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Learning Center:
About Fraud and Active Duty Alerts
Fraud Alerts
Fraud alerts are notices added to your credit report. These alerts let creditors know that they should take extra steps to verify the identity of anyone applying for credit or seeking an increase in credit limits or before issuing a new credit card using your personal information.
Fraud alerts indicate the potential for fraud while still allowing credit grantors to access your credit report to make decisions on credit applications.
Please Note: To place a fraud alert (or Active Duty Alert) on your credit reports with other credit reporting agencies, you must contact them directly. Innovis does not share fraud alert information with any other credit reporting agency. Use the information below to contact the other credit reporting agencies.
| Equifax | Web: | http://www.equifax.com |
| Phone: | 1-888-766-0008 | |
| Experian | Web: | http://www.experian.com |
| Phone: | 1-888-397-3742 | |
| TransUnion | Web: | http://www.transunion.com |
| Phone: | 1-800-680-7289 |
Is there more than one kind of fraud alert?
Yes: The Initial Fraud Alert and the Extended Fraud Alert.
An Initial Fraud Alert remains on your credit report for 90 days. If you place an Initial Fraud Alert, you may request one copy of your Innovis Credit Report at no cost.
An Extended Fraud Alert remains on your credit report for seven years. It is for individuals who have already suffered identity theft and have filed an identity theft report. When we add an Extended Fraud Alert, we also remove your name, for five years, from marketing lists used for preapproved credit or insurance offers, unless you ask us to put your name back on. If you place an Extended Fraud Alert, you may be entitled to receive one or more copies of your Innovis Credit Report at no cost.
Who should use a fraud alert?
Consider an Initial Fraud Alert if you suspect someone is trying to open credit accounts in your name. You might also consider an Initial Fraud Alert if you have experienced a loss of personal information -- say someone stole your wallet, or you provided identification information to an email phishing scam.
If you have already become a victim of identity theft, an Extended Fraud Alert can help prevent future misuse of your credit.
Are there any drawbacks?
A fraud alert might prevent you from receiving instant credit at the point of sale. Fraud alerts prompt credit grantors to personally contact you before extending credit. To minimize personal inconvenience, provide us with your current phone number(s) when you request a fraud alert. You may even want to include your cell phone number, so credit grantors can easily reach you.
See How to Place a Fraud or Active Duty Alert, for more information.
Active Duty Alerts
You may place an Active Duty Alert, if you are an active duty military consumer. Like a fraud alert, the Active Duty Alert lets creditors know that they should take additional steps to verify the identity of anyone applying for credit using your personal information.
The alert will remain on your credit report for 12 months, beginning on the date it is placed. You may remove the alert before it expires or place another at the end of 12 months. When we add the Active Duty Alert, we will also remove your name, for two years, from marketing lists used for preapproved credit or insurance offers.
See How to Place a Fraud or Active Duty Alert, for more information.
