Credit Reporting

Mint.com had an alert that I hadn't updated my credit score recently. They said it would help them find the best offers for me.

Sure, whatever.

Former credit rating: Excellent. Current credit rating: Still excellent.

But it's a good idea to check on your credit report every once in a while to make sure everything looks the way you think it should. So I went over the annualcreditreport.com (or rather, google sent me there. I know there are fakes that pretend to be the government site but aren't, I think thats the real one). There are three bureaus and you get one free report per year from each. Theoretically, this means you should alternate and pull one per year from each of them on a rotating basis every four months. Ha. I'd like to pretend I'm that dedicated, but I'm just not.

Just in case though, I only pulled one (TransUnion. It was first on the list). And I saved it with the date, so I would know when I got it.

It wasn't too exciting, although there were a few interesting things. I have several accounts I don't quite recognize. Some were open/active for a short time only, but others are long term. I assume some of them are ones my mom put me on as an authorized signer (they've showed up in the past). My mom also had good credit, but it freaks me out a little. I don't actually have anything to do with those accounts. I made very few of the charges and wasn't responsible for paying them, and it's unnerving to think that (had she made mistakes) it would have affected my credit too.

I'm mad at Citibank all over again looking at my report. It should be my longest account, but it's been switched over multiple times. The first two were security breaches, but the last made me really angry (and I've started using my Discover card primarily, with the Citibank Mastercard only when someone doesn't take Discover). I had a pretty good card, the Platinum Plus Select or something. Then this summer, this all happened, and in this order:
1. I got a letter cheerily telling me my type of card was being closed out, but I would be enrolled in a new type, that would have "many benefits". Not, mind you, better benefits, or more benefits. Just "many". And of course, worse. Basically, my rewards was (presumably) too costly, so they stopped having it at all. Annoying. This would happen "later."
2. I logged into Mint to check my account balances and notice I have dozens (!?!) of balance transfers. Each transaction made on my citibank card now shows up three times: on my account that I have a card for, then a balance transfer, then on the new card.
3. I don't HAVE a new card, so I log in to citicard to determine that I now have two accounts. Thanks for letting me know.
4. I call citibank to ask what the heck is going on.
5. They tell me its no big deal, the new card will be here any day now, and the balance transfers are no big deal. (They are...its really confusing to keep track of every transaction three times.)
6. Almost two months later the new card comes.
7. I continue to have issues where some stuff switched over automatically and others didn't (so my AT&T cell phone somehow knows my cc number changed and charges correctly; my home phone, also AT&T, missed the memo and wanted me to fill out forms).

Plus, now it looks like I don't have any accounts open over 4 years, which is obnoxious.

The other interesting thing was the account review inquiries. These aren't available for anyone else to see, but tell me who has asked to view my credit. There were four of these, and two were a surprise. Bank of America pulled my credit in the fall (but that was probably to send me a credit card offer or something). And my Bank of America mortgage pulled my credit in January. Interesting. Just making sure I'm still doing ok? Checking in? I didn't know they did that. Everything's fine, and it doesn't matter, but...who knew.

Have you pulled your credit report recently? (And if you haven't, go do it now...it literally took three minutes!)