checking credit scores

[utmck]

Is there a service that will allow you to see your credit scores without asking for a credit card #?

 

[KazooMan]

The credit reporting companies are required by law to give you a free report once a year. However, that is just your REPORT - showing where you have accounts, how much you owe, payment history, etc. If you want your SCORE you will have to pay the credit reporting companies (and they will send you an ad along with your credit report, asking you to pay for your score info). At least with the credit reporting companies, you can just pay one time to get your score - you don't have to sign up for a subscription.

I'm in the consumer protection racket, and I have yet to see a "free credit report" company that wasn't extremely difficult to get rid of once you sign up for their services. Be forewarned.

Another option is to make friends with a car salesman or finance person from some retail establishment that offers credit. They can pull your scores for you. Of course, every inquiry also lowers that credit score, so you don't want to do that too often!

There are a few credit cards that will give you a credit score as part of the services they offer (if you have their card). Other than that, you are out of luck. You can pull your credit report free once a year from Free Credit Report

 

[utmck]

Am I hearing you right in that "Free Credit Report" will get a free report , but it does not have your score on it?

 

[OldHippie]

I've tried to get a free credit report from that website thrice now over the years and I guess I'm just too old and dumb to navigate through the maze of steps to finally get it without purchasing one of their products. I'll try the telephone number on Monday and see if that's any easier for a semi-demented geezer.

 

[KazooMan]

In reply to:

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[SunBurntOrange]

Bank of America has a credit monitoring service called Privacy Assist that I have been using for about a year and a half. $12.99 per month. 5 years ago I would have never given consideration to paying for a service like this. But in todays age of identity theft, I consider it money well spent. And they tell you everything. Credit report, credit scores, payment history, etc by all three agencies. Its all current and you have 24/7 access to all of this via internet. You can see how your scores will go up or down by setting up mock payment scenarios. It tells you what factors are working in your favor, those that are working against you, and most important, if there is any activity at all that pings your credit files, you get instant email alerts. When I bought my last car, my blackberry was getting messages from them while the finance office was checking me out. Its that good. All the info is current and you get to monitor yourself. Its is a great serivce.

 

[Bernard]

I don't see how that can possibly be worth $150 per year unless you derive some sort of entertainment value from constantly knowing you credit score. Despite what these companies might lead you to believe, the odds of your identity being stolen is very slim. Even if your identity is stolen, it's really not that difficult to straighten things out. You aren't going to be on the hook for any bogus debts incurred in your name.

Bernard

 

[SunBurntOrange]

You could look at it as $150 per year. Or you could look at as 42 cents per day. I toss that much in my change jar every night. Yeah, you are right, the chances of getting your identity stolen are slim. But its more that just that. From renting an apartment to buying auto insurance to getting a job in some case, your credit scores play a much bigger part of your life than they used to. I am not OCD about it. I just get peace of mind from keeping a closer eye on mine. But its not for everybody. Thats cool.