Most of us have been tricked by ads on the internet, radio, and tv about being able to check our credit scores/reports for free. There is an old adage that says nothing in life is free, while that is true for the most part, there are actually ways to get your credit report/score for free. The Fair Credit and Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the 3 credit report...

1) Checking your credit score/history will negatively affect you This is incorrect. Personal inquiries are considered “soft inquiries”, and soft inquiries do not count against you. Soft inquiries are not part of an individual’s credit score calculation. Check your own score all you want, it will not hurt you. 2) Your score is the only thing that matters to...

Q: What is used to calculate your credit score? A: Credit Scores are calculated based on the information that appears on an individual’s credit report the day your score is compiled. That’s why credit scores can vary , depending on when it is calculated. If you recently made a large payment to a credit card, then your score will likely be higher. Or, or you wen...

Ever wonder how companies find out so much information about you? How you end up on email lists or in databases? One of the ways this happens is that Credit agencies sell your personal information. For instance, companies who have a name and address, or an email address for a potential customer, but lack other information will purchase the rest from credit agencies. L...

I stumbled over this the other day when checking my bank account with Bank of America. Currently, under the Customer Service tab when logged in, choose monitor credit report. You can do a 30 day free trial, assuming you cancel before the 30 days, and get your credit reports and scores from the 3 agencies for free. I am assuming this is a standing offer. See the screen...

There seems to have been a recent rash of credit score spammings, or I was just recently added to their spam list. I have been getting a lot of emails with subject lines that say “Your Credit Score May Have Changed“. The email tricks recipients into thinking their credit scores have changed and try to have you sign up with the spammer to see your new score, when i...

Everything college students need to know about getting and using their first credit card. You've seen the ads and been tempted by the giveaways - but how much do you really know about credit cards? Wading through offers to find a credit card that suits your student lifestyle can be tricky. If you know a little about how credit works and your options, you can start ...