Today, more than ever, it's important to take control of your personal finances and your credit history

Whenever you apply for any type of credit, whether its a credit card or loan, a credit report is reviewed from one a credit agency. There are only two that need to be mentioned. All major companies, financial institutions, landlords or anyone that is granting you credit use Experian Credit reporting agency and Experian credit report agency.

Experian credit reporting agency

• Experian Triple Advantage (Best Choice)- they provide information, analytical and marketing services to consumers and organizations to help manage the risk and reward of commercial and financial decisions. Experian helps companies and consumers make a more informed financial decision.
• this is the company you want if you are looking for a free credit report before you go any further.
• FREE credit report and score with a FREE 30-day Experian Triple Advantage Monitoring trial. Check and dispute possible inaccuracies in your report. This will not lower your score. You will be able to detect any critical changes and potential identity fraud. Monitor your credit report to help catch ID fraud early.

Equifax credit report agency

Equifax (NYSE:EFX), is a 107 year old S&P 500 company, enables and secures global commerce through its information management services, direct to consumer, commercial and businesses. They are a leader in information technology, Equifax serves customers across a wide range of industries including the financial services.

With Equifax you can monitor all 3 of your nationwide credit reports and receive alerts within 24 hours of key changes. Protect your credit and ensure the accuracy of what’s being reported about you in all 3 nationwide credit reports. Equifax has four different levels that will suit all consumers.

• Click here for  Equifax ScoreWatch™
  This option details what your most current score means, comparison with national averages, and a graph of how lenders view you. This is a good starting point for knowing when you need to fix your credit.
• Comprehensive credit file monitoring and automated alerts of key changes to your Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion credit reports
• Free 3-in-1 Credit Report and unlimited Equifax Credit Report™
• Up to $20,000 Identity Fraud Expense Coverage with no deductible (certain limitations and exclusions apply) at no additional charge to you

Do I really need to see my credit report

Anyone that you do business with even a landlord can send a report into a credit report agency like Equifax and Experian. The agencies do not check if the information submitted is accurate or not they just collect data. It's up to you to dispute the information and have it corrected, to learn more about how to fix a credit report

These files are not just a record of how you are currently managing your accounts. They are a history of everything you are doing with your finances now, and everything you have done in the past number of years.

These agencies then sell this information to other finance companies or stores where you have a charge account who wish to see your credit history before they decide to lend you more money. If you have shown any tendency to pay late, or had financial trouble in the past, they will reject your application or charge a higher interest rate.

Understanding how your credit report and history affects your financial future is the key to smart credit and money management. Incorporating a review of your credit file into your financial planning is also one of the best ways to make sure you meet your budgeting goals.

A equafax and experian both receive your personal information from the same people who granted you the credit. If you make a payment late, the negative credit listing is quickly reported to at least one of the three credit reporting bureaus and is added to your credit history.

All three of these credit reporting agencies are using something called vantage score.

VantageScore, a credit score jointly developed by Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, is a direct result of market demand for a more consistent and predictive approach to credit-scoring methodology across all three national credit reporting companies.

All three credit reporting agencies use the same VantageScore algorithm to calculate the credit score.  In addition to Fingerhut and I4 Commerce, several other Equifax customers have begun using VantageScore within their underwriting processes for mortgage, credit card and pre-screen decisions.

Protecting your name and your credit

Identity theft is one of the biggest financial problems facing the average consumer today. Stealing your identity and placing false information on our credit file can be extremely damaging to you and your family. If someone steals your credit card and uses it that record goes on your credit report whether it was you or not, unless you notice it and do something about it. Go here to see what you can do to protect yourself and family - identity theft protection

Most individuals do not realize they are a victim of fraud or identity theft until they are contacted by a financial service company. Or become aware that they have been targeted after they obtained a copy of their credit report and noticed fraudulent accounts had been opened or applied for in their names.