How To Reach a Person at Credit Bureaus

This guide on Non-QM Mortgage Lenders will cover and discuss how to reach a person at credit bureaus. Mortgage lenders use three major credit reporting agencies. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion are the three independent credit bureaus collecting data from us. This is data that affects every aspect of our personal lives. Whether you are approved for a credit card, get a job, rent an apartment, or get a good mortgage rate, the three companies may hinge to varying degrees regarding your credit score.

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What Type of Personal Data Does The Credit Bureaus Store

The data collected by these three firms is staggering, and as a result, they are more prone to errors. You need to notify them immediately when you notice something wrong with your data. These errors are very common. According to a credit file accuracy study conducted a few years ago, 1 in 5 people gets errors on their credit reports. This is why knowing and understanding how to contact these bureaus is important.

Reason To Know How To Reach a Person at Credit Bureaus During Mortgage Process

The main form of contact used by many people to reach these companies is through online forms. But to be honest, sometimes it is very important to talk to a live person at the bureaus, especially when you want a timely response or answers to specific questions. Only a few people know how to do this, so we will dedicate this article to telling you how to contact each of these companies and talk to a live person, plus why it is important.

Why It Is Important To Know How To Reach a Person at Credit Bureaus

There are many reasons why you should contact a credit bureau, but the top reasons include the following:

Credit report disclosure – once in a while, you would want a copy of your credit report, and for you to get it, of course, you will need to contact the bureau. You are entitled to one free report every 12 months. Now, you can get your credit report directly from the bureau’s website, which is designed to disclose copies of the reports to the consumers. And if you don’t have access to the internet or can’t access the website, you can also call the bureaus and have them send the report via email or the post office. These reports contain much information regarding your credit-related relationships with lenders, plus other personally identifying information, not to mention a history of balances and payments on your credit card accounts. So basically, these are crucial documents that you must always ensure that the information reflected therein is accurate.

How To Reach a Person at Credit Bureaus To Remove Credit Disputes

Credit report disputes – if you see any information on your credit report that’s incorrect, you need to contact the credit bureau immediately. These mistakes are pretty common, so it is always important to regularly request your credit reports. You can reach the bureau via USPS, online, or by phone – we will give the contact details for all three companies below.

How To Reach a Person at Credit Bureaus For Fraud Alerts and Security Freezes

Fraud alerts and security freezes – if you suspect or know that your credit information has been stolen or someone is using it to obtain credit, you need to contact a credit bureau immediately. The bureau can either add a fraud alert to your reports, a security freeze, or a credit freeze.

Adding a fraud alert is a statement on your report that notifies a lender or any other user that you might be a victim of fraud; therefore, they should verify the authenticity of any application submitted with your details. The lenders must incorporate key procedures to verify an application’s legitimacy, one of them being to call the number included in the fraud alert. A fraud alert generally remains on your credit report for a year, but it can be renewed if you want it to remain longer. The alert can go on for seven years, but you will need to complete an FTC Identity Theft Report, which will be used to verify that you have been a victim of fraud.
Adding a security freeze – a security freeze or a credit freeze blocks any access to your reports unless you have an existing relationship between you and the lender. Debt collectors can also access the reports to aid in their collection efforts. Now, the security freeze prevents opening accounts with your details, as lenders cannot access your reports without authorization. To put a security freeze in place, you will have to contact all three bureaus independently so as to freeze all your reports. When you freeze, you will be given a PIN, which you can use when you want to have it lifted. Security freezes are available to assist anybody who feels they may have been a victim of fraud, in contrast to the past, when security freezes were only reserved to assist verified victims.

How To Reach a Person at Credit Bureaus For Faster Service

Now that you know some of the most common reasons you may want to contact a credit bureau, there are various ways to get in touch with the companies. While some opt to do it online, many do it over the phone. This is because, over the phone, you will be able to clearly and thoroughly explain any concerns you may have, not to mention that the response will be timely and helpful. And, of course, when you call, you want to be helped by a live person, not an automated system, which many customer service agencies use. So, how can you contact a live person at the bureaus? Here is how you can contact each of the three credit bureaus and talk to a live person:

How To Reach a Person at Equifax

How to talk to a real person at Equifax – for starters, Equifax has several phone numbers through which you can talk to a real person. Each number is meant to help solve a specific problem, which means that the number you call depends on the issue you need help with. If you call the wrong number, they will tell you that they can’t help you so that they will direct you to the right number.

All these numbers can be found on their website. If you have a general inquiry, you can call (888) 378-4329. The call time is Monday through Friday, between 9 AM and 9 PM ET and between 9 AM to 6 PM ET during the weekends. If you have a question regarding a data breach, the dedicated phone line is (877) 251-5822, and the call time is the same. Now, when you call these numbers, you will hear a menu with five options, so listen keenly and press the number to speak to a representative or a product specialist, depending on your need.

How To Reach a Person at Experian

How to talk to a real person at Experian – this bureau encourages people to use their website to solve most of the issues they may have, meaning that they don’t deal with phone calls on a large scale. However, if you want to talk to a real person at the bureau, there are three phone numbers that you can use. To request a credit report or report concerns related to fraud and identity theft, call (888) 397-3742. Also, (888) 397-3742 (1-888-EXPERIAN) will work.

By calling this number, you can place an immediate fraud alert on your credit report. If, after you get your credit report, you find some errors that you would like to be corrected, there is a 10-digit number on the report that you can call and report the issue to a representative at the bureau. Please note that the number in each report might be different, but when you call that number, you will get the help you need. For an inquiry about your membership account, call a representative at (866) 617-1894. Also, just like in Equifax, you will hear a menu when you call these numbers, so listen carefully and press the number to talk to an agent. Now, the bureau’s call center hours are 9 AM to 11 PM ET from Monday to Friday and 11 AM to 8 PM ET during the weekends.

How To Reach a Person at TransUnion

How to talk to a real person at TransUnion – this bureau has one phone number you can call to talk to an agent. Whether you need help with errors on your report, to report fraud, to freeze your account, or any other general, you will be able to get the help you need by calling (800) 916-8800. When you call this number, you will hear an automated service giving you several options. Listen keenly and press the option for speaking to a representative. Then if you have a TransUnion File Number, press one or press two if you don’t. This file number is an identification number that you will find at the top of your report. However, you won’t need this number for you to talk to an agent, but you will definitely need it if your issue has anything to do with your credit report.

Why It Is Important To Reach a Live Person at Credit Bureaus

Speaking to a real person at any of these credit bureaus is pretty easy. Whereas the websites for each of these bureaus have been designed to solve many issues, there comes a time when you want to talk to an agent, depending on your issue. With the numbers we have given you, you will be able to get the help you need at any of the three bureaus. You may need to navigate through their automated system before reaching an operator. Another way is by emailing or sending a letter to the addresses listed on their websites; however, this can take some time as responses usually take several days up to two weeks, depending on how busy they are. If all else fails, consider using social media as a way of getting in touch with someone from the company directly.