An initial fraud alert lasts 90 days. You can remove an alert by calling the credit bureaus at the phone number given on your credit report. If you want to reinstate the alert, you can do so. If you are the victim of identity theft, you can place an Extended Fraud Victim Alert on your report by submitting a copy of a valid identity theft report that you have filed with a federal, state or local law enforcement agency. An Extended Alert will remain on your report for seven years.

initial 90-day alert will be placed on your account, free of charge. It is possible to extend this fraud alert to a 7-year alert by writing a letter to the credit reporting agencies. You may issue consecutive 90-day alerts if you do not want to issue a 7-year alert.

You should still be able to get credit. While a fraud alert may slow down the application process, you can prove your identity to a prospective creditor by providing identifying information.

A security freeze is a mechanism to prevent new account identity theft. Only a security freeze allows the consumer to limit access to his or her consumer reporting file. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act creates two types of fraud alerts, but the only type available to consumers who have not yet been victims of identity theft, called the initial fraud alert, expires after 90 days unless renewed. The very short time period makes this a poor tool for ID theft prevention.

No. A fraud alert will not stop you from using your existing credit cards or other accounts. It may slow down your ability to get new credit. Its purpose is to help protect you against an identity thief trying to open credit accounts in your name. Credit issuers get a special message alerting them to the possibility of fraud. Creditors know that they should re-verify the identity of the person applying for credit.

A person who believes they may be a victim of identity theft can contact the credit reporting agencies to place a FRAUD ALERT on their credit file. Their credit file will be flagged with a statement that says they may be a victim of identity fraud and that creditors should phone the individual and verify any credit application before extending credit. This will stop thieves from being able to open new accounts under your name. You only need to contact one credit report agency to place an alert.

Most credit history stays on your file for a maximum of 7 years, except for bankruptcies which stay on for 10 years, unpaid tax liens which remain for 15 years, and positive information which remains indefinitely. Still, if you have defaulted on a loan, your creditors may continue to submit negative. Top page Previous Page

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, credit bureaus can report most negative credit information for no more than seven years. There are some exceptions to the seven-year rule. For example, bankruptcies may be reported for ten years.

Most people are unaware of exactly how long credit items will remain on a credit report. It is actually very "One Sided". The "Fair Credit Reporting Act" (FCRA) mandates the duration of time negative credit items can remain on your credit report. The sad part is that the Credit Reporting Agencies (CRA's) benefit from collecting and leaving these negative items on your file. A common myth it that CRA's are run by The Government.

A consumer has the right under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), 15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq., to request the removal of incorrect information on his/her credit report. To accomplish this, consumers should contact the credit reporting agency or bureau that issued the credit report. For more information on consumers' rights under the FCRA, visit the Federal Trade Commission's website at http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fcrajump.

Derogatory items such as late payments and most public record items remain on your credit report for 7 years, with the exception of Chapter 7, 11 and 12 bankruptcies, which remain for 10 years, and tax liens, which remain for 7 years from the paid date. Active positive information may remain on the report indefinitely. Inquiries, or requests for your credit history, remain on the credit report for two years.

Federal law specifies how long negative information may remain on a credit report. Most negative information must be erased after seven years. This includes late payments, accounts that the credit grantor turned over to a collection agency and judgments filed against you in court. Credit reporting agencies use the date of original delinquency or, in the case of public records, the date of filing to determine when negative information is deleted.

A Bankruptcy may remain on your credit report for 7-10 years after your bankruptcy case is discharged. However, you may be able to get credit during that time. For a free consultation, call 312-427-7400 today to speak with an experienced Chicago bankruptcy attorney at Leeders & Associates, Ltd. for a free consultation.

Public records and collection items may remain on your personal credit report for up to seven years, with the exception of bankruptcies, which may remain for up to ten years. Unpaid tax liens may remain for up to 15 years. Positive information remains indefinitely, although agencies can remove it after seven years. Inquiries remain for two years.

In accordance with Title 26 IRS Code, Section 6502(a)(1), IRS’ ability to collect any federal tax expires 10 years after it assesses the tax, unless it commences a lawsuit to collect the tax, obtains a favorable court judgment and periodically renews the judgment. The 10 year time period begins to run on the date IRS assesses the tax, not on the date it files a tax lien.