ShareThisBy STEVE BUCCI
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
These are specialty consumer reporting agencies, which report on whether consumers bounce checks and pay late on their rents, gambling debts, medical bills.
Just like the consumer credit reporting agencies that issue credit reports, the specialty consumer reporting agencies are governed by the rules of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Consumers are entitled to one free report per year from any agency that has a file on them.
If the report results in adverse action against a consumer _ such as being refused the privilege of opening a checking account because of past bounced checks _ the institution must inform the consumer why it has happened and offer the name and contact information for that agency.
Specialty consumer reporting agency list:
Category Bureau name Contact info
Casinos:
Central Credit Services (702) 855-3000 or (702) 262-5000
Checking accounts:
Certegy/Equifax (800) 437-5120
CheckCenter/CrossCheck (800) 843-0760
ChexSystems (800) 428-9623
International Check Services (800) 526-5380
SCAN (800) 262-7771
TeleCheck (800) 710-9898
Employment:
ChoiceTrust Employment Reports (866) 312-8075
Insurance:
CLUE Auto History (866) 312-8076
CLUE Homeowner's History (866) 312-8076
ISO's A-Plus Auto and Property Databases (800) 709-8842
Medical information:
Medical Information Bureau (MIB) (617) 426-3660
Rental information:
Accufax (800) 256-8898
American Tenant Screen (800) 888-1287
ChoicePoint Tenant History Reports (877) 448-5732
National Tenant Network (800) 228-0989
Tenant Data Services (800) 228-1837
Tenant Screening Services (800) 388-2335
UD Registry (818) 785-3905
Mortgage financing:
Innovis (800) 540-2505
Source: "Credit Repair Kit for Dummies," by Steve Bucci(c) 2006 Copyright by Wiley Publishing Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana. Used by permission.
(Steve Bucci is president of CCCS Credit Advisors. Visit www.creditcounseling.org for additional debt advice. The Debt Adviser is a weekly feature of bankrate.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)
