Credit Bureau Phone Numbers

How can I reach a live person (already have Fraud Alerts BUT:
1. Need to counter stolen ID info (change Mother’s Maiden Name)
2. Change last 4 digits on SS#
3. Give them my Cell Phone Number, so I’m not stuck at home wondering if someone is using my Personal ID (above) and using it to buy/get credit either online or at a store…w/a Cell phone at least if I’m not home (to verify) they can call my Cell phone…

These automated systems (online/telephone) give you ZERO options for the above situations. I mean, they got all my info….scary!
Any tips/ways to get to a live agent at any of the 3 reporting agencies….beware of dell.com everybody, and whatever you do, do not give (as they pass you from one dept. to next, your SS#, mother’s maiden name, your name/address/phone….it’s almost set up for an ID THEFT (particularly if you’re approved over telephone instantly and you haven’t rec’d your "paper" DELL ID# yet.
The investigator said orders were placed to be delivered at addresses across country, from DAY 1, yet, he’s overworked, one investigator w/45 cases and they cut his hours.
I need the FRAUD INFO "ASAP" or rather 2 weeks ago, and he still says, "another 2 weeks", and police won’t take report w/out letter from Dell. No matter what the FTC and their REFERENCE NUMBER claims that it’ll break through the local police. Not at all.
Meanwhile, people can be using and destroying my credit (if not already) but as I type this!
Hence, this is why I need to speak w/live agent even though I alread put in the "3 credit alerts" and got 2 free reports (but w/no fico score).
HOW does a person speak to a living human being when they call either Transunion, Experian or Equifax? Please help me, if you can.
Thanks so much, J

Call Trans Union customer service toll free @ 1-800-916-8800. There should be a reference # on the top right hand side. Just type in the number after you call, that will transfer you to a live person

I have a credit monitoring subscription with true credit. I can see all 3 agencies all the time. I can update the reports every 24 hours. I know their addresses. I know how to report inaccuracies.

The problem is: the person on the other end?? What is it about data entry at these agencies just not getting it right? I send info to them which needs correcting and they either input information incorrectly, have wrong spelling, omissions, additions…it just seems that they can never get the corrections right. And all 3 agencies never have the same info. I find Trans Union to be the best, and easiest to deal with, but WHY do Experian and Equifax even exist? They don’t ever seem to have it together.

Anyone have an intelligent approach that might get their attention to focus on the detail that I am trying to fix? Is there ever going to be any chance at consistency? Thanks.

Creditors report info to the credit bureaus. When you dispute, the credit bureau contacts the creditor for verification. If the creditor verifies, the info stays.

Other sources for info are public records. It is even harder to correct a error from these. If the public record item mispelled your name, it will stay that way.

So what kinds of things are you trying to correct? Some things that really don’t impact on your score just won’t get corrected — like address errors.

You will never have all three credit bureaus to have the same info. Some creditors only report to one.

I would like to thank you all for your input but in reading the answers I believe that I needed to revise what I said. Trans Union gave my credit report to a collection agency but I was not the person they were looking for. The other persons name is John Washington my name is johnny a Washington. The only thing similiar about our address is Brooklyn,NY that’s it. If you pull your credit file it tells you the name of every company that got your file whether promotion or other. It also tells you the information that the person requesting your file sent ie your name address phone number. The agent at Transunion didn’t match anything not even the name. I have never applied for credit and used John because that’s not my name. The FCRA states "A consumer report agency may provide information about you ONLY to people with a valid need" The agency gave the right information. Trans Union just gave the first John Washington they saw. Unfortunatly my name is Johnny. Do I have a case against them?

You can always make a case, but you would need legal representation and they will assess the probability of winning and the amount they expect to win. They’ll do some quick math to see if there is any money in the case.

You have no apparent damages. So what would you sue for? You need damages. Although technically you might have a case, there is probably insufficient motivation for an attorney to pursue.

Perhaps you can complain to an appropriate agency in order to report Trans Union… that would be appropriate.

From lender or broker, I know the others are scams and bs..
How would I go about that?
Husbands credit history suddenly "vanished", leaving no score – no history (mortgage consult thinks it’s due to the lenders he had changing names/banks, his loans were paid off so the banks possibly never updated his info in the credit system – or something to that effect), so we have to get that info back on there. His credit history consists 2 car loans, his score was over 740 last we looked. And mine is good, finances, employment, assets etc, every thing’s great. Just his disappearing score standing in our way to get a preapproval.
So, how do we go about this?
And why didn’t the mortgage consult mention this to us? I was looking online for addresses to credit reporting agencies to get the ball rolling and get his report fixed, average time is about 30 days, then I saw info about rapid rescoring in 72 hours and how those sites are all scams UNLESS done by a lender or broker… Why wouldn’t the consult say "hey instead of going nuts waiting a month, we can fix the problem in just a few days"..?
We do save the info flower, but banks do not accept credit reports you hand them for obvious reasons – like new accounts can be opened and they will have no knowledge of it. They have to be able to verify everything themselves. So that’s not an option.. thanks anyway.
Thank you Golfer! I’ll give the bank a call in the morning and see if it’s something we can do throught them.. thanks again
Ok great GVD, thank you… One more question if you can help.. If he has no score/no report, nothing to check, would he still be able to get that info? In other words where is the info stored if it’s not on his account? The 3 agencies still have that right, just not avaialable whatever reason?
I’m confused lol… thanks a bunch for your help, I appreciate it. I can feel the weight coming off my shoulders already!
"In other words where is the info stored if it’s not on his account?"… I meant "report", not account – sorry

Keep in mind a rapid rescore can be expensive. Average cost is $30 per bureau, per trade line.
Example, if you have 3 accounts, say a car payment and 2 credit cards, this would cost $270.00

3 Bureaus (Experian, Transunion, Equifax) x 3 accounts x $30

Any loan officer wit hthe capability to pull credit reports can do this, there is no special software needed; they just order it.

Has been going on 5 years now. Lost my wallet at the beach, someone found it, is using my information to obtain credit. Has charged nearly $45,000 (yes, even bought a mobile home in my name). I have reported to police and have fraud alerts with the credit agencies now, but still getting collection notices from new creditors. I am in NC, the person that is doing all of this is in Georgia. I have been able to find out who it is that is committing this crime against me and even have address info on him, but don’t know where to go from here. I have my own business and this is ruining me because I have to use my social security # when dealing with new vendors, and I’m being declined credit. It is affecting my business and personal life, my whole family. It’s becoming a nightmare. He’s also used my identity for employment purposes. I know where he is, just need to get to him before any more damage is done to me. I have proof -Does the FBI handle these things-How would I contact them

Here is the contact information for your local FBI field office.

FBI Charlotte
Suite 900, Wachovia Building
400 South Tyron Street
Charlotte, North Carolina 28285-0001
charlotte.fbi.gov
(704) 377-9200

I have been a police officer for over 11 years, the last four as a detective, and have seen very few instances where the FBI would get involved in this type of case. The FBI may get involved but I wouldn’t count on it.

Your best course of action is to go to the local police where you made the report and push the issue. Bring your evidence with you and demand to see the detective sergeant or watch commander. Explain your frustrations and push the issue. When it comes to dealing with the government, the squeaky wheel often really does get the grease. I know. In my years as a detective I handled hundreds, probably thousands of cases. The ones that got the most attention were the ones where the victims pushed the issue, stayed on top of the case and kept bugging me. Keep on bugging your local agency and you will get things done!

There are also some that are not even close to my name and wrong addresses. Should I write to the credit agency or does it not matter?

Your report (and all of your business dealings) should be full, complete and accurate. If there are errors, notify the reporting agency and get them corrected. Do not delay.

i want to send a letter to them for my personal credit file. i have a toll free # but that is for ordering reports. I do have individual addresses, but would prefer to fax them

They don’t have fax #’s except for TransUnion. Go to their web sites as follows.

www.experian.com
www.transunion.com
www.equifax.com

You can dispute any information on their web sites.

My mortgage co. pulled my reports for a refinance and said there is an address affiliated, at which I have never been associated. (Only 1 of the 3 reporting agencies show this). I looked up the address, and although there is such a street around the corner from me, there doesn’t seem to be that number or apartmen… or apartments of any kind. I figure, I would drive past on the way home tonight and double check…
The strange thing is, the address is eerily similar to mine. Could it be a strange mistake?

Also – I looked on the Equifax web site for dispute resolutions, but they said if it’s about an address, you should call them. When I called, I got a long, rambing computer message that didn’t relaly pertain to me.

I will try to call again after work, but in the mean-time, what would you do? Or do you know what this could this mean?

It could be as simple as someone inputting your information incorrectly when they run your credit report.

I work in mortgage banking, and run credit reports regularly. As I understand it, once I misspell your name, it will remain in their system as an "alias". I could even list your occupation as "exotic dancer", and it could potentially show up that way the next time someone pulls your credit. Theoretically, I could be having fun at my client’s expense by putting silly stuff in there.

In some cases, your file might have crossed wires with someone elses. Double-check to make sure there are no other social security numbers besides your own listed anywhere on the report. It’s not uncommon for people to have two credit files with the same bureau. I often run reports, and there are 4 scores showing, 2 from the same bureau. We then have to look at make sure social security numbers match, and if they are all the same, which file is the most complete. Often someone just inverted a number in the social security, or maybe used a nickname like Danny instead of Daniel. The bureaus can create a separate sub-file if there’s a possibility it’s someone else, and wait to see which gets corrected.

And of course, it could be that someone tried to commit fraud using your identity. Take a look at all the credit inquiries showing. Ignore any listed as "review" from your existing creditors, it’s only the ones that are seeking new credit that would matter. Anything you don’t recognize or remember, research it.

Next wednesday we are closing on a house, tonight I came home and there was a message from some credit agency. In the message the woman stated that I need to call her tuesday so she can update my credit report for the purpose of the loan. What does that mean??? I know there were a few minor errors, like an address and 2 reports showing something was paid but the other one not. Is she really going to fix that in one day?

Probably nothing more than a scam. You could have a bigger problem if you give them information.

I have a debt that got sent to a debt collection agency for a self storage locker that I believe I do not owe. I doubt they will sue me since it is only $125. My only concern is that they will try to report it to the credit agencies. However, they only have my name and previous address, and do not have my SSN. Is there any way they can report it without the SSN?

Yeah, they will manage to match it up just fine. You need to show them your contract if you believe you were billed incorrectly.