Does TRANS, Equifax or Experian sell your peronsal information?

[glamchick]

I like to review my credit scores and reports online but i think they are selling my personal information Name, address, phone etc...  I have been trying for months to remove this information from the internet and some of the sites won't budge.

Anyone have any recommendations?

[llecs]

Unless you opt out, they will sell your info. Even after opting out, those they sold it to could resell it. Never ending. My personal info varies ever so slightly on all 3 reports. It's easy to identify which CRA sold what info. It usually lines up with the soft pulls too.

[RobertEG]

For clarification. they cannot (at least legally) provide information to just any person.

Furnishing information to parties with whom the consumer has not initiated a request for credit or insurance, or who does not otherwise have a permissible purpose under one or more provisions listied under FCRA 604 is permitted ONLY under the provisions of section 604(c)(1):

"FCRA 604(c)(1)  A consumer reporting agency may furnish a consumer report relating to any consumer pursuant to subparagraph (A) or (C) of subsection (a)(3) in connection with any credit or insurance transaction that is not initiated by the consumer only if:

(A) the consumer authori\es the agency to provide such report to such person; or

(B)(i) the transaction consists of a firm offer of credit or insurance;

    (ii) the consumer reported agency has complied with subsection (c); and

    (iii) there is not an election by the consumer, made in accordance with subsection (c), to have the consumer's name and address excluded from lists of names and addresses provided by the agency pursuant to this paragraph.

FCRA 604(c)(2) Limits on information received under paragraph (1)(B).

A person may receive pursuant to paragraph (1)(B) only:

(A) the name and address of a consumer;

(B) an identifier that is not unique to the consumer and tha is used by the person solely for the purpose of verifying the identity of the consumer; and

(C)  other information pertaining to a consumer that does not identity the relationship or experience of the consumer with respect to a particular creditor or other party."

Parties who obatin lists of consumer must make a firm offer of credit or insurance to that consumer, and thus are not entitled to obtain a  listing for other purposes, such as curiosity or investigation of a consumer.  In obtaining lists of consumers under section 604(c), they must have established criteria that define who meets the firm offer.

"FCRA 603(l)  The term "firm offer of credit or insurance" means any offer of credit or insurance toa consumer that will be honored if the consumer is determined, based on information in a consumr report on the consumer, to meet the specific criteria used to select the consumer for the offer, except that the offer may be further conditional on one or more of the followeing:

(three factors listed.....)"

[glamchick]

Thank you for this information.