Credit Reporting Agencies

Credit Reporting Agencies

There are many companies that gather credit and financial information about consumers in Los Angeles, and across the U.S. This information can be utilized for credit decisions, hiring decisions, and much more, so it is important to understand what credit reporting agencies present information about you.

The following are some examples of the main credit reporting agencies in the United States.

Equifax

This is one of the major three providers of nationwide credit reports. The agency collects information and sells consumer credit reports to banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions and companies. Your Equifax report might include information from financing companies, credit card companies, mortgage lenders, debt collectors, bankruptcy records, court judgments, and more. In 2017, a security breach exposed the information of about 145 million consumers.

Experian

This is another of the three major credit bureaus that originated in Ireland, but operates as a credit reporting agency in numerous countries, including the U.S. Experian collects credit information for both individuals and businesses, as well as offering fingerprinting analytics and consumer fraud and identity theft prevention. This company gathers and reports similar information to Equifax. An Experian breach from 2013 to 2015 reportedly exposed the information of 15 million people.

TransUnion

This is the smallest of the three major credit reporting agencies in the U.S. and mirrors the functions of Equifax and Experian. TransUnion also markets fraud prevention tools to consumers. The company has faced lawsuits throughout the years for failing to correct erroneous information on consumer credit reports for years following consumer requests.

In addition to the “big three” credit agencies, Innovis also provides supplemental credit information about consumers.

Consult with a Credit Reporting Lawyer in Los Angeles

If you believe that you have incorrect information on one or more of your credit reports, you should not wait to contact the law firm of Martin & Bontrager, APC. Call 323.940.1700 or contact us online to discuss how our Los Angeles credit reporting attorneys can help.