Illegal Credit Checking?

Question

Is it illegal for a Company to use your Social Security Number to Look up information on you like if you're dealing with another company on credit or not?

Answer 1

Credit checks can only be done with your express permission.  At some point or another in your relationship with the company you would have had to sign an agreement that includes your permission to do periodic credit checks.  If you have signed no paperwork at all and given no verbal consent, then the searches would be illegal.

Answer 2

I believe you have to consent to a formal credit check, where someone actually goes in and sees what debts you have, payment history, etc.  However, I think there's no limit to the number of "soft" checks someone can do where they just get basic information like score, etc. to maybe offer you an unsolicited credit card or something like that.

Answer 3

From my experience you need to sign a form allowing them to do that.

Answer 4

Anyone who checks your credit has to have prior authorization to check it. On the other hand, if you have already given them authorization any other time in your life they can check it for your entire life without being penalized. If you have ever given someone authorization, or if you have ever owed anyone money who holds your ssn then they have the authority to check your credit any time they want. I hate this law because you get -5 points everytime someone checks your credit. Most credit card companies check it monthly whether you want them to or not, just to see how you pay their competing creditors.

Answer 5

No one is allowed to use your social security number without your permission. I recently challenged a law firm checking my credit when they alledged to represent a credit card company. Experian told me the credit card company can check, but the law firm cant. I got the notification on my credit record about this law firm and had them removed and blocked from accessing my account.

i also found pulling my free credit report twice a year helped me remove numerous false bad debt reporting from medical companies. I have gotten them off my credit reports and was able to address the fact that i was never billed by them because i wasnt their patient.

I went from a low fico score to a higher one and now am able to receive positive credit on my record.