Big Brother is Watching

1.                  Your Credit History

Companies can buy your credit information to assess your past financial responsibility and to predict the likelihood that you will file an insurance claim.  Negative credit information can stay on your report for 7-10 years.  You should oversee your credit reports and dispute any errors.  You are entitled to one free credit report per year from the three big credit bureaus.  Go to www.annualcreditreport.com or call 877-322-8228.

2.                  Your Insurance Claims

ChoicePoint’s reports are based on the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE).  A-PLUS reports are based on information reported by over 1,400 insurers to the Automobile Property Loss Underwriting Service.  The reports show information about your auto and homeowner’s loss claims for the past three to seven years.  This information is used to asses your risk as a driver or your home’s risk to insure, which will affect your premiums.  You are entitled to one free report per year.  Go to www.choicetrust.com to obtain a CLUE report, or call 800-627-3487 to order your A-PLUS report.

3.                  Your Health History

MIB Group, Milliman and Ingenix compile prescription drug history and sell their reports, IntelliScript and MedPoint which are used to determine your risk class when applying for life or health insurance.  To obtain a free copy of these reports, call MIB at 866-692-6901, IntelliScript at 877-211-4816, and MedPoint at 888-206-03350.

4.                  Your Checking Accounts

Banks can use information collected by ChexSystems and TeleCheck to decide whether or not to open a new account for you.  Go to www.consumerdebit.com and click on “Order Consumer Report” to get your free ChexSystems report.  To get your free TeleCheck report, go to www.firstdata.com/support/telecheck_home.htm and click on “TeleCheck Consumer Assistance.

5.                  Your Background

ChoicePoint and Lexis Nexis provide persons reports.  These include CLUE reports, pre-employment screening, criminal records, evictions, and public records.  Get free reports from www.choicepoint.com and under Reports About You, and click on “Access to Your Personal Information”; also see www.lexisnexis.com/privacy/for-consumers/request-personal-informaion-aspx.

6.                  Your Purchase Returns

The Retail Equation maintains records on returned merchandise, which retailers use to detect fraudulent and abusive practices.  The Retail Equation will send you a copy of your return activity report on request.  Go to www.threretailequation.com/consumers

7.                  Your Rental History

First Advantage SafeRent and RentBeureau maintain landlord-tenant databases which include rent payment history, credit ratings, references, etc.  Get your report at www.fadvsaferent.com/consumer_relations/index.php or call 800-815-8664 and/or www.rentbureau.com and click on “for Consumers”

8.                  Mailing Lists

Two major databases are USADATA and InfoUSA.  They sell your name, address, and consumer characteristics, such as affluence.  You can opt out by going to www.optoutprescreen.com or calling 888-567-8688; www.donotcall.gov or calling 888-382-1222; www.dmachoice.org and go to “Register for eMPS”, and go to www.privacyrights.org/ar/inforbrokers.htm