I really liked last years TransUnion report as it seemed to be a complete report and would like to get that same amount of info from each.

Thanks for the help.

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[RobertEG]

Just order one, sidewinder.  BIg difference.

[Anonymous]

Order what?

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RobertEG wrote:

Just order one, sidewinder.  BIg difference.

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