I'm just starting out to re-build my credit and my first I know is to obtain my credit report. My question is this, where should I go to obtain my report? Directly to the big 3 or should I go to one of the "credit watch" service that I see so mnay adds for? Which offers the most services for your money? Thanks to anyone who can help.
I have privista its ok, but only updates weekly. It was 29.95 per year and a 30 day free trial. They only offer scores from 0-100. Its ok, but it could be better. They monitor equ. Experian is Creditexpert.com. The service is 79.00, its ok as well, more features than privista, but 79.00 is expensive, they also have a free trial. When I need my credit reports and scores, I do directly to the three to get my information, however, TU doesnt like me because they either say my computer is too slow or I input wrong information, ummm, I think I do know what my own name is! Anyway for my TU, I went to truecredit.com. Experian and Equifax websites you can investigate information online (not sure about TU), but that is cool because you usually, well I have got better results disputing online than by mail.
Mike, Read the following post and then the link in that post. There is a bit of information on some of the credit monitoring services. http://consumers.creditnet.com/straighttalk/board/showthread.php?s=&postid=106429#post106429
The only problem I had with privista is they pulled a hard inquiry from EQU. Other than that it was ok. KHM
I think they got that fixed. The first ones they did were hard. And you got the old run around - it's their fault! No, it's their fault! I like the service, for the $19.95 /yr, it's a deal. However, wanting my Beacon score periodically has made me decide that I will not renew that subscription - I will purchase the deals from Equifax next year - unless the terms change drastically.
When I got it in October they pulled an AR and a hard, the hard said Escoring Corp/DBA Privista. I emailed Privista about this yesterday so we'll see if they remove it! KHM
Breeze, I had the run around with with Equifax over Credit Watch never notifying me of anything. I tried everything, turning off the opt out, calling, emailing. No results, no notifications. Then out of the blue a couple of weeks ago, they sent me an email apologizing to me for not receiving any email notifications. They extended my membership for a year for free. KHM, Breeze is right on the Privista hard inq. They got that fixed a while ago. If you truly do have a hard from them, they will take care of it. You'll probably have to ride them though.
I just checked the report I pulled directly from Equifax on 12/20 - the hard inquiry is still there. On the Privista version - it does not show as a hard inquiry. So, I would say, if you don't want a hard inquiry do not subscribe to Privista. I wrote them several months ago, and got a letter back saying they were very concerned about this and would take care of it. What a crock!! Forget them. If word gets around, they will pay for what they are doing in lost business at renewal time, IMO. When I called Equifax about it, they said it was a hard inquiry. I got the same thing from the AmEx company that is supposed to monitor my credit - Equifax shows it as a hard inquriy, the others show a soft. My guess - it's Equifax doing it!! Anything to lower the score.
Breeze, I did the same as you. On Privista I don't see any Privista inquiries at all, hard or soft. On my Equifax pulled on 12/13/2001 the very first inquiry from Privista is: 10/31/2000 AR-Escoring Corp DBA Privista This is about the time I joined. On 1/29/2001 they switched to: 01/29/2001 AR-Privista I did have a hard inquiry. I can't remember who I contacted at Privista, Let me search my old emails. I know that Privista did take care of this for me. {EDIT} I don't know if I'm confusing this with my eloan hard inquiry run around. I can't seem to find any correspondence with Privista. But either way, I don't have a hard inq from Privista.
Any inquiry that has AR next to it is not a Hard Inquiry. It is an Account Review inquiry that is soft. Don't worry. Breeze, my CR shows a hard from them back in March. How did you get that fixed?
Erica, Re-read breeze's post. She still has the hard from Privista. They didn't fix it for her. My point was that I didn't have a hard from Privista. I thought I did originally, but I think I was confusing Privista with the eloan hard inquiry problem we all had and got fixed.
Right! They never fixed it - they said they would, but they didn't. And my Equifax is loaded up with inquiries. I do not apply for anything that is remotely likely to pull Equifax. I wish they would shrivel up and die!! I have two on there, from two different companies, and they should both be listed as "consumer disclosure" - but they show as "hard" inquiries, and they are counted in all the thingies that count how many inquiries I have in the past two years. The average person has no idea what kind of crap they do to us.
I have TWO inquiries from Privista One is an AR, which is fine the other is a HARD. It says: 10/19/01-AR Privista 10/19/01- Escoring Corp/DBA Privista It stinks, that is the only inquiry I have from the past 6 months. KHM
KHM, You know EQ isn't going to do anything about it. You could dispute it and try your luck that way. I would ride Privista via email, fax, PFB, phone. Whatever it takes to make them fix it.
