Re: POLL - best monitoring website? Thanks for the update, Rusten. Just for the good of the order what are the names of the other 3 you're canceling? I'm still trying to figure out in my own mind what all the options are. Still, it looks like PG is the best.
Re: POLL - best monitoring website? The three credit bureaus all offer their own services, which are private branded (primarily because they exist through acquisitions). Equifax = Privista (the WORST service out there, no scores) TransUnion = TrueLink (very, very late monitoring only, no pulls, no scores) CreditExpert = Experian (the best of the three with unlimited pulls, scores, and a nice "what if" tool - similar to what PG has). I've used these plus others, such as ConsumerInfo, etc - there is nothing that comes close to PG other than ID int he online world. There was a company that was big pre-online days called "confidential credit" that would do all three, but only through mail. In the six years that I've been looking for a good monitoring service, PG is the first to meet my expectations. -Rusten
Re: POLL - best monitoring website? Excellent. Thanks for the thorough explanation. Sure makes it seem like PG is worth the $119 or so they are asking after the trial period. I suppose they only offer the 3-in-one if you want all three CRAs. I was hoping to get a separate report from each, as the 3-in-one I've heard are less useful. Just getting the scores is one of the biggest advantages, though. Thanks again!
Re: POLL - best monitoring website? Privacy Guard (PG) does NOT give you DAILY pulls. I just got this email from them: "Thank you for taking the time to email us at Privacy Guard. We received your email dated 5/3/04. Please be advised that the three credit bureaus update information to credit reports every thirty days. Regarding changes in your credit score we ask that you please call our Credit Information Hotline at 1-888-609-2460, Monday - Friday 6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (PST). One of our specialized agents will be happy to assist you. If you have any additional questions regarding Privacy Guard, please email us anytime." So, basically, while they may have offered daily updates in the past, now, they just cache the same report for 30 days (the report does sohw the date it was actually pulled). Any other suggestions for daily FICO checking?
Re: POLL - best monitoring website? My report has changed with them day to day. I suppose it depends on wht time of the month each creditor reports also.
Re: POLL - best monitoring website? I monitor my credit "every day" with both Privacyguard and Experian's Credit Manager. Privacyguard DOES update on a daily basis. I've used it for 2 years and I've seen changes occur basically in realtime as my credit tradelines change. You can also get a score (FAKO) calculated on a daily basis. I've found that monitoring my FAKO score is very helpful in determining which events to my tradelines have the most impact on my scores. When I want to get true FICO scores I go to myFICO and run a report from each credit bureau. I think they are about $11 a piece or less with a discount code. The Experian Credit Manager changed in January 2004. I liked the old application much better. You could monitor things like your available credit use or debt use over time in a graph. This application also let you immediatly go to an online dispute section. The new application is so bad I'm thinking about dropping it. Since January my score has not changed at all even though I've had a lot of tradeline activity. I also called the help line and was connected to someone in India that had limited English skills and did not know the application. All I can say is that PrivacyGuard has worked well for me the last 2 years.
Re: POLL - best monitoring website? The board bombed on me when I tried to edit the message RE Privacy Guard. Looks like the idiots at Privacy Guard don't know how to use their own service. I read another thread here that mentioned you need to select the "order report" option on the RIGHT of the screen rather than the really obvious one "READ Report" in the center. That did do the trick and I was able to pull up the new report. Interestingly, the "Credit Xpert" score they give you exactly matched my three FICOs on the same day, so I don't think it is too far out of whack, even it is not a true FICO.
