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Besides the Big Three - There Are Other Credit Reporting Agencies Out There
Last Updated: January 3, 2011
In addition to the three big credit reporting agencies - Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion - the FCRA also classifies dozens of other information gathering companies as "nationwide specialty consumer reporting agencies" which help produce individual consumer reports. These other agencies can specialize in medical records or payments, residential history, check writing history, employment history, and insurance claims. These nationwide specialty agencies sell their information to the credit bureaus and these bureaus put all of this information together into one comprehensive credit report.
Besides your paying history, these other items are listed in your credit report and get factored into your credit score. There is no way the main credit bureaus could obtain all of this information which is why these specialized companies were started. The credit bureaus gather this information on you through data mining and sharing of information from numerous other databases which contain personal sensitive information. For instance, public records found on your credit report come directly from LexisNexis and Choicepoint.
Just remember, all of the following databases are considered credit reporting databases under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and as such are required to give you a copy of your information, so you can check for errors. Here's the opinion of the FTC on these alrenative databases and why they've ruled they fall under the FCRA: http://www.ftc.gov/os/2004/06/040624factafreeannualfrn.pdf
Credit Bureaus
Here is the contact information "Big Three" Credit Bureaus, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion
Other Credit Bureaus
To order a copy of your credit report or to dispute:
Innovis Consumer Assistance
P.O. Box 1358
Columbus, OH 43216-1358
Also see our Article about Innovis here.
LexisNexis (www.lexisnexis.com) is a one stop shop for several databases of personal information and is in a category all its own. Types of personal databases it owns:
1) Auto Insurance Claim History
2) Home Insurance Claim History
3) Tenant History
4) Employment history
Public Records (Judgments, Bankruptcies, Tax Liens)
Lexis-Nexis Public Records/Hogan
1900 N.W. EXPRESSWAY
SUITE 1600
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73118
(405) 302-6954
Fax (405) 302-6902
Lakeside Information Resources (Also doing business as Lombard Information Resources) No website.
Thomson Corporation - Similar to LexisNexis
www.thomson.com
Employment
The Work Number, a service of St.Louis-based Talx (recently acquired by Experian). To get your free copy of the information that Talx has on file in The Work Number and also dispute any inaccuracies on it.
TALX
11432 Lackland
St. Louis, MO 63146
314-214-7000
314-214-7588 fax
Note: Hundreds of companies are now engaged in employment background screening. The National Association of Professional Background Screeners lists over 300 member background check companies. www.napbs.com
Utilities
National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange (NCTUE) - www.nctde.com
Insurance
www.iso.com Offers Auto and Home Insurance claim reporting. Because you receive one free report per year, check Auto and Home Insurance claims yearly if you have filed insurance claims within the last 5 years. If you have not filed a claim, check once to verify that there is no derogatory information then check every 4-7 years thereafter, primarily to alert yourself to ID Theft or the potential for inaccurate information.
Check Writing and Bank Databases
Tenant History Credit Bureaus
First Advantage SafeRent (888) 333-2413
Medical Information Bureau
The Medical Information Bureau (MIB) is a nationwide specialty consumer reporting agency that compiles and maintains records concerning individual life, health, long-term care, and disability insurance. Generally, you will have an MIB file only if you have applied for one of these insurance products within the last seven years, and only if you’ve applied as an individual rather than as a member of a group.
www.mib.com/html/request_your_record.html
toll-free number for disclosure is (866) 692-6901
(TTY (866) 346-3642 for hearing impaired)
If you have applied for a claim under life, health, medical or disability insurance, your information is probably in one of the medical databases above.
Other Health
Prescription Drug Purchase History Reports
Purchase Returns History Reports
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