Question about credit reports

[mangled]

Those are the three credit agencies...upon being denied credit recently, I ordered a free copy of my credit report from Experian as instructed. After reviewing it I was shocked to find a fraudulent claim which was in collection. I also found a name listed on the report I've never used, and an address which I've never lived at. I disputed all three with Experian and thankfully, they promptly removed the items...it had been on there for over a year and I never knew about it because I never checked my credit report. Lesson one, order a copy of your credit reports and check them out for fraudulent activity or errors!

Now the question. Do all three agencies use the same data? What's the point of have three? Should I know order copies from Equifax and TransUnion and make sure the data is removed? Experian said they would alert the other two agencies.

Thanks.

 

[huesmann]

They do not all use the same data. You should get a copy from each of them.

 

[Yossarian]

Originally posted by: huesmann
They do not all use the same data. You should get a copy from each of them.

I concur.

 

[mangled]

Thanks. I ordered the other two reports and you're right. Some data was on all three, some was on two, some was only on one. Luckily, there wasn't anything surprising on any of them. The account I disputed on the first did show up on one of the other two and I filed a dispute with them as well.