Hey David:

With regard to credit reports, I've been working on mine the last year.. and have managed to move my FICO score up by almost 100 points, purely by getting all the inaccurate information cleaned up and restructuring some of my credit facilities.. and by closing some of my high interest credit accounts. Any kind of line of credit, including secured, show up on the report, whereas mortgages (conv and high ratio) do not.. that's something to keep in mind. I've had three bogus collections taken off my report simply because I worked hard to get them off than the collection agencies worked to keep them on. They weren't legitimate to begin with, but the onus is on the individual to prove it, as opposed to the creditor to prove its validity (don't even get me started on what a ridiculously unfair system it is to individuals). One collection was for a speeding ticket I got in 1992 in BC (I'm in Alberta!). An 11 year debt for something like that doesn't fly. It pays to do the research on credit legislation.

Equifax offers two online reports - the basic one for $15, and the Score Power for $21.95. The latter actually gives you your current FICO, which is what mortgage brokers are most interested in. It also lists all credit accounts and all the other information normally associated with a credit report (collections, judgements, etc.)

The cheaper one is the same that you get in the mail, so it makes more sense to pay the extra $6 and get your credit score (which you won't get with the mailed version), or just submit a request for a mailed free one if you don't want to pay for it.

Anyone looking to invest in real estate in any serious way HAS to take control of their credit report, and really understand it. Equifax and Trans Union have made it so much easier to dispute things online, there's no reason not to any more.

Also, people should know and remember that Trans Union information is often used as well. Many banks/brokers will pull BOTH credit reports and make sure they're seeing all the history. So even if someone works to get their Equifax cleaned up, if they're not doing the same thing on their TransUnion then it's not going to have the same positive effect. TU now has online report capability as well, which includes their score. OF course, their score is not actually a FICO score so it's not taken as seriously by the lenders it would seem. Their site is www.tuc.ca

Regards,
Greg Habstritt

>> This is an update to the question about getting a copy of your own credit
>> report. D'Arcy von Schleinitz, a US / Canadian consultant in our office
>> points out that you can get a "FREE" report mailed to you with EVERYTHING
>> on it.
>>
>> Sounds good to me.
>>
>> ingram
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: D'Arcy von Schleinitz [mailto:darcyv@centa.com]
>> Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2003 1:34 PM
>> To: taxman@centa.com
>> Subject: Re: [CEN-TAPEDE] Credit cards & personal credit history - how do
>> I seemy report


>> The online credit report they give you for your $14.95 is not as detailed
>> as the free one they will mail you.
>>
>> The online report does not actually show your credit ratings but just who
>> you had/have credit with and if you had any late payments.
>>
>> The free one that you can obtain through mail gives much more detail and
>> also states your actual rating (those r1 or r9 numbers).
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: centapede-admin@lists.belcarra. com
>> To: CENTAPEDE
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 10:26 PM
>> Subject: [CEN-TAPEDE] Credit cards & personal credit history - how do I
>> seemy report


>>
>> From WXXX XXXXXXXXX
>>
>> David
>>
>> For years we have eschewed having more than two credit cards, due to the
>> knowledge that limiting the number of places where sensitive personal
>> information dwells, is a level of protection against abuse, including
>> identity theft. A recent experience where we did apply for a credit
>> account only later to find out that there was an unwanted 'group credit
>> insurance policy' attached to the account. Receipt of 'insurance
>> documents' was followed by a phone call from the insurer's 'credit
>> office', asking a plethora of very personal questions. We refused to
>> answer some, believing they were an unnecessary invasion of privacy, and
>> not necessary to the matter at hand. The phone conversation ended with
>> our firm request that the credit account and insurances be canceled. We
>> are left with returning all documents to the business.
>>
>> The situation caused us to consider the implications of information
>> already 'out there' and available to various businesses, and if the
>> information is accurate. So my question is: how does a private citizen
>> find out what credit information is 'on file' with credit agencies for
>> use by businesses having access? And if he should find such a file to be
>> inaccurate, how to go about getting it corrected?
>>
>> WXXX XXXXXXXXX
>> North Vancouver, B.C.
>>
>> >> David Ingram replies:
>>
>> You can get a copy of your Canadaian credit report online from EQUIFAX at:
>>
>> http://www.equifax.com/EFX_Cana da/consumer_information_centre/ownreport_e.
>> html
>>
>> This is / should be the same report that a creditor would obtain if you
>> were applying for credit.
>>
>> The fee is $14.95 Canadian.
>>
>> If you find errors, you would then deal with Equifax to get them
>> corrected.
>> ----------------------
>> Because you are an Ameican citizen living in Canada with business assets
>> in the US, I should also add that Equifax has a 30 day free trial and
>> then a $70.00 a year service to monitor your credit and notify you of any
>> changes to your file or new credit issued.
>>
>> You can check this out at:
>> https://www.econsumer.equifax.c om/webapp/ConsumerProducts/pgConsumerProduc
>> ts?^start=&orderSource=EHW&PP=P3
>>
>> It is a sad state of affairs that suuch a service would be necessary but I
>> would highly recommned it to anyone who travels or who uses multiple
>> cards. It is so easy to misplace one or leave one behind and it does not
>> matter how closely you monitor your card, it is easy to have a third
>> person distract you while a clerk does a double swipe.
>>
>> This was a major problem in Capilano Mall (where you shop) when Castor was
>> working there before his conviction for murdering Mirhadi at the
>> Esplanade Theater (see
>> http://www.nsnews.com/issue/w03 1097/03079702.html).
>>
>> david
>>
>>

>> David Ingram - www.centa.com
>> the CEN-TA Group
>> US / Canada / Mexico Income Tax and Working Visa Matters
>> 108-100 Park Royal South
>> West Vancouver, BC, CANADA
>> V7T 1A2
>>
>> (604) 913-9133 Fax (604) 913-9123
>> Cell (604) 657-8451 10 AM to 10 PM 7 days a week