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Sue Jackson, regional director for Manpower in Santa Rosa until she retired in September, was alarmed when Wells Fargo & Co. notified her last month of suspicious activity in her bank account. Worried that someone may have access to her financial information, she tried to contact the three national credit bureaus to check her credit history, which anyone who is a victim of identity theft is supposed to be able to get for free. It wasn't easy. ``The menu on the phone was very convoluted,'' Jackson said, adding that she could never figure out how to get to a live person. ``I've been in business a long time, and I know how to get around things. This just was not a real simple process.'' Ultimately, she paid $15 for one report and is still waiting for another. Meanwhile, she's been reassured by Wells Fargo that her account was not accessed by outsiders. The next time Jackson checks her credit history, she said she'll take advantage of a popular new program she just learned about -- one set up by the Federal Trade Commission to make the process much easier. ``We've filled millions of consumer requests for credit reports'' since the program began Dec. 1, said Clifton O'Neal, a spokesman for credit bureau TransUnion in Chicago. Credit reports tell such things as where you live, what bills you owe, whether you pay them on time and whether you've filed bankruptcy. The three major credit bureaus -- Equifax, Trans-Union and Experian -- sell this information to lenders, insurance companies, employers and others who use it to evaluate your creditworthiness when you apply to borrow money, buy insurance, rent an apartment or get a job. It used to be that people checked their credit reports just to be sure the information was correct. Now many, like Jackson, are motivated by fear of identity theft. They want to see if any unauthorized charges or someone else's troubled past is showing up on their report. Combating identity theft Identity theft occurs when someone uses your name, Social Security number, credit card number or other personal information to go shopping, withdraw money from your bank account, take out a mortgage using your good credit or a multitude of other frauds. More than 10 million U.S. adults were victims of identity theft in 2003, according to a recent Federal Trade Commission report. Recently, hundreds of thousands of people had their personal information stolen from ChoicePoint Inc. and LexisNexis, two of the nation's leading brokers of personal data. While revamping the federal fair credit laws in late 2003, Congress included a provision that entitles all Americans to one free credit report a year from each of the three major credit bureaus. To handle all of the requests, the Federal Trade Commission set up the Annual Credit Report Request Service in Atlanta. Consumers can contact the service by telephone, Internet or mail. Eligibility is being phased in, starting in the West. Beginning Dec. 1, free reports have been available to people in 13 Western states, including California. Midwestern states started March 1, Southern states begin June 1 and Eastern states begin Sept. 1. If you use the online service, your credit report will pop up within minutes on your screen. If you order a report by telephone, it's mailed within 15 days. Getting credit reports To get the report, you give your name, address, Social Security number and date of birth. Sometimes you'll be asked questions only you should be able to answer, like who your mortgage lender is. If you apply online, the credit bureaus will hit you with lots of optional offers that cost money -- for example, credit monitoring services, debt analysis and various ways you can get and track your credit score. When you get your free credit report, you will not get your credit score, a three-digit number that determines whether you qualify for credit and how much interest you'll have to pay to get it. The higher your credit score, the better credit risk lenders think you are. Depending on the credit bureau, you'll have to pay $5 to $15 to get your credit score, which is based mainly on your payment history but also considers such things as the amount of money you owe and whether you've been bankrupt. Different scores likely Don't be surprised if you find out you have different scores at different credit bureaus. That's the bureaus calculate scores differently. And don't be surprised if your score changes from day to day. That happens when something triggers a change. For example, if several businesses ask for information about you, that can reduce your score on the theory that you must be trying to expand your borrowing, credit bureau spokespeople said. The rumor that your own request for your credit history will reduce your credit score is completely untrue, they said. Requests by employers also do not affect your score. Caution: Don't answer any e-mails that claim to be from one of the three credit bureaus or the Annual Credit Report Request Service. Those companies will not e-mail you for personal information -- but some identity thieves might. When you get your report, study it carefully. It will list the details of the loans and other credit that you have. If you see any mistakes, write the credit bureau. It's supposed to investigate within 45 days and give you a written report of its findings. It also has to tell you who supplied the incorrect information. Other valuable tips: * Some counselors recommend you stagger your requests, contacting a different credit bureau every four months, to keep a rolling watch on your record. * Negative information can stay on your report only seven years, except for bankruptcies, which stay 10 years. * Employers and prospective employers can see your credit history only if you agree. * Wrong information must be removed or corrected. To protect your credit history, you can put a security alert or security freeze on your credit report by calling a credit bureau directly. An alert warns any business seeking information about you that someone may be using your identity illegally. A freeze prohibits the credit bureau from releasing any information to anyone without your permission.

YouTube :: Tag // mortgage
Videos tagged with mortgage

240 San Joaquin Street, Laguna Beach, CA
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2 Unit, 2 2-Bedroom Units
by rss@youtube.com (TourFactory)
9 Feb 2010 at 1:00pm

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by rss@youtube.com (sctechsystem)
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Tuesday Noon 02/09/10 Today's Current Mortgage Rate Alert News
by rss@youtube.com (RateAlertNow)
9 Feb 2010 at 12:09pm

Author: RateAlertNow
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Added: February 9, 2010

Mortgage market and interest rate commentary for Tuesday February 9, 2010
by rss@youtube.com (dollarsandhomes)
9 Feb 2010 at 12:04pm

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How to Create your Log Book in Point.wmv
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9 Feb 2010 at 10:20am

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Bank Foreclosure Fraud "WHAT DOES A MORTGAGE NOTE LOOK LIKE"
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Tuesday 8AM 02/09/10 Today's Current Mortgage Rates Update News
by rss@youtube.com (RateAlertNow)
9 Feb 2010 at 8:15am

Seniors Utilize Reverse Mortgages CT
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Credit Card Related News Headlines from around the web.:

S&P concerned BofA credit losses may stay high - Reuters

TheStreet.com
S&P concerned BofA credit losses may stay high
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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bank of America's credit losses may remain at high levels for the rest of this year, warned credit rating agency Standard & Poor's on ...
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Goldman Sachs to Present at the Credit Suisse 2010 Financial Services Confere...

Goldman Sachs to Present at the Credit Suisse 2010 Financial Services Conference
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... is scheduled to present at the Credit Suisse 2010 Financial Services Conference in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 8:45 am. ...
First Horizon National Corp. to Present at Credit Suisse Financial Services ...CNNMoney.com (press release)
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Cash and debit, but not credit - News 10NBC

The Money Times
Cash and debit, but not credit
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More people are saying no to credit cards and using cash or debit cards instead. Credit card usage fell nearly 20-percent in November -- it's largest drop ...
For the Best Credit Card, Bank or Credit Union?New York Times
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First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Waiting Game - WYFF4.com

The Star-Ledger - NJ.com
First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Waiting Game
WYFF4.com
GREENVILLE, SC -- Many first time homebuyers are highly anticipating their $8000 tax credit, but it's going to be awhile before they get their hands on the ...
Taking on the IRS when you're in the rightThe Star-Ledger - NJ.com
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CORRECT: UPDATE: Itau Unibanco Net Rises As Credit Portfolio, Revenues Up - W...

CORRECT: UPDATE: Itau Unibanco Net Rises As Credit Portfolio, Revenues Up
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The bank's total credit portfolio was BRL278.4 billion at the end of 2009, up from BRL271.9 billion in 2008. Itau Unibanco's consumer credit portfolio rose ...
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IPhone credit card swipe war heats up - CNNMoney.com

IPhone credit card swipe war heats up
CNNMoney.com
Imagine if your business could use it as a mobile credit card processor, a swipe-and-go system for ringing up payments wherever you roam. ...

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Credit unions seek larger share of business loans - Washington Post

Credit unions seek larger share of business loans
Washington Post
Mid-Atlantic is not a bank: It is mostly owned and funded by a local credit union, Mid-Atlantic Federal Credit Union. And at a time when banks are making ...
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Consider FICO score before closing that credit card - USA Today

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Consider FICO score before closing that credit card
USA Today
But many consumers who have been treated badly by their credit card companies feel they don't have that option. That's because closing a credit card account ...
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American Express: Strong Credit, Weak Passwords - PC Magazine

American Express: Strong Credit, Weak Passwords
PC Magazine
I would like to inform you that our website has a 128 bit encryption. With this base, passwords that comprise only of letters and alphabets ...

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Ex SoCal credit union exec gets 3 years in prison - San Jose Mercury News

Ex SoCal credit union exec gets 3 years in prison
San Jose Mercury News
Federal prosecutors say Milton Callan of Castaic was also ordered to pay full restitution to the Lockheed Federal Credit Union. The former vice president ...

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Blog Entries Related To Loans and Other Debt Instruments:

When Peers Beat the Banks for Loans | Life & Money | Minyanville.com
by unknown
For my test drive, I went for a $20000 loan for a home improvement project. Lending Club, which has funded around $82.7 million in loans since its inception, allows you to borrow up to $25000, which you pay back in equal installments ...

Jerry Chautin: Commercial Real Estate Loans Create Jobs
by Jerry Chautin
Creating or saving jobs is a requirement for commercial real estate borrowers that use the US Small Business Administration's 504 program.

Poor Credit Home Equity Loans ? Avoiding Home Equity Loan Scams |
by admin
Obtaining a home equity loan makes it possible to payoff credit cards, finance a home improvement project, etc. In fact, one of the benefits.

Local boy makes good? on his loans | The Hook News Blog
by hawes
Local boy makes good? on his loans. by Hawes Spencer published 6:32am Tuesday Feb 9, 2010. Bookmark and Share · letter Write a letter to the editor · news-halseyminor-inset-photo Internet whiz investor Halsey Minor has satisfied the ...

Mortgage and Personal Loans Perfect for Con Artist's Tricks
by info@personalmoneystore.com (Personal Money Store)
Mortgage and personal loans were targets for con artists in 2009.

Student Loans | Student Loan Consolidation
by Admin
Apply for student loans and learn about various student loan consolidation programs.

Subprime Auto Loans: 3 Dangers - Financial Web
by Sequoia
Many people are forced to use subprime auto loans as a means to buy a car because of their poor credit history. The subprime lending market is there for those that have made some financial mistakes and have blemishes on their credit ...

80/20 Loans Explained - Financial Web
by Sequoia
Over the years, lenders loosened requirements for borrowers looking to obtain a mortgage. The 80/20 loan, also referred to as a piggyback mortgage, became a popular way to obtain a traditional 30-year fixed mortgage without having any ...

Lobbying For Loans - The Rumpus.net
by Maddie Oatman
Desperate to save their businesses, the private companies who sell loans to college students have been heavily lobbying the government to keep subsidizing their loan programs. A bill that will overhaul the private loan industry recently ...

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Do you know the current state of your student loans? It takes the average college graduate 15 years to repay his or her student loans, according to the College Board. A lot can happen over that time. So if you ever find yourself ...