What Are the Three Major Credit Bureaus?

The best way to manage your credit responsibly and take charge of your financial situation is to be informed. This takes a little time and effort on your part, but since your credit scores are so important to managing your finances and saving money, it's your responsibility to know as much as you can about the credit bureaus that formulate credit ratings. To help you get a running start on that mission, here's some information on TransUnion, Experian and Equifax, the main credit bureaus in the U.S.:

TransUnion

TransUnion has offices across the country that deal with different aspects of credit: credit management, identity theft, and other credit problems; and types of credit clients, such as personal, business, and press inquiries. If you find errors on your TransUnion credit report, you can call them at 800.916.8800 or visit their website to dispute them. If you think that you're a victim of identity theft, call them at 800.680.7289 as soon as possible.

Experian

Like other credit bureaus, Experian offers a wide range of different services for people, businesses, and the media. Experian is based in Costa Mesa, CA, and has a website, but if you find errors on your report or need to report a possible identity theft, this credit bureau makes it hard to find phone numbers on the site. Instead, they encourage visitors to use online forms for disputes, identity theft reports, and other issues.

Equifax

Based in Atlanta, GA, Equifax also has different departments to assist people with different types of questions and concerns. Their website is also set up to have people use online forms to address errors, report identity theft, and handle other concerns. However, if someone thinks that his or her identity has been stolen, he or she can call 888.397.3742 to report it to Equifax. If someone spots an error on his or her Equifax credit report, that person must use the contact number on the report to dispute it. There is no number on the site to report errors.

These are the three credit bureaus in the country, and they each take a different approach to allowing people to contact them to ask questions or address any issues they may be experiencing. Instead of contacting the credit bureaus directly, many people prefer to use a credit monitoring service to help them manage their credit and stay on top of their finances. The credit bureaus all have similar programs, but most folks prefer to use an independent company to help them with these matters. That way, they get an impartial view of their credit and many more tools to proactively manage their credit ratings!

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