Having an Issue with Your Credit Report?

Frequently Ask Questions

• Why is there an inquiry from Informative Research on my credit report?

  Informative Research is a credit reporting agency. We work with banks, credit unions, and mortgage lenders to provide them with credit reports to help evaluate loan applications.  If you are seeing our name, it's likely because a lender you applied with used our service to request your credit report.

• What should I do if their is an inaccuracy of my credit report?

  Notify us if you have a dispute concerning the completeness or accuracy of any item of information contained in your credit report provided by Informative Research.  Within 5 business days of receiving your dispute, and free of charge, Informative Research will determine whether the item of information is incomplete or inaccurate as a result of an act or an omission committed by Informative Research.

  •  If it is determined that the inaccuracy originated in IR’s system; the inaccurate information will be corrected or deleted within 20 days of receiving the dispute and a corrected report will be issued to the consumer.

  • If Informative Research determines that the inaccuracy was not the result of an act or omission by Informative Research but instead in the data provided by the NCRAs (National Credit Reporting Agencies), Informative Research will convey notice of the dispute together with all relevant information provided by you (the consumer) to each of the NCRA (s) that provided Informative Research with the incorrect or incomplete data. As required by the FCRA, disputes are conveyed to each NCRA using the method prescribed by each NCRA.  The applicable NCRA will then conduct a reasonable reinvestigation of the disputed information to determine if the disputed data is inaccurate and record the current status or delete the item from the file before the end of the 30-day period beginning with the date on which the NCRA received the dispute from the consumer or from Informative Research on behalf of the consumer.  At the end of the reinvestigation, the NCRA will provide Informative Research with the results.  Informative Research will then re-convey such notice to the consumer within the time period permitted under the FCRA or applicable State law.
    
    

  Please note that Informative Research is a reseller of credit information provided by the 3 NCRAs: Equifax, Experian, and Transunion. We do not maintain the database from which credit reports are produced. Rather each time we prepare a new report, we order the information from one or more of the 3 National Credit Bureaus.

• How to initiate a dispute on my credit report?

  Please fill out a Credit Report Dispute Form. Then, you have three options on how you want to send it.

  Email: consumerdisputes@informativeresearch.com

  Phone:
  800-473-4633 between 8 am to 4 pm PST, Monday through Friday. There is no form needed, but there will be an identity authentication process completed by our representative before your phone dispute request is accepted.

  By Mail:
  Informative Research
  C/O Disputes
  PO Box 2379
  Garden Grove, CA 92842

• How can I receive a free copy of my credit report?

  We will provide a consumer with a free copy of the credit report issued by Informative Research if the consumer meets one of the following Repository and FCRA criteria:

  • Is denied credit and provides a copy of a credit denial letter dated within the past 60 days and citing IR as the source of the credit report used by the credit grantor.
  • Certifies in writing that she/he:
    • Is unemployed and intends to seek unemployment benefits in the next 60 days.
    • Is receiving public welfare assistance.
    • Has reason to believe the file contains inaccurate information due to fraud.

  The request for a copy of an Informative Research issued credit report (disclosure) must be received in writing and include the following information:

  • Full Name (if a joint file, full names of both individuals)
  • Address
  • Clear copy of driver’s license
  • Social Security Number
  • IR report number (if known)
  • Copy of utility bill with current address noted
  • Date of birth
  • Home phone number
  • Request must be signed (if a joint file, signed by both individuals)
  • Copy of denial letter or Certification (proof) of unemployment, welfare assistance, or fraud

  Informative Research
  C/O Disputes
  PO Box 2379
  Garden Grove, CA 92842

  Once a written request has been received containing all of the required information and documentation, a copy of the credit report will be mailed to the consumer. Prior to mailing, IR will compare the address provided against the address information in the consumer’s credit report.  If the address information provided by the consumer does not match an address on file with at least one of the NCRAs and reported in the credit file, the report will be mailed to the current address as listed in the credit report.

  NOTE:  If you don’t meet the criteria listed above to obtain a copy of the credit report issued by Informative Research, you may request a free copy of your report directly from the credit bureaus.

• Why is Informative Research calling me?

  We are working with a lender on your application for credit.  Some information may be missing or outdated in your credit report and we need to speak to you to ensure the credit data is accurate. 

• What is a credit freeze?

  Consumers have the ability to place a “freeze” on their credit profile with each of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, Transunion).

  Each bureau will issue a unique code or other verification method to ensure that only you are able to freeze or unfreeze your credit report.

  Most lenders require a hard credit inquiry when applying for credit cards, loans, or financial accounts.

  When your credit profile is “frozen” with a bureau, your credit report will not be provided when the application requires a hard credit inquiry.

  Freezing your credit report with all three bureaus is a helpful way to reduce the risk of identity theft and fraud by making it more difficult for a bad actor to obtain credit cards, loans, or open financial accounts in your name.

• What information do you need to freeze your credit profile with a bureau?

  Before completing a credit report freeze or unfreeze, the bureau will need to verify your identity.
  
  

  Each bureau may have slightly different requirements for identity verification - the most commonly requested information includes:

  • Social Security Number
  • Date of Birth
  • Current or Previous Address
    
    

  Depending on the specific bureau, and contact method, additional documents may be required, including:

  • Copy of your passport, driver’s license or military ID.
  • Copy of tax documents, bank statements or utility bills.

   

  Note: If you freeze your credit report using an online account with a bureau - this method will likely require fewer authentication measures to freeze or unfreeze your credit report in the future.

• How to Freeze or Unfreeze your credit profile with each Credit Bureau:

  You can freeze or unfreeze your credit report with each bureau either: online, by phone, or by mail.

  The credit freeze process may be slightly different for each bureau - please make sure you are contacting each of the bureaus directly when completing this process.

  Note: If contacting a bureau by mail, you should verify which forms, identification, or other documents are necessary to initiate or complete a credit report freeze or unfreeze.

  EXPERIAN

  • Online: https://www.experian.com/help/credit-freeze/
  • By Phone: 888-397-3742
  • By Mail: Equifax Info Services LLC
    P.O. Box 105788
    Atlanta, GA 30348-5788

  EQUIFAX

  • Online: https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/
  • By Phone: 888-298-0045
  • By Mail: Experian Security Freeze
    P.O. Box 9554
    Allen, TX 75013

  TRANSUNION

  • Online: https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze
  • By Phone: 800-916-8800
    
  • By Mail: TransUnion
    P.O. Box 160
    Woodlyn, PA 19094

  Note: Bureaus must place the credit report freeze either:

  • within one business day if you request it online or by phone
  • within three business days after receiving a mailed request

   

• Other important information about credit freezes:

  • Freezing your credit report with a bureau is a free process.
  • A credit bureau may offer a “credit lock” as part of a paid service - this is different from a “credit freeze”.
  • Freezing your credit report with a bureau will not affect your credit score.
  • A credit freeze prevents hard inquiries on your credit report for that bureau - it does not prevent soft credit inquiries (more information in “Who can access your credit reports while they are frozen” below).
  • A credit freeze will remain in place until you unfreeze your credit with that same bureau.

• Who can access your credit reports while they are frozen?

  A credit freeze makes your credit reports inaccessible to most entities, with a few exceptions:

  • You can access your own records, including getting your free weekly credit reports.
  • Your current creditors still have access, as do debt collectors.
  • Marketers can see your credit reports for the purpose of sending you offers.
  • In certain circumstances, government or child support agencies can see them.
  • When getting a credit check for employment, you can permit an employer or potential employer to check your credit, although the version they see omits certain details.

• What are “Firm Offers” of Credit and Insurance?

  Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies are permitted to include your name on lists used by creditors or insurers to make firm offers of credit or insurance that are not initiated by you ("Firm Offers").

   

  Credit companies can send these offers by mail, email, or phone call. If you’ve ever received unsolicited mail with preapproval offers for credit cards or loans - those are “Firm Offers”.
  
  

  These preapproval offers are created using soft credit inquiries which do not affect your credit score.

  The FCRA provides you the right to "Opt-Out", which prevents Consumer Credit Reporting Companies from providing your credit file information for Firm Offers.

• What are the potential benefits of receiving Firm Offers?

  • A key advantage of preapproved credit card offers is that you don't have to wonder whether you qualify. The issuer has already reviewed your credit and has deemed you worthy.
  • If you are in the market for new insurance or new credit cards, the prescreened offers might offer you better rates than what you can apply for elsewhere.
  • A preapproved offer might introduce you to a company or product that you weren’t previously aware of.  

• How do I opt-out of receiving these credit and insurance offers?

  To opt-out of receiving firm offers, or change your selection for receiving these offers:

  1. Visit this website: https://www.optoutprescreen.com
     
     

  OR
  
  

  2. Call 1-888-5-OPTOUT [1-888-567-8688]
     
     

  Whether you choose to complete the process online, or by phone, you can:
  
  

  • Opt-Out from receiving Firm Offers for Five Years
  • Opt-Out from receiving Firm Offers permanently
  • Opt-In and be eligible to receive Firm Offers. (This option is for consumers who have previously completed an Opt-Out request, whether through this website, by telephone or by submitting an Opt-Out request directly to the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies.)

   

• What is a credit reporting agency and what do you do with my data?

  A credit reporting agency gathers credit-related information from bureaus such as Equifax, Experian and Transunion, and then provides that information to lenders when they need to make credit decisions.  We don't make lending decisions - we just provide the data that helps lenders do their job.

• How did you get my credit information?

  We securely retrieved your credit data from one or more of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) when a lender you applied with requested your credit report.

• I don't recognize your company - why are you on my credit report?

  We may not be a household name like the big bureaus, but we partner with many lenders behind the scenes.  If you applied for a mortgage, loan, or other credit product, the lender may have used Informative Research to retrieve your credit report.

• How do I read and understand my credit report?

  Your report includes your personal information, credit accounts, balances, payment history, and any public records.  If anything is unclear, you can read more about how to understand what you are seeing here:  How to Read a Credit Report

• How is my personal information protected?

  We take privacy seriously.  Your data is stored and transmitted using secure systems that comply with federal laws like the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and industry best practices.

• Will checking my credit report on my own hurt my credit score?

  No.  When you request a copy of your own report for personal use, it does not impact your credit score.

• Do you sell or share my data?

  No.  We only provide your data to the lender who requested it as part of your loan application.  We do not sell consumer information to marketers or third parties.

• Why did I have to pay for a credit report when applying for a loan?

  Some lenders ask applicants to cover the cost of their credit report as part of the loan application process. 

• My loan application was denied. Can you tell me why?

  We don't make lending decisions, so we can't say why a loan was denied.  However, if your credit report was used in the decision, the lender is required to send you an "adverse action notice" explaining the reasons.