UPDATE: Just hours after I published this post my TransUnion credit report arrived by mail. Apart from fairly harmless errors in my home residence history everything is in order. Chalk one up for waiting and hoping it all works out!
Just under 6 weeks ago I began the process of ordering my free credit reports from Equifax and TransUnion. Things went fairly smoothly with Equifax but TransUnion has been a tough nut to crack.
I was able to order my Equifax report by phone, and I’ve since mailed in a request to have some errors be corrected. Equifax replied by mail with an update that corrected most of the errors. (They still list a comic phonetic spelling of the name of one of my past employers, but I don’t think this will cause me trouble.)
TransUnion hasn’t replied at all. I tried to request my credit report by phone and was told I’d have to mail in a request. I mailed in a request carefully following the directions and haven’t heard back. They didn’t even mail me something to say that they wouldn’t release the information.
I suppose that they might have incorrect information about me that prevents them from adequately authenticating my identity. So, on one level I’m glad they don’t just release information about me to just anyone. On the other hand, I seem to be out of ways to get my credit report from them. The likelihood that they have incorrect information about me is troubling as well.
Their web site provided no help with how I might resolve this problem other than to offer the possibility of showing up to one of their offices in person. The nearest location is more than 2 hours from where I live. I can’t shake the feeling that if I agreed to pay for online access to my credit file this issue would get resolved, but I have no evidence that this is true.
Well, last time I got my report from TU, it took them like 8 weeks to send it (vs. ~2-3 for Equifax). So it might just be in the pipe.
ReplyDelete@Potato: Thanks for the data point. Equifax sent mine to me in less than one week. I like the idea of it still being in the pipe because that means I don't have to do anything :-)
ReplyDeleteWhen I sent for my free reports (I used the mail in forms for both Equifax and Transunion) I had the opposite experience.
ReplyDeleteThe TU report got to me about 5 business days later, and absolutely nothing from Equifax.
I'm not sure about the last part of your post... I do pay (annually) for my full report, so I should have been considered a repeat customer with Equifax. Still... nothing.
@Myke: Since I wrote about my experiences with getting free credit reports I've heard many stories from other people. There seems to be no discernible pattern of successes or failures. You might try the telephone method of getting your Equifax report. That is what worked for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reply, Michael.
ReplyDelete2010 was the first time I had a problem with either agency. I get the free reports every summer, and always received them promptly.
To tell the truth, I wonder if the issue wasn't Canada Post. I have had a terrible year or so with them (things not arriving, a package that was obviously caught in some sort machine with the contents missing etc.)
I live in Japan, so I've always used the post, as the time difference and waiting on hold has always annoyed me. I may use the phone method from here-on-in, though. Thanks.