Consumer Credit Help

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How to Contact the Credit Bureaus

 

Equifax PO Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374 800-685-1111

Experian National Consumer Assistance Center PO Box 2002 Allen, TX 75013 888-397-3742

Transunion Consumer Relations PO Box 1000 Chester, PA 19022 800-916-8800

If You Are Denied Credit

If you apply for credit but are turned down due to your credit report, Click Here for helpful information.

How to Freeze and Unfreeze Your Credit

To place or remove a security freeze or request a PIN number:
Experian		call 888-397-3742 or www.experian.com/freeze
Trans Union		call 888-909-8872 or 800-680-7289
Equifax		To place a freeze 800-525-6285
		To Temporarily lift a freeze -888-298-0045
		To Permanently lift a freeze- must be done in writing

*Please note: we can no longer accept PIN numbers from TransUnion and Equifax to pull in frozen bureaus

Download PDF Explaining How To Place a Security Freeze

Download PDF Explaining How To Lift a Security Freeze

Secured Credit Card

Secured credit cards are a great option for people with poor, limited or no credit and are having difficulty in obtaining an unsecured credit card.

• Secured credit cards offer an alternative to unsecured credit cards, which involve more significant qualifications and requirements (e.g.: existing income, no track record of poor credit, etc)
• Secured cards provide full credit card functionality and assist in building credit history and/or improving credit score since payment activity is reported to the three major credit reporting agencies

Who should consider a secured credit card?

• Individuals who currently have or have had credit problems in the past and are therefore looking to improve their credit since it is often difficult for these individuals to receive approval for an unsecured credit card
• Recent immigrants or International applicants living in the US or abroad who are looking to establish credit in the US
• Students with a lack of credit history and want to increase their good credit, which can also be a great tool for budgeting school expenses.

There are two great options for obtaining a secured card. Click the links below to discover which card would suit you best:

Additional Consumer Resources

IdentityTheft.gov – provides great information for those who have been victim of the most recent scam – Unemployment Identity Theft.

U.S. Department of Labor – is where you go to Report Unemployment Identity Theft.

Mortgage Bankers Association of America – is the preeminent association representing the real estate finance industry.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – the mission of the CFPB is to make markets for consumer financial products and services work for Americans – whether they are applying for a mortgage, choosing among credit cards, or using any number of other consumer financial products.

Consumer Credit Disputes – Find out how to dispute inaccurate information on your credit report.

Consumer Information Center – a one-stop source for answers to questions about consumer problems and government services.

American Bankers Association – the ABA brings together all categories of banking institutions, including community, regional and money center banks and holding companies, as well as savings associations, trust companies and savings banks.

Federal Trade Commission – the Commission seeks to ensure that the nation’s markets function competitively, and are vigorous, efficient, and free of undue restrictions.

Fannie Mae – a government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) chartered by Congress with a mission to provide liquidity and stability to the U.S. housing and mortgage markets.

Freddie Mac – mission is to provide liquidity, stability and affordability to the housing market.

Fair Isaac – leading provider of analytics and decision management technology

Bankrate – Guide to personal loans for bad credit

American Immigration Council – Get the facts about the Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN)

Debt Collection FAQ’s – A Guide for Consumers

NMLS Consumer Access – A free service for consumers to confirm that the financial-services company or professional with whom they wish to conduct business is authorized to conduct business in their state.

TED – Bringing together people from three worlds:Technology, Entertainment, Design. TED makes the best talks and performances from TED and partners available to the world, for free.

Zite – Zite evaluates millions of new stories everyday, looking at the type of article, its key attributes and how it is shared across the web. Zite uses this information to match stories to your personal interests and then delivers them automatically to you iPad or iPhone.

Federal Housing Finance Agency – has some very good consumer links related to housing questions.

MyMoney.Gov – is the U.S. government’s website dedicated to teaching all Americans the basics about financial education. Whether you are buying a home, balancing your checkbook, or investing in your 401K, this website can help you maximize your financial decisions.