Anyone else concerned about "credit reports"?

[Unions]

I've signed papers in the past allowing employers to pull credit reports on me. I was thinking a credit report will say rather or not I owed a CC company, which I don't, so I thought big deal.

Well the other day for the hell of it I decided to pull my credit report just to see it. I had NO idea how much information they had on me and on that report. They even had the dates of previous employment down to the month and where I worked and what specifically my job was there! Social security number, my tax ID, where I live today and where I lived before exact address, ALL previous credit card activity even cards I was given but never activated. They had lists of who else had pulled my credit report. I don't have any legal issues, but they had a spot for that too. (if you'd been to court I suppose) WTF is this???

Is anyone else disturbed that these credit reporting companies have all of this information on demand when you've never even authorized them to have it??? No wonder employers want this. When I heard "credit report" I was thinking what I may owe to a CC company not a freaking FBI file.

[ET Awful]

1. That info has been on credit reports for decades

The legal issues refers to judgments against you, tax liens, etc. Basically it's a listing of who has a claim to your money before a lender would.

[doodadem]

2. Absolutely!

I did the same thing recently, and discovered I could go to TransUnion's website, and opt out of anyone being able to pull unauthorized reports--such as all these banks do to send you credit card offers. So I'd strongly recommend that.
I have another problem right now though. I discovered on my report, that everything is in excellent shape, EXCEPT there is a collection action showing up on there for $130. This stupid insurance agency that I insured my horses thru when I relocated across country. I could NOT believe it. After we'd been here a year, I decided not to renew the insurance. This agent went postal on me. Trumped up additional charges that he insisted I pay, and when I refused, he literally said, I'll get you for this.
I asked TransUnion to investigate, and of course, all they did was contact them and say, does this person still owe this? Yes, end of story. So I've had to file a complaint with both the Indiana (where the agency is) and the Ohio (where I used to be) Insurance Commissioners. They are currently investigating.
Is this the most ridiculous thing you ever heard of in your life? Because of it, I found out that's why my credit card company (totally unrelated) just DOUBLED my % rate! (because they pull up random reports on people). I will be damned, if I am going to be blackmailed by these snakes into paying their pitiful $130 just to get this off my report!

[flamin lib]

3. Yes, exercise your right to have the reporting agency contact

you before issuing a report to anyone. That also prevents identity theft. If someone applies for credit in your name without your knowledge it gets reported to you before the report is issued to the new lender.

[Unions]

4. How does one do this?

nt

[flamin lib]

6. Call them on the phone and ask. They will ask a few questions

to identify you and then put your account on watch.

Call all three. Transunion, Equifax and Experian.

[China_cat]

5. Even then it won't get taken off.

You write the companies...and you'll have to write all 3 because it'll show up on all of them and telling just one won't do anything for the other 2...and simply tell them that this is bogus information. You don't tell them anything else, you don't explain anything, and you don't ask them to investigate, you just tell them that THIS ITEM IS IN ERROR, REMOVE IT.

Ok, it might not work the first time. But if you send it again, maybe as many as 3 times, it will.

[NNN0LHI]

7. Mine dates back to when I was 15 years old and got my first job

Still living with my parents. I was looking them my reports yesterday as a matter of fact. I have been told that they even have the picture off your drivers license. Don't know if that is true or not?

Don