Most people are aware of the fact that you can get a free copy of your credit reports once a year from each of the major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

But there are other nationwide consumer reporting agencies that collect and sell consumer information. By law, they must provide you with a free annual copy of your report - and you probably won’t have a file with all of these agencies. 


<h3><strong>Free Chexsystems, Certegy Check Systems and Telecheck Reports</strong></h3>

<strong>Chexsystems</strong>

Chex Systems, Inc. collects information from member financial institutions and shares it with them to assess the risk of opening new checking accounts. A Chex Systems report can include personal identifying information, negative information such as checks returned for non-sufficient funds (NSF), inquiries into the file by financial institutions or the consumer, a history of checks ordered, and information about checks bounced at retailers as reported by Certegy Check Services, Inc. (see below). Chexsystems only maintains negative information for five years.


<strong>Certegy Check Systems Inc.</strong> 

Certegy describes itself as a check risk management company that provides verification, guarantee and risk analysis to thousands of businesses that choose to accept checks as a form of payment for goods or services. In other words, merchants use their service to help them decide whether to accept individual checks.

Certegy doesn’t make the actual decision of whether to accept or reject a check. That’s left to the merchant. But they do help the merchant make that decision. If you have had a merchant who uses Certegy decline a check, the company recommends you complete and submit a Certegy Gold Application. It’s free, and allows them to assess additional information not provided with your original check transaction. Certegy says the Gold Application can help consumers avoid most check declines. The form is available at Askcertegy.com.

In addition to a free annual file disclosure, Certegy offers a free declined check look-up service on its website.


<strong>Telecheck</strong>

TeleCheck describes itself as an industry leader in “check acceptance, check processing and risk analysis services to thousands of retailers and financial institutions.” It offers a service called TeleCheck Electronic Check Acceptance that authorizes check transactions and converts paper checks into electronic items at the point of sale. If you’ve ever made a check purchase where you paid by check but were given an electronic receipt of the transaction to sign, then you have seen this system in action.

Telecheck will analyze a transaction against its database of bank and checking account information, and use risk-based decision tools to alert merchants to potential fraud before they accept individual checks. You can think of it as similar to the way creditors use credit scores but Telecheck doesn’t check standard credit reports or scores to make decisions. It also doesn’t check the balance in an account when a check is presented. If risk factors are identified, it is possible for a check to be labeled as risky even if the account holder has never bounced a check before.

<strong>Chexsytems 1-800-428-9623 or ConsumerDebit.com
Certegy Check Systems Inc. 1-866-543-6315 or AskCertegy.com
Telecheck/FirstData 1-800-366-2425 or FirstData.com</strong>






<h3><strong>Free Tenant History Reports</strong></h3>

<strong>LexisNexis</strong> Screening Solutions Inc. Resident History Report contains information related to your tenant history along with other background information.

<strong>CoreLogic SafeRent</strong> explains on its website that it provides information to the multi-family housing industry and employers.  Housing providers may obtain your consumer report to assist them in making leasing and employment decisions.  Reports can include rental performance history, criminal and/or landlord-tenant records.

<strong>Tenant Data Services</strong> provides prospective landlords with rental performance information such as damages, evictions, lease violations, noise complaints, rent and deposit verification, and unauthorized pets.

<strong>LexisNexis: Call 877.448.5732 or https://personalreports.lexisnexis.com
CoreLogic SafeRent: Fadvsarerent.com or call 1-888-333-2413
Tenant Data Services: TenantData.com</strong>



<h3><strong>Free Insurance Reports</strong></h3>
There are two nationwide consumer reporting agencies from which you can request a free annual disclosure of your insurance report.

<strong>ISO A-Plus Auto & Property Loss History Report</strong>

Member insurance companies share information about auto and property insurance claims filed by an individual or business, or by other individuals or businesses “at the location of risk,” or for an automobile or property that will be insured. This information is used by prospective insurers to help evaluate the risk of granting a new policy.


<strong>C.L.U.E. Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange</strong>

C.L.U.E. also allows insurance companies to access and use prior loss information when evaluating insurance applications. Participating insurance companies share data with C.L.U.E., which then provides it to insurance companies who request reports about consumers.

There are two types of C.L.U.E. insurance reports: auto and personal property (homeowner). Information about losses can remain in the database for up to seven years.

<strong>ISO A Plus Report: 1-800-627-3487 or visit 
http://www.iso.com 
http://www.iso.com/Products/A-PLUS/Consumers-Order-Your-Free-A-PLUS-Loss-History-Report.html
Lexis Nexis C.L.U.E. auto or personal property insurance reports: 1-866-312-8076 or visit https://personalreports.lexisnexis.com</strong>



<h3><strong>Free Employment Reports</strong></h3>

There are two nationwide specialty reporting agencies that provide free annual disclosures to consumers under the FACT Act:

<strong>LexisNexis</strong>
LexisNexis Risk Solutions, is one of the leading provider of background checks in North America and conducts background screening for over half of the Fortune 500 companies. Their Employment History Report can include information about your employment history along with other background information. Note that if LexisNexis has not provided an Employment History Report about you to an employer, you will not have a report on file with them.

<strong>The Work Number</strong>
The work number most popular feature is its employment and income verification service. It is used by
pre-employment personnel and others who need to verify someone’s employment status. 

<strong>Lexis Nexis: Call 1-866-312-8075 or visit the LexisNexis website. 
The Work Number: Call 1-866-604-6570 or visit TheWorkNumber.com</strong>



<h3><strong>Free Medical Report</strong></h3> 
There are three agencies from which you can request your free annual disclosure:

<strong>Medical Information Bureau (MIB)</strong>
This agency collects information that is used by underwriters who are evaluating applications for life, health or disability insurance policies. Medically significant information is reported in the underwriting process. 

MIB file exists for the last seven years and if you have applied for individually underwritten life, health, or disability income insurance. 

<strong>Igenix Medpoint and Milliman IntelliScript</strong>
These firms specialize in electronic prescription histories. Information about prescriptions you have had filled in the past five years may be found in their databases.  As with the MIB report, if you haven’t applied for individual health, life or disability insurance, there will be no report about you plus your written authorization will be required first.

<strong>MIB: 866-692-6901 or MIB.com 
Milliman IntelliScript: 877-211-4816 or Rxhistories.com 
Igenix MedPoint: 888-206-0335</strong>





