Annual Consumer Reports

annual consumer reports

Perhaps you are aware of the three Credit Reporting Agencies and how the information reported within the reports is used. But are you aware of the other consumer reports that are available and used on a regular basis? Did you know that they may contain mistakes? Some companies provide specific reports for employers to use while others may be more specific to a landlord. And each time your auto insurance is up for renewal, your insurance company will likely pull a report from LexisNexis to verify whether you have had any traffic violations. Not only are these reports, and many others, available to the insurance companies, lenders, landlords, employers and financial institutions, but many of them are free to the individual on a yearly basis.

Each year, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) releases a list of the available reports, the contact information and whether or not there is a cost involved. The list can be found here: http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201601_cpfb_list-of-consumer-reportingcompanies.pdf.

Additional Resources:
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/
https://www.ftc.gov/
https://identitytheft.gov/
http://ag.ks.gov/in-your-corner-kansas/
http://www.osbckansas.org/consumers/index.html