The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) provides sample forms for obtaining permission to do a background check and obtain a consumer credit report for employment purposes. E-Renter provides free forms for landlords, including a Consumer Reports Disclosure, which the renter must sign in order to give the landlord permission to do a background check and obtain a credit report. [2] X Research source
SmartMove gives landlords a quick, secure and reliable way to check a tenant’s credit online. The landlord signs up for an account. For $25, the landlord will have access to a credit screening report, a deposit recommendation, a tenant risk score and a national criminal background report. For an additional $10, the landlord can also see a full credit report and a national eviction search. Once the landlord has the account, he inputs the rental applicant’s name and e-mail address. SmartMove contacts the rental applicant on behalf of the landlord and requests permission to grant access to this information to the landlord. [6] X Research source A PEER background credit check is the Pre-Employment Evaluation Report designed by TransUnion. Employers can purchase these from third party hiring solutions companies such as Command Credit or USAFact. The PEER report gives employers an unbiased account of the applicant’s financial information, including credit history. [7] X Research source
This service works a little differently. The person whose credit you want to view can purchase a credit report for $14. 95 and grant you free access to the report for 30 days. To open an account with Experian Connect, you provide your name, address and social security number, and you choose a username and password for the account. The system will verify your identity by asking you questions from your credit history for which only you would know the answers. Once you pass the security questions, your account is opened. Once you have the account, you can send a request to view a person’s credit from your Experian Connect dashboard. All you need is the person’s name and e-mail address. Experian contacts the person on your behalf. If the person agrees, he purchases the report himself for $14. 95 through Experian. Then he grants you permission to view the report for free for 30 days. Once the person has granted you access to the credit report, Experian notifies you. You can view the report on your Experian Connect dashboard.
Landlords use the service Equifax Identity Report for Landlords. This service allows landlords to verify identity and view a high-level credit summary and credit score range for prospective tenants. Landlords can request the report by inputting their own name and e-mail address and the name and e-mail address of the prospective tenant. Equifax then contacts the tenant. If the tenant agrees, the landlord is granted access to the identity report. The report costs $9. 95, and either the landlord or the tenant can pay for it. Employers use Equifax’s employment verification system called the Work Number. This service grants employers access to data reports for potential employees that list the person’s employment history and information about their credit. To use this service, employers must prove that they have complied with FCRA and obtained written permission from potential employees to view their credit information. [9] X Research source
Mortgage accounts include first and second mortgages, home equity loans and any other loans secured by real estate. Revolving accounts are charge accounts with a credit limit that must be paid each month. Credit cards are an example of revolving accounts. Installment accounts are credit accounts in which the amount and number of payments is predetermined in a fixed amount. Car loans are installment accounts.
Visit the Merit Credit Engine to learn about the Experian, TransUnion and Equifax credit report formats and codes.
Under the FCRA, you can obtain others’ credit reports only if you need it to qualify them for a job, insurance, government benefits or tenancy. Also, having power of attorney makes it legal for your to view that person’s credit report.
Some employers check applicants’ credit because of the nature of the job for which they are applying. For example, banks, brokerages, the government and other financial institutions want to hire people with a proven ability to manage their personal finances. Other employers use credit histories as a way of weeding out weak applicants. They see the existence of high debt or credit delinquencies as a possible distraction that may affect job performance. Federal law allows employers to see a modified credit report for job applicants or employees. This is sometimes referred to as a credit header. It omits account numbers to protect privacy. If an employer decides not to hire someone based on a credit report, the applicant must be given a copy of the credit report and told of their right to challenge it under the FCRA. [19] X Research source
The government publishes the names and social security numbers of the recently deceased on the Social Security Administration’s website in order to prevent welfare fraud. But identity thieves need only to download this Excel file from the website. Some genealogy websites publish social security numbers and maiden names of the deceased. It can take up to a year to settle the affairs of a person who has died. During this time, bills continue to come in and creditors are notified of the death. Identity thieves think a few extra credit card bills in the person’s name are not likely to get noticed.
Typically you cannot pull a minor’s credit report online. You must call the credit reporting agency directly.
You will need power of attorney or a court-appointed guardianship to obtain a parent’s credit report.
