A lot of financial decisions revolve around your credit score no matter where your score is sitting at currently. Whether you’re in the market to buy a house, purchase your dream car, or need a loan, your credit score will be taken into account. Life has its ups and downs, and now more than ever, it’s essential to monitor your credit, see what actions you can take to increase your score, and make sure you’re not a victim of identity theft. The first step is determining the best credit monitoring company to work with. When determining what platform to choose, the platform must have all the features and functionalities you need. Gone are the days of just pulling up your score and saying, “oh well.” Platforms are intuitive, they should help you determine what actionable steps you can take to expect a score increase. Some platforms such as ours even have identity theft protection and allow you to use action buttons to report inaccuracies directly to your bank or creditor. A recent study done by ConsumerFU found that 26% of credit reports contained a mistake. In other words, 1 out of 4 people may be paying thousands of dollars in interest due to clerical errors that could have been removed. Who wants to pay more than they have to? To help you determine the best credit monitoring company, we’ve outlined a few things to consider. Free Trials
Most credit monitoring services offer a free trial period so you can see the value. This is an ideal time to test out the waters and get a free credit report, and note the differences in features across platforms. With SmartCredit you’ll get your first seven days free to try our ScoreMaster, ScoreBuilder, ScoreTracker, Money Manager, and activate your $1MM in Identity Fraud Insurance. Compare Costs
Just like anything else, it is crucial to compare prices. When comparing prices, keep in mind that most credit monitoring services range in the $10 – $30 but tend to come with hidden fees, or they are a platform that makes money off of suggesting credit cards and loans to you. Additionally, most platforms will only offer credit monitoring and do not provide additional features that allow you to take action to control your future credit score. Compare Features
It is essential to keep a benchmark of services the credit monitoring company has before signing up. Make sure the company provides credit reports from all the reporting agencies. This feature exists in our current app and is seamless to navigate through. Whenever your credit is in murky waters, having the ability to get in touch with the creditors is always needed. One great feature of SmartCredit is our customers’ ability to immediately contact creditors directly in the app. There’s no longer a need to call or write a letter. In a few clicks, you’ll be on your way. To learn more about all of our features, click here. Updated Reports
Make sure the platform you choose has the ability to view reports at any time. There needs to be an option where you receive alerts to any significant changes in your credit report. Online access to your credit report should be available 24/7. SmartCredit has you covered when it comes to keeping you up to date at all times.
Actionable Steps
Does the platform help take actionable steps to increase your score (other than trying to sell you loans and credit cards?) Our customers see an average increase by 61 points in twenty days*! It’s a win-win. Reporting Tools
In the financial world of transactions, nothing is 100% perfect. Flaws and small errors will occur inevitably. When an error occurs, you only want the best in the business to help you dispute it. Even for the best financial gurus out there, disputing a claim can be difficult. The action buttons in SmartCredit will take your communication directly to the source, goodbye long holds. There has never been an easier way to address credit report inaccuracies. This rings true for those pesky unapproved charges on your debit card as well. Identity Fraud Insurance
Fraudulent activity and identity theft are something we always think won’t happen to us, but the daily reports of fraud continue to rise. Does the app notify you of any suspicious activity? Does it include identity theft insurance? SmartCredit customers will get $1MM in identity theft insurance for themselves and their families. Learn more here. Everyone Deserves Their Best Score
No matter who you are or where you’re at with your credit, day to day transactions and how they can affect your score should be understood by everyone, not only those privileged to know how scores work.
Do your research before determining the best credit monitoring company. You want to ensure that the company has good reviews, customer service, and all the essential features that will increase your credit score and keep you protected. If you are in a financial slum, remember to stay positive. A score increase may be right around the corner for you. *Your results may vary and are not guaranteed
The post Determining the Best Credit Monitoring Company appeared first on SmartCredit Blog. from https://blog.smartcredit.com/2020/10/06/best-credit-monitoring-company/
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About UsWe are a group of fun and creative people building unique and patented technologies for the consumer money, credit & identity space. We started in 2003 with the idea that technology should allow consumers to interact with their banks, creditors and other institutions using a simple button. So, we noodled a lot and built the SmartCredit.com® system to make better users of money & credit. Archives
October 2020
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