? about preapproved offers and previous addresses

[persevering]

I have finally obtained my credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion and am now waiting on Innovis.

All three bureaus have at least three addresses on me: my current home address, my P.O. Box address that I'm currently using, and some other old address(es).

My Experian report has a gazillion past addresses for me.

 

Question.

I'm comfortable for now with receiving pre-approved offers and with receiving those offers at my current home address and at the P.O. Box address that I'm currently using, but how great is the chance that pre-approved offers are still being sent to old no-longer-used address (if that's the case, I would feel concerned about the current tenant opening/reading those offers) ?

Edited September 29, 2005 by persevering

[rhyno]

I honestly don't know whether that would be an issue or not... but you probably should consider just having those old addresses deleted from the reports. Minimize the opportunity for ID theft, and if you're trying to clean your credit, having those addresses gone should make your job easier, theoretically.

[persevering]

I honestly don't know whether that would be an issue or not... but you probably should consider just having those old addresses deleted from the reports. Minimize the opportunity for ID theft, and if you're trying to clean your credit, having those addresses gone should make your job easier, theoretically.

Thank you for your reply. Those are two very important reasons to delete those old addresses. I had come across (quoted below) a third reason. When the bureaus say that for a written request for a credit report that they would like to have the consumer report previous addresses for the past two years, I guess all these reasons are a part of or maybe the main reasons why the credit bureaus want that information. Maybe they're hoping the consumer will unwittingly verify for them (the accuracy of) that information.

 

I used to wonder if deleting the addresses would make it easier for places/agencies like collection agencies to narrow down where a person is, but I guess that's the least thing to worry about in that with the volume of information that places like Lexis-Nexus/ChoicePoint apparently have on us there are alternative sources for information for tracking down a person.

 

Forum: CreditBoards > Creditboards Main Forums > Please Read Before Posting - NEWBIES START HERE

"Credit 101- (very) basic introduction"

http://creditboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1925

from page "2":

"snarf May 9 2004, 05:45 PM

Hi

Im new and I cant seem to find any further information as to why you need to get your old addresses deleted. What advantage does this give you? for what circumstances? And should you always have only your current address on there?

Thanks!"

 

"Alex May 13 2004, 05:20 PM

...your old addresses are part of what's called a credit file header. If you ever undergo a background check, a PI might talk to all your former neighbors at those addresses."

Edited September 30, 2005 by persevering

[afilatreau]

I still have CC offers sent to a house that I haven't lived at for over two years. The only reason I know about it is because the house is occupied by my SO's mother. She just shreds them for me when she gets them. It is a scary thought to think someone could apply in your name for an offer that gets sent to your old address.