Experian has assets in file, but doesn't put it on report??

[luckyduck]

Ok, weird. I think so. I go to Experian to dispute my file, mostly to look at it. It asks four verification questions, you know those questions. Who owns your mortgage, what is your monthly payment.

Well, my four questions are generally:

1. Who is your mortgage company?

2. What is your mortgage payment?

3. Which of the following vehicle makes do you own?

4. What year model is the previous vehicle.

Well, the first few times I disregarded, and put none of the above, for two reasons. First, they don't have that information in my file, so I thought it was a trick question. Second, the car they are asking about is a very very old car that I left abandoned about 6 years ago, and the makes they had down didn't ring a bell with me.

So, I get error pages. After a few tries, I actually look at the vehicle information, and put in the information for this old car of mine that I forgot I still own, on the off chance that was what they were referring to. It went through.

but lo & behold, where is that information disclosed in my credit file?? Noplace. Obviously they have it in their files, or they wouldn't use it as a verification question. Are they failing to disclose information they have? Yep, you bet. The real question here though, is this: Are they disclosing this information to their "subscribers" without my knowledge?? Is there anyone else out there that has noticed anything like this?

I just never in my life imagined that the CRAs had your asset information. It is not disclosed in their reports to me the consumer. Am I missing a section of my credit reports, or are they breaking some major laws here? Anyone with more information, I'd be interested in hearing it.

[DocDon]

Did you finance the car?

[luckyduck]

No, it was a junk car I bought for $200 cash in 1996 in Michigan to make one trip to Texas. It broke down when I got there, and is still sitting on someone's property to this day.

Point is they have this asset information in their files, but it doesn't reflect on the credit report. They are not disclosing "ALL" of the information they have to me. But are they disclosing this to users of the files? I'm sure nobody here knows the answer to that, but it's pretty scary to know that they might have information that they are disclosing to others that you don't even know about, and which they keep from you.

[DocDon]

You're right. I'm not sure how that would end up being reported to the CRA's when it wasn't financed.

Even if they had to search for the owner, it would be a matter of tracing the VIN which goes through the MI Secretary of State.

I nominate you to find out what this is all about, and report back.... very strange indeed...

[luckyduck]

The car is sitting on ex-MILs personal property. It was still there last year when I went to TX. She knows who owns the car, and she knows where I am. I keep myself easy to find for specific reasons.

It just appears that if they use that as a verification question, it must be in their files. Right now I'm working to get DHs credit clean, and maybe some lawsuits on that. Just wondering if anyone else knew of anything like this. After I get his done, I'll start actually putting effort into my own problems. And hey, even if a car was financed, when has anyone ever seen the CAR on the credit report. All you ever see is the loan. You don't see what the loan is secured with. Once I get digging into that information, I will definitely let everybody know what I find.

[DocDon]

Now that you mention it, I remember a long time ago being asked something about verifying the loan amount for my (then they list a bunch of cars)....

Yes, please do post what you find.

[MaggieNY]

I got asked the same question from Experian! One of the questions was asking me which make/model car I had previously owned and then the year. I bought that car with cash from a friend 2 years ago and donated it when it started to die this past June. I have no idea how Experian knows about this car - they have to be checking the DMV records, but you are right - they have information that they are obviously not disclosing to us.

Let me know if you find out anything about this. I didn't think too much of it when Experian asked me this last week, but now it's bothering me a bit.

[luckyduck]

Not trying to cause an epidemic alarm. I didn't think much of it when it asked about the car, but it struck me as odd because I didn't finance it, and because I only drove it for a week. I forgot all about the car, but I do still have the title. The only thing that crossed my mind when I figured out what car they were asking about was "How do they know about that?". Then after a week or so, it struck me more as "Now, wait a minute, who else knows about it, and what else do they know that I'm not seeing in my report"

That's the only thing that really bothers me. I could care less if someone knows I own that car. It's a 78 model, and worth nothing. It's what else they know that I don't know about that scares the hell out of me.

After thinking about it, I did go back to the page that asks that information, and it is still asking. So, I printed the verification request page, which shows exactly what they were asking. That way, when I pursue them on it, they can't claim that I'm psychotic and don't know what i'm talking about.

I'd suggest to anyone else to do the same. If you get a verification question about information that isn't given to you in your file, print that page. It's proof that they have it in THIER files. then print your report. It's proof that they aren't disclosing the information to you.

I'm waiting for my current dispute to end before doing anything on this because I don't want to extend my dispute. Once it's over though, I'm going to write and demand that they send me every bit of information they have in their files, and the furnisher of information for each and every item of information. It will be a fight from there if they don't send me a credit report with that information that I know they have. I might not even fight them. I might just go straight to a lawyer, and sue them. I don't really think that's something to spend month's fighting over when you already have the proof. I shouldn't have to ask for anything twice. But it will take time, so be patient everyone.