Here at Morris Law Center, we always keep an eye on the subject of credit scores. In fact, we are often referred credit repair clients by realtors who have a potential buyer with a credit score issue. Regarding this subject, we recently posted a blog about the Equifax Data Breach where we recommended that everyone freeze their credit. Please refer back to that blog for instructions on how to freeze your credit.
Something else you can do to decrease your chances of identity theft is to opt out of prescreened offers of credit and insurance. Similar to the National Do Not Call Registry, opting out of prescreened offers should significantly reduce the amount of offers you receive. You may still receive offers that are not prescreened. The good news is that opting out will not hurt your credit score or your ability to obtain credit.
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If you decide that you don’t want to receive prescreened offers of credit and insurance, you have two choices: You can opt out of receiving them for five years or opt out of receiving them permanently.
To opt out for five years: Call toll-free 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) or visit www.optoutprescreen.com. The phone number and website are operated by the major consumer reporting companies.
To opt out permanently: You may begin the permanent Opt-Out process online at www.optoutprescreen.com. To complete your request, you must return the signed Permanent Opt-Out Election form, which will be provided after you initiate your online request.
When you call or visit the website, you’ll be asked to provide certain personal information, including your home telephone number, name, Social Security number, and date of birth. The information you provide is confidential and will be used only to process your request to opt out.
If you don’t have access to the Internet, you may send a written request to permanently opt out to each of the major consumer reporting companies. Make sure your request includes your home telephone number, name, Social Security number, and date of birth.
Experian Opt Out P.O. Box 919 Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion Name Removal Option P.O. Box 505 Woodlyn, PA 19094
Equifax, Inc. Options P.O. Box 740123 Atlanta, GA 30374-0123
Innovis Consumer Assistance P.O. Box 495 Pittsburgh, PA 15230-0495
And finally, as we always say, “If you think you might need an attorney, you probably do.” Contact us to discuss further.