Personal Information Goes Public July 1
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Are Credit Bureaus Allowed to Release Credit Info to Anyone who Requests It?
An E-mail message has been circulating for a couple of
years now, designed to make you think that the credit bureaus will be able
to give out your information to anyone who requests it, starting July 1st.
The text of the email hoax starts like this:
Personal information goes public.
Starting July 1,
2003, the four major credit bureaus in the U.S. (Equifax, etc.) will be
allowed to release credit info, mailing addresses, phone numbers, etc., to
ANYONE who requests it. If you do not want to be included, you should
call a toll-free number, 1-888-567-8688.
The email continues, saying that "Once the message starts you will want
option #2." (Of course, option #1
is the choice that explains the email is a hoax - even though the 888
number - 888-5-OPT-OUT is legitimate for opting-out of pre-approved offers
of credit.)To
spread the hoax, the e-mail asks you to "pass this message to all in your
address book, friends and family." That's how you got it.
The Email is False and Misleading
You've had the ability to opt out from
pre-approved credit offers for a long time (by calling 1 888 567-8688.)
Opting out is helpful in the
prevention of identity
theft because it reduces the number of
pre-approved offers of
credit that find their way to your mail box, thus reducing the risk
that the junk mail will find its way into the hands of an identity thief.
The Opt Out phone number has nothing to do
with who can see your credit report. Companies that request
your credit report still must have a legal permissible purpose under the
Fair
Credit Reporting Act.
Equifax,
Experian (formerly TRW), and
Trans Union, as well as the
FTC
and the
Consumer Data Industry Association all have press releases to debunk
the bogus email.
Who Was Allowed to See My Credit Report Recently?
You can find out. Here's where you
can see who has been allowed to
see your credit report recently. The information is in the Inquiries
section of your 3-bureau merged credit report from Experian, Equifax, and
Trans Union. |
