You can download your reports through a website that Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion have set up:

www.AnnualCreditReport.com

Each of these three consumer reporting agencies is required to provide you with a free copy of your report once every 12 months. The reports prepared by the three agencies are not necessarily identical, so it is worthwhile to obtain one from each agency every year.

This website will not ask for any credit card or other payment information to obtain your credit report. You will have to enter your personal information, including your name, address, date of birth, and social security number, and you may also have to answer some verification questions to confirm your identity. You must request your report from each credit reporting agency separately through the website. Once you have accessed each of your reports, you should save or print a copy for your records.

If you would prefer to request a copy of your report by mail, you may send a letter or the form found here to the address below to request a copy of your consumer file from one or all of the credit reporting agencies:

Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

You can also call: 1-877-322-8228.

As a result of this case, if you select the option for non-monetary relief on your claim form, you can receive one (1) additional free credit report from one of the credit reporting agencies once the settlement has been finally approved.

In addition, if you inform a credit reporting agency that there is fraud related to your identity or consumer file and a fraud alert is placed on your file, you are entitled to another free consumer report. You may request the free report at the time of reporting potential fraud, and the report must be provided within 3 business days. Once one agency is notified of suspected fraud and a fraud alert is placed on your file, they notify the other two agencies, which should then also provide you with free copies of the consumer report.

You may also obtain a free copy of your credit report if you are experiencing one of the following circumstances:

• You are unemployed and plan to seek employment within 60 days;
• You receive public welfare assistance; or
• You have reason to believe your credit file is inaccurate due to fraud.

 

You are also entitled to a free report for a 60-day period after you are denied credit, insurance, employment, government license, government benefit, or any other transaction or account based on the information in your consumer file. Residents of Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Vermont are entitled to another free report, and Georgia residents can receive an additional two free reports.

It is a good idea to check your report regularly, even when you are not experiencing problems. The information in your report affects you in many ways, including your credit score and whether you may get a loan—and how much you will have to pay to borrow money. It is also helpful to make sure the information is accurate, complete, and up-to-date before you apply for a loan for a major purchase like a house or car, buy insurance, rent an apartment, or apply for a job. Ordering your report can also help you to know if you are a victim of identity theft. Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information—like your name or your Social Security number—to act in your name to commit fraud.

Each of the credit reporting agencies have different formats for their credit reports. The descriptions below help in reading four of the most common elements of credit reports—bankruptcies, tax liens, credit accounts (also called “tradelines”), and inquiries-for each of the three major credit reporting agencies.

Equifax

Bankruptcy

Date Filed	This is the date that your bankruptcy case was filed.
Case Number	This is the case number that the court assigned to your bankruptcy case.
Court Name	This is the name of the court where your bankruptcy case was filed.
Court Address	This is the address of the court where your bankruptcy case was filed.
Bankruptcy Disposition	This lists the outcome of your bankruptcy case.

 

Note that most of the rest of the fields are generally left blank for bankruptcy cases.

Tax Lien

Date Filed	This is the date that the lien was filed.
Case Number	This is the record number associated with the tax lien.
Court Number/Name	This is the name of the court where the lien is recorded.
Court Address	This is the address of the court where the lien is recorded.
Amount	This is the amount of the lien.
Class	This is the type of lien. Often this will be state, federal, or a utility lien
Date Reported	This is the state that the lien was added to your Equifax file.
Lien Status	This is the status of your lien, including whether the lien has been released or not.
Date Released	This is the date that your lien was paid.
Date Verified	This is the date that the lien information was verified, often after a dispute. This field is frequently blank.
Comments	This is the location where any additional comments regarding the record are stored. Often, this field will be blank.

 

Credit Account

Account Name	This is the name of the creditor of the account.
Account Number	This is the account number that the creditor has assigned to the account.
Date Opened	This is the date that the account was opened.
Balance	This is the current balance of the account.
Date Reported	This is the date that the creditor last updated the account.
Amount Past Due	This is the amount of the account that is past due.
Status	This is the current status of the account. For example, this field could state that the account is paid as agreed, more than 30 days late, or charged off.
Credit Limit	This is the credit limit on the account.
Account Owner	This states whether the account is an individual or joint account.
High Credit	This is the highest amount ever charged to the account.
Type of Account	This is the type of account. For example, a mortgage or installment account.
Term Duration	This is the length of the loan, if applicable.
Terms Frequency	This is the frequency with which payments are due.
Date of Last Payment	This is the date that you last made a payment on the account.
Actual Payment Amount	This is the amount of your last payment.
Scheduled Payment Amount	This is the amount due on your last payment statement.
Date of Last Activity	This is the last time that there was any activity on the account.
Date Major Delinquency First Reported	This is the date that the creditor first reported a delinquency on the account.
Months Reviewed	The number of months an account is reviewed for late payments.
Creditor Classification	The type of company reporting the account.
Activity Designator	The most recent account activity.
Charge Off Amount	This is the amount of the account that was charged off, if applicable.
Deferred Payment Start Date	This is the date that any deferred payments are set to begin, if applicable.
Balloon Payment Amount	This is the amount of the balloon payment due on the loan, if applicable.
Balloon Payment Date	This is the date that any balloon payment on the loan is due, if applicable.
Date Closed	This is the date that the account was closed, if applicable.
Type of Loan	This is the type of loan. For example, auto loan or mortgage.
Date of First Delinquency	This is the date that the creditor first reported a delinquency on the account.
Comments	This is where any miscellaneous comments about the account are stored.
Payment History	This shows whether monthly payments were made on time or if they were delinquent.

 

Credit Inquiry

There are two types of credit inquiries: hard and soft inquiries. Hard inquiries affect your credit score and are typically made when you apply for a new account. Soft inquires do not affect your credit score, and are most often made by current creditors or potential creditors deciding whether to extend you a promotional offer of credit.

As demonstrated above, each hard inquiry should show the name of the creditor, date of inquiry and the creditor’s contact information. Each soft inquiry will show the creditor’s name of the date of the inquiry.

Experian

Bankruptcy

The first line of this entry lists the name of the court where the bankruptcy was filed.

Address	This is the address of the court where the bankruptcy was filed.
Identification Number	This is the case number that the court assigned to your bankruptcy case.
Address Identification Number	This is an internal Experian code that corresponds to the consumer address reported by the reporting source.
Status	This is the current status of your bankruptcy filing.
Status Details	This field most often lists when the bankruptcy is scheduled to be removed from your credit report.
Date Filed	This is the date that your bankruptcy case was filed.
Date Resolved	This is the date that your bankruptcy case was resolved.
Responsibility	This field indicates whether the bankruptcy was an individual or joint filing.
Claim Amount	This field is often blank for bankruptcy entries.
Liability Amount	This field is often blank for bankruptcy entries.

 

Tax Lien

Court Number/Name:	This is the name of the court where the lien is recorded.
Court Address:	This is the address of the court where the lien is recorded.
Identification Number:	This is the record number associated with the tax lien.
Responsibility:	This states whether the lien is against a single individual or if it is a joint debt.
Date Filed:	This is the date that the lien was filed.
Date Resolved:	This is the date that the lien was paid.
Claim Amount:	This is the amount of the lien.
Liability Amount:	This field is generally not used, but is intended to reflect the current lien amount.
Status:	This is the status of the lien, including whether the lien has been released or not.

 

Credit Account

The first line of this entry lists the name of the creditor of the account.

Address	This is the address of the creditor.
Account Number	This is the account number that the creditor has assigned to the account.
Address Identification Number	This is an internal Experian code that corresponds to the consumer address reported by the creditor.
Status	This is the current status of the account. For example, open, closed, charged off, or past due.
Date Opened	This is the date that the account was opened.
First Reported	This date is driven by the first reported payment history entry on your Experian report.
Date of Status	This is the date the account first reached the current status.
Type	This is the type of credit account.
Terms	These are the terms of the credit account.
Monthly Payment	This is the amount of your monthly payment.
Responsibility	This states whether the debt is individual or joint.
Credit Limit/Original Amount	This is the credit limit on the account.
High Balance	This is the highest balance ever held on the account.
Recent Balance	This is the account’s most recent balance.
Recent Payment	This lists the most recent payment made on the account.
Payment History	This outlines the monthly payment history on the account.

 

Credit Inquiry

There are two types of credit inquiries: hard and soft inquiries. Hard inquiries affect your credit score and are typically made when you apply for a new account. Soft inquires do not affect your credit score, and are most often made by current creditors or potential creditors deciding whether to extend you a promotional offer of credit.

As demonstrated above, each inquiry should show the name of the creditor, date of inquiry and the creditor's contact information. The address identification number is an internal Experian code that Experian assigns to the consumer's address reported by the creditor.

TransUnion

Bankruptcy

The first several lines of this entry list the court where the bankruptcy was entered, the docket number assigned to the case by the court. The address and phone number of the court where the bankruptcy was filed also are provided.

Date Filed	This is the date that the case was filed.
Date Paid	This is the date that the case was resolved.
Date Updated or Date Verified	This is the date that TransUnion updated any information on this entry.
Type	This is the type of public record and the status of the public record. For example, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy dismissed or Chapter 7 Bankruptcy filed.
Responsibility	This states whether the bankruptcy is for a single individual or if it is a joint filing.
Court Type	This is the type of court that the case was filed in. For example, for most bankruptcies, this will state “Federal District.”
Plaintiff Attorney	This is the name of the attorney representing the Plaintiff in the bankruptcy case.
Estimated month and year that this item will be removed	This lists the date and month that the bankruptcy will be removed from your TransUnion credit report.

 

Tax Lien

The first several lines of this entry list the court where the lien was entered and the docket number assigned to the lien by the court. The address and phone number of the court where the lien was recorded also are provided.

Date Filed	This is the date that the lien was recorded.
Type	This is the type of public record and the status of the public record. For example, release of tax lien or paid tax lien.
Responsibility	This states whether the lien is against a single individual or if it is a joint debt.
Plaintiff	This is the name of the party that holds the lien.
Amount	This is the amount of the lien.
Court Type	This is the type of court where the lien was recorded.
Date Paid	This is the date the tax lien was paid.
Estimated month and year that this item will be removed	This lists the date and month that the lien will be removed from your TransUnion credit report.

 

Accounts

The first several lines of this entry list the creditor of the account, the account number that the creditor has assigned to the account, and the name and address of the creditor.

Date Opened or Date Placed for Collection	This is the date that the account was opened.
Balance	This is the current balance on the account.
Pay Status	This is the current payment status on the account. For example, current, paid or paying as agreed, 30+ days late, or charged off.
Responsibility	This lists the consumer’s relationship to the account.
Date Updated or Date Verified	This is the date that the creditor last updated the information regarding this account.
Account Type	This is the type of account. For example, revolving account or installment account.
Payment Received	This is the amount of the last payment made on the account.
Loan Type	This is the type of loan. For example, auto loan, mortgage, or student loan.
Last Payment Made	This is the date of the last payment on the account.
High Balance or Original Amount	This is the highest balance ever held on the account or the original loan amount for installment and mortgage account types.
Remarks	This is where any miscellaneous information regarding the account is displayed, including a consumer’s statement of dispute regarding the account if the consumer has submitted a dispute directly to the credit reporting agency.
Estimated month and year that this item will be removed	This lists the date and month that the account will be removed from your TransUnion credit report.

 

The box at the bottom of the entry shows, among other things, your monthly payment history on the account, limits, terms, current balance, past due amounts, etc.

Inquiries

There are two types of inquiries: hard and soft inquiries. Hard inquiries, which may be found under the “Regular Inquiries” section of your credit disclosure, may affect your credit score, and are typically made when you apply for a new account. Soft inquires, which may be found under the “Promotional Inquiries” or “Account Review Inquiries” sections of your credit disclosure, do not affect your credit score, and are most often made by current creditors or potential creditors deciding whether to extend you a promotional offer of credit.

Federal law allows you to dispute inaccurate information on your credit report. There is no fee for filing a dispute. You may submit your dispute to the creditor who provided the information to the credit reporting agency and to the credit reporting agency who included the information on your credit report. Unless you submit your dispute to the credit reporting agency, you will not be able to sue the creditor for damages under the Fair Credit Reporting Act for inaccurate credit reporting.

The Federal Trade Commission’s website has information about how to dispute errors on credit reports, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s website provides additional guidance about disputing information on credit reports.

If you submit a dispute to a one of the credit reporting agencies, they may make changes to your credit report based on the documents and information you provided. They may also contact the creditor reporting the disputed information, supply them all relevant information and any documents you provide with your dispute, and instruct them to investigate your dispute. The consumer reporting agencies instruct the creditor to review all information you provided about your dispute, verify the accuracy of the information it is reporting to the credit reporting agency, and provide the credit reporting agency with a response to your dispute, including any changes to the information reported. The credit reporting agency will then notify you of the results of the investigation.

If you submit a dispute directly with a creditor, they are supposed to conduct an investigation and will send you the results of the investigation directly. They are supposed to notify the credit reporting agencies of any changes that need to be made to the information as a result of the investigation.

If a dispute to the credit reporting agencies results in a change to your credit report, you will have up to 12 months to order a second free report through AnnualCreditReport.com in order to review the changes.

To submit a dispute to a credit reporting agency, contact the credit reporting agency who has the disputed information on your credit report. You may submit a dispute with each of the credit reporting companies over the internet or by mail.

Online:

• Equifax - www.equifax.com/CreditReportAssistance
• Experian - www.experian.com/acrdispute
• TransUnion - dispute.transunion.com

 

Mail:

Equifax
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30374-0256

Experian
P.O. Box 9701
Allen, TX 75013

TransUnion
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016

It is a good idea to submit documents in support of your dispute. Documents may be uploaded for online disputes or submitted by mail. When mailing documents, only submit copies of documents and not originals. Documents will not be returned to you following the investigation.

The Federal Trade Commission’s website has more information on correcting your credit report, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s website also provides additional information on disputing information on your credit report as well.

What information do I need to provide when submitting a dispute?

Your dispute notice should include adequate identification about yourself, identify the account or other item being disputed, and explain why it is disputed. Make sure your description is broad enough to encompass the disputed account even if the number changes.

Be Specific and Careful How You Describe an Account in Your Dispute Letter.

Be specific as to the bank and account number you are disputing. Account numbers can change and the account number in your monthly statement is different than the number used in your file at the credit reporting agency (or by a debt collector to which the debt is transferred).

To prevent these problems, your dispute should describe the full range of accounts the dispute covers and also should be specific. For example, “I have never had a Bank X credit card. Any Bank X account in my credit file is not mine and should be deleted. This includes account number 1234, as well as any other account you may be reporting, as well as any account that may be reported by Bank Y, Credit Card Issuer Z, or any debt collector who is reporting an account that was formerly a Bank X account.”

Other types of information you should include are:

• Your full name, including middle initial and suffix, such as Jr., Sr., II, III
• Social Security Number
• Date of birth
• Current address
• All addresses where you have lived during the past two years

 

Depending on how you submit your dispute (through the internet or by mail), you may also be asked to provide the following additional information:

• Email address
• A copy of a government-issued identification card, such as a driver's license or state ID card
• A copy of a utility bill, bank or insurance statement

 

You should list each item on your credit report that you believe is inaccurate, including the creditor name, the account number and the specific reason you feel the information is incorrect.

You may also submit documents to support your dispute. Depending on the type of information disputed, the following documents may be helpful in resolving your dispute:

• Police reports or an FTC Identity Theft Report, showing that an account was the result of identity theft
• Bankruptcy schedules showing that an account was included in or discharged in bankruptcy
• Letters from creditors showing how an account should be corrected
• Student loan disability letters showing that a student loan has been discharged due to disability
• Cancelled checks showing that a collection account has been paid
• Court documents regarding public records

 

How long will it take to complete the investigation?

Once you submit your dispute to the credit reporting agencies, you will need to allow up to 30 to 45 days for the investigation of your dispute to be completed by the credit reporting companies.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has additional information regarding the length of a dispute investigation.

What steps can I take if I do not agree with the dispute investigation results?

If you still believe that the information on your credit report is not accurate following your review of the investigation results from the credit reporting agency, you have several options:

• You may contact the creditor that reported the information to the credit reporting agency and dispute it directly with them. If you wish to obtain documentation or written verification concerning your accounts, please contact your creditors directly.
• You may provide additional information or documents to the credit reporting agency relating to your dispute.
• You may request a brief statement be added to your report. Your statement should be specific to your dispute of credit information.
• You may file a complaint about the creditor reporting the item or the credit reporting agency, with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or your State Attorney General's office.
• You can retain an attorney to advise you about whether to file a lawsuit to pursue your rights.

 

Further information is also available from the National Consumer Law Center, including:

• "What You Should Know About Your Credit Report"
• "Understanding Credit Scores"

As part of their services in support of this settlement, Class Counsel experienced in the Fair Credit Reporting Act have agreed to make their legal services available to assist you in this dispute process. These attorneys can be contacted at the email address below:

Class Counsel Assistance
legalhelp@bankruptcydischargesettlement.com

A credit report lists information about you, your financial history, and your current credit accounts. A credit score is a number generated from a proprietary software model that uses the credit report data, which helps lenders evaluate the level of risk associated with a specific consumer. Each credit reporting agency and credit scoring company has a slightly different way of calculating credit scores. That is why it is important for you to review each of your credit reports for accuracy as any credit score will be created from that report.

The FCRA requires Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to provide you with your credit score upon request. The credit score is not free, and it may not be the same score that any particular creditor will use. The credit reporting agencies frequently provide what is known as a “VantageScore” credit score, a score that is used by many lenders but is not the same as a “FICO” credit score. FICO scores are used by the majority of lenders. As a result of the settlement in this case, you have the option to receive two free VantageScore credit scores from one of the credit reporting agencies.

In order to obtain your two VantageScore credit scores from the settlement, as well as the extra free credit report mentioned above, you must elect the non-monetary benefit option instead of the monetary relief option in the settlement claim form you submit. You must also submit a current email address, which will only be used to communicate with you regarding this settlement, including sending you an activation code. The code can then be redeemed electronically during a six-month activation period after the “Effective Date” of the settlement, which is roughly the date when any appeals that may be filed are concluded and the case is over. The Administrator will notify you through email of the Effective Date. Claimants who elected the non-monetary benefit and timely redeem their code have up to two years to request their one extra file disclosure and the two VantageScores.

If you wish to request another credit score beyond what you receive in this settlement, one way to do so is to make a request to the credit reporting agencies. When you request your credit score, the credit reporting agency must produce the following information:

• The consumer’s current credit score or most recent score that was calculated by the credit reporting agency relating to the extension of credit.
• A statement indicating that the information and credit scoring model may be different than the credit score used by the lender.
• The range of credit scores for the model used to generate the credit score.
• The key factors that adversely affected the consumer’s credit score, listed in order of impact. The credit reporting agency cannot list more than four (4) key factors, unless one of the factors is the number of inquiries, in which case that factor must be included.
• The date on which the credit score was created.
• The name of the provider of the credit score or the credit file used to generate the credit score.

 

You are also entitled to a free credit score in some instances. Mortgage lenders who use credit scores must provide, free of charge, the consumer’s credit score and associated key factors in making their lending decision. Consumers who are denied credit or are required to pay a higher price should also receive a copy of the credit score used by the creditor in a notice required by federal law. Finally some credit card companies, other lenders, and websites offer free scores, subject to certain conditions or requirements.

Under the terms of the settlement in this case, as described above, you will have the option to receive one additional free credit report (in addition to the ones that the credit reporting agencies must already provide you) and two VantageScore credit scores from one of the three credit reporting agencies instead of monetary benefits. In order to maximize the value of these nonmonetary settlement benefits, your attorneys in this case suggest you do the following once you receive the activation code from the Administrator:

1. Request your first VantageScore credit score.
2. After you receive your first VantageScore credit score, request your credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
3. Review each of your credit reports carefully. If there is anything incorrect with your reports, dispute the inaccurate information. Use the advice below in “Monitoring Your Credit Score” to try to increase your score. For example, if you have high balances on some of your cards, try paying the balance below 30 percent of the total limit of the account as a means to try and improve your score.
4. After you have completed these efforts to meet the financial goals that you have set for yourself, and taken steps to remove any inaccurate information from your report, order your second VantageScore credit score. This will allow you to determine if the changes have had an impact on your credit score.

 

As part of the settlement in this case, you will be eligible to receive two VantageScore credit scores if you choose the option for nonmonetary relief. The VantageScore credit scoring method of score calculation uses a number of factors to calculate your credit score, which include:

• Payment history
• Age and type of credit: it is helpful to maintain a mix of accounts (credit cards, auto, and mortgage) over time to improve your score
• Percent of credit limit used: focus on keeping revolving balances low, ideally under 30% of credit limits
• Total balances and debt that you owe
• Recent credit behavior and inquiries
• Available credit on existing accounts

 

VantageScore does not take any of the following factors into account when calculating your credit score: race, color, religion, nationality, gender, marital status, age, salary, occupation, title, employer, employment history, where you live, or even your total assets.

Another credit scoring company which is widely relied on by creditors is FICO. FICO has disclosed the factors it considers in generating credit scores, which include:

• Payment history (about 35% of the score). Late payments, accounts referred to collections, or bankruptcies will lower a score.
• Amounts owed on credit accounts compared to available credit (about 30% of the score). High balances in comparison to credit limits may indicate that the consumer is over-extended.
• Length of credit history (about 15% of the score). In general, a longer credit history increases the score. A too-short credit history may have an effect on a score, but that can be offset by other factors, such as timely payments and low balances.
• New credit (about 10% of the score). Scores get more points if the consumer has an established credit history and doesn’t have too many new accounts. Opening several accounts in a short period of time can indicate greater risk. Scoring models measure this factor by looking at "inquiries" on the credit report, that is, when a creditor or other user obtains a credit report. Inquiries can negatively affect a score, but not all inquiries are counted. Inquiries by creditors who are monitoring an account or looking at credit reports to make “prescreened” credit offers are not counted. Credit inquiries made by consumers of their own credit records aren’t included either.
• Types of credit (about 10% of the score). FICO scoring systems look for a mix of different types of credit. However, this factor is usually not important if there is sufficient other information upon which to base a credit score.

 

It is important to understand that VantageScore and FICO credit scores can vary, and that not all lenders use VantageScore credit scores or a particular FICO score when evaluating a credit application. FICO scores are used by the majority of lenders. Nevertheless, the VantageScore offered as an option in this settlement is used by many lenders and will be useful to you in evaluating whether steps you have taken in an effort to improve your credit score have been successful. For this purpose, you would need to obtain a VantageScore before and after you take such steps in order to determine if your relative score has improved.

For additional information on factors used to create a credit score, please visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at the following website: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/what-you-need-know-understanding-why-offers-your-credit-score-are-not-all-same/

Some scoring models may be based on more than just information in a credit report. For example, some models designed for home mortgage lending consider information from a credit application, as well as information about jobs or occupations, length of employment, and homeownership.

The CFPB has issued some suggestions to improve a credit score, including the following:

• Pay all your bills on time. Setting up automatic payments, or electronic reminders, can help you keep on top of your payments.
• Don’t use too much of the credit that is available to you. Your credit limit is the amount of total credit you have. Credit scoring models look at how close you are to being “maxed out,” or owing as much as your credit limit, so try to keep your balances low in proportion to your overall credit limit.
• Be careful closing accounts. Scoring models look at your available credit. If you close some credit card accounts and put most or all of your credit card balances onto one card, it may hurt your credit score if you are using a high percentage of your total credit limit. Frequently opening accounts and transferring balances can also hurt your score.
• A long credit history will help your score. Credit scores are based on experience over time. Your score will improve the longer you have credit, open different types of accounts, and pay back what you owe on time.
• Only apply for credit you need. Credit scores look at your recent credit activity as an indicator of your need for credit. If you apply for a lot of credit over a short period of time, it may appear that your economic circumstances have changed for the worse.