1. How secure is the IDENTITY GUARD^® web site?
2. What is your privacy policy?
3. How can I contact customer care?

4. How can I retrieve my Username or Password?
5. How can I change my Password?
6. How can I change my contact information?
7. How can I change my delivery method?
8. I haven’t received any e-mail alerts. Why?

9. How can I change my payment method?
10. When will my credit card be charged?

11. Do I have everything I need to start monitoring my company’s credit file immediately?
12. How does D&B gather information on my company?
13. How accurate is D&B data?
14. How can I update the information in my company’s BIR?
15. Who has access to my company’s BIR?
16. Not all of my public filings or other data is represented in my BIR. Why?
17. What is the D&B PAYDEX score and what does it mean?
18. What does the D&B rating represent?   Why don’t I have a rating?
19. Do all reports have financial statements and trade payment information?
20. Where can I find more information on understanding my BIR?

21. What kind of resources are available through IDENTITY GUARD?
22. How frequently are resources updated?

23. What is a credit bureau and how does it obtain my personal information?
24. Do all three credit bureaus collect and report the same information?
25. Who can look at my personal credit report?
26. How long does information stay in my personal credit files?
27. How often should I check my personal credit report?
28. What is NOTIFY EXPRESS^SM?
29. What should I do if I become a victim of identity theft?
30. What is the Fraud Resource Center?
31. How do I dispute inaccurate information?
32. What is the Fair Credit Reporting Act?
33. What is the Federal Trade Commission?

34. What is a personal credit score?
35. What are inquiries and do they affect my personal credit score?
36. Does co-signing a loan affect my personal credit score?
37. I didn’t receive a personal credit score. Why?
38. How does my personal credit score affect me? My business?

1. How secure is the IDENTITY GUARD web site?

Our web site uses the most advanced encryption technology available; 128-bit encrypted Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) keeps your personal information, including your credit card and Social Security numbers, secure from unauthorized access. Netscape 4.0 and higher, Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 and higher and most frame-enabled browsers support SSL. When you begin a transaction, the rest of your visit will take place on our secure server. You will see a small key or padlock in the bottom right corner of your browser if you are using Netscape or Microsoft browsers, indicating that your transaction is secure.

To further ensure that your privacy is protected, IDENTITY GUARD has engaged TruSecure Corporation, a nationally recognized security firm, to conduct a security audit known as Web Certification. According to the Perimeter Risk Assessment results, IDENTITY GUARD has a “solid security posture.”

IDENTITY GUARD complies with the requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and is in compliance with the processing, privacy and security requirements of the national credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion).

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2. What is your privacy policy?

Click here to view our privacy policy.

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3. How can I contact customer care?

Click here for our complete contact information.

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4. How can I retrieve my Username or Password?

Click here to retrieve your Username or Password.

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5. How can I change my Password?

To create a new Password, log in to your Member Area home page and select Account Settings.

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6. How can I change my contact information?

To change your contact information, call our customer care representatives toll-free at 1-800-839-2602, Monday – Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET. Or, to update your e-mail address, log in to your Member Area home page and select Account Settings.

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7. How can I change my delivery method?

You have the option of receiving convenient, anytime, anywhere access to your personal credit information by selecting online delivery. Or, if you wish, you may receive your personal credit information offline. To change your delivery method, log in to your Member Area home page and select Account Settings.

You can also choose how you wish to receive NOTIFY EXPRESS alerts to activity in your credit files. Select e-mail notification for the fastest, most comprehensive alerts available. To change your notification method, log in to your Member Area home page and select Account Settings.

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8. I haven’t received any e-mail from IDENTITY GUARD. Why?

You may not be receiving your personal credit e-mail notifications for one of the following reasons:

• Invalid E-mail Address: You may have entered your e-mail address incorrectly or may have an old e-mail address on file. Please log in to your Member Area home page and select Account Settings to make sure your e-mail address is listed correctly.
• Delivery Options: You will only receive e-mail alerts if you have selected online delivery for receipt of your personal credit information. To review your delivery preferences, log in to your Member Area home page and select Account Settings.
• SPAM Filters: Some SPAM filters may prevent you from receiving e-mail from us. Please check the settings for any SPAM filters you have to ensure that you can receive your e-mail alerts.

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9. How can I change my payment method?

To change your billing information, call our customer care representatives toll-free at 1-800-839-2602, Monday – Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.

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10. When will my credit card be charged?

Your date of purchase or enrollment is also your billing date. For continuity of service, your credit card will be charged on approximately the same date each month.

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11. Do I have everything I need to start monitoring my company’s credit file immediately?

Yes. To view your BIR, log in to your online account or refer to your business credit handbook. Your company’s credit file is monitored every business day and we will notify you via your selected notification method when certain changes are detected.

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12. How does D&B gather information on my company?

D&B gathers information from company contacts, trade tapes, court records, government sources, banks, customers, trade associations, business-to-business publications, financial institutions and other organizations and organizes this data into the key sections of your BIR using a patented matching process.

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13. How accurate is D&B data?

D&B works to ensure the accuracy of your company’s data with DUNSRight™, the process D&B uses to collect, aggregate, edit and verify data from thousands of sources daily so that their customers can use the information to make profitable decisions for their businesses. D&B’s ability to turn an enormous stream of data into high quality business information is what sets them apart from their competitors. The foundation of DUNSRight is Quality Assurance, which includes more than 2,000 separate automated checks, plus many manual ones, to ensure the data meets D&B’s high quality standards. In addition, five quality drivers work sequentially to collect and enhance the data.

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14. How can I update the information in my company’s BIR?

Contact D&B at 1-800-234-3867, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

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15. Who has access to my company’s BIR?

Anyone can order a report on any company in the D&B database. That’s why it’s important to obtain a report on your own company—to ensure your credit information is complete and to know what others see when they make financial decisions about your business.

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16. Not all of my public filings or other data is represented in my business credit report. Why?

D&B collects, aggregates, edits and verifies data from thousands of sources daily. If information is missing from your report, either it has not yet been added to the D&B database or others in your business network have not reported business experience details.

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17. What is the D&B PAYDEX score and what does it mean?

The PAYDEX score is an instant overview of how your company pays its bills, represented by a 1-100 dollar-weighted numerical score of payment performance, calculated using up to 875 payment experiences from trade references reported to D&B. The PAYDEX score key below can help you determine the meaning of your score.

D&B PAYDEX Score Key
PAYDEX		PAYMENT
100		Anticipate
90		Discount
80		Prompt
70		Slow to 15 Days
60		Slow to 22 Days
50		Slow to 30 Days
40		Slow to 60 Days
30		Slow to 90 Days
20		Slow to 120 Days
UN		Unavailable

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18. What does the D&B rating represent?

The D&B rating is an assessment of your company’s size and composite credit appraisal.

Key to Employee Range
ER1		1,000 or more
ER2		500-999
ER3		100-499
ER4		50-99
ER5		20-49
ER6		10-19
ER7		5-9
ER8		1-4
ERN		Not Available

Rating Classification				Composite Credit Appraisal
Based on Worth from Interim or Fiscal Balance Sheet				HIGH	GOOD	FAIR	LIMITED
5A		$50,000,000 and over		1	2	3	4
4A		10,000,000 to 49,999,999		1	2	3	4
3A		1,000,000 to 9,999,999		1	2	3	4
2A		750,000 to 999,999		1	2	3	4
1A		500,000 to 749,999		1	2	3	4
BA		300,000 to 499,999		1	2	3	4
BB		200,000 to 299,999		1	2	3	4
CB		125,000 to 199,999		1	2	3	4
CC		75,000 to 124,999		1	2	3	4
DC		50,000 to 74,999		1	2	3	4
DD		35,000 to 49,999		1	2	3	4
EE		20,000 to 34,999		1	2	3	4
FF		10,000 to 19,999		1	2	3	4
GG		5,000 to 9,999		1	2	3	4
HH		up to 4,999		1	2	3	4
Based on Number of Employees
1R		10 or more			2	3	4
2R		1 to 9			2	3	4

What the Ratings Mean
5A to HH		Reflects company size based on worth or equity as computed by D&B. Company size can be an effective indicator of credit capacity. These ratings are assigned to businesses that have supplied D&B with a current financial statement.
1R and 2R		Reflects company size based on the total number of employees for the business. They are assigned to business files that do not contain a current financial statement.
Composite Credit Appraisal		A number, 1-4, that makes up the second half of the company’s rating and reflects D&B’s overall assessment of that firm’s creditworthiness. Based on analysis by D&B of company payments, financial information, public records, business age and other important factors (where available). A “2” is the highest Composite Credit Appraisal a company can receive if no current financial information is available.
Rating		May include the “- -” symbol or the absence of a D&B Rating. This symbol should not be interpreted as indicating that credit should be denied. It means that the information available to D&B is insufficient to classify the company within the defined rating key and that further inquiry should be made before reaching a credit decision. Some reasons for using the “- -” symbol include deficit net worth, bankruptcy proceedings, lack of sufficient payment information or incomplete history information.

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Why don’t I have a rating?

The D&B rating is an assessment of your company’s size and composite credit appraisal.
If your company’s rating is blank (--), this does not mean that credit should be denied. Rather, it means the information available does not permit D&B to classify your company within D&B’s rating key. Further inquiry will likely be made before reaching a credit decision.

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19. Do all reports have financial statements and trade payment information?

When available, your BIR includes balance sheets, income statements and management estimates or projections. If no financial information appears in the BIR, commentary such as “A financial statement was declined by management.” may be included. If your BIR lacks financial data that you would like to submit, contact D&B at 1-800-234-3867, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

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20. Where can I find more information on understanding my BIR?

For additional help, log in to your Member Area home page and select BIR Help or Glossary.

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21. What kind of resources are available through IDENTITY GUARD?

Our resources provide you with featured articles, practical tips, new business strategies and other business guidance—all in one single place. To help you understand your personal credit better, you can also access financial calculators and research on credit and identity theft.

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22. How frequently are resources updated?

New resources for business owners are added each month. Our editorial staff combs hundreds of sources to bring you the resources you need to help your business grow.

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23. What is a credit bureau and how does it obtain my personal information?

Credit bureaus, or credit reporting agencies, are basically clearinghouses for information about consumers’ credit. Credit bureaus collect information from banks, savings and loans, credit unions, finance companies and retailers about your credit, which they store in a computer database. When you apply for credit, they provide this information to qualified requestors. There are three main credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

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24. Do all three credit bureaus collect and report the same information?

No, because lenders send information to some and not others. Credit bureaus receive more than 2 billion pieces of data each month. Credit reports are available from three main reporting agencies—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—and these "big three" do not exchange information with each other. Therefore each of them may have different information, depending on what was reported to them and by whom.

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25. Who can look at my personal credit report?

The Fair Credit Reporting Act stipulates that lenders to whom a consumer has applied for a loan can view credit reports—for example, credit card companies and financial institutions supplying auto loans and mortgages. But the list continues: landlords, utility companies, phone companies, hospitals, doctors, dentists, insurance companies, credit unions, finance companies, banks, retailers, department stores, credit card companies, car dealers, mortgagers, investigators, lawyers, courts—almost anyone who can give the bureaus just cause can view your credit report.

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26. How long does information stay in my personal credit report?

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.

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27. How often should I check my personal credit report?

Consistently monitoring your credit report is the best way to detect inaccurate information or the early warning signs of identity theft. Checking your report on a regular basis enables you to take the necessary steps to improve your financial position or stop illegal pilfering of your personal information.

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28. What is NOTIFY EXPRESS?

NOTIFY EXPRESS monitors your personal credit files at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion and promptly notifies you of certain changes to your personal credit files.

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29. What should I do if I become a victim of identity theft?

• Report the crime to the police immediately. Get a copy of your police report or case number. Credit card companies, your bank and the insurance company may ask you to reference the report to verify the crime.
• Immediately contact your credit card issuers. Get replacement cards with new account numbers and ask that the old account be processed as "account closed at consumer’s request" for credit record purposes. You should also follow up this telephone conversation with a letter to the credit card company that summarizes your request in writing.
• Call the fraud units of the three credit reporting agencies and ask that your accounts be flagged. Also, add a victim’s statement to your report that requests that they contact you to verify future credit applications:

Equifax Credit Information Services — Consumer Fraud Div.
P.O. Box 105496
Atlanta, Georgia 30348-5496
Tel: (800) 997-2493
www.equifax.com

Experian
P.O. Box 2104
Allen, Texas 75013-2104
Tel: (888) EXPERIAN (397-3742)
www.experian.com

TransUnion Fraud Victim Assistance Dept.
P.O. Box 390
Springfield, PA 19064-0390
Tel: (800) 680-7289
www.transunion.com

• Keep a log of all conversations with authorities and financial entities. And follow-up! Make sure that all creditors or credit bureaus have received what they need from you.
• Review your reports regularly and make sure all changes you requested have been effected.

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30. What is the Fraud Resource Center?

The Fraud Resource Center is a powerful feature of your IDENTITY GUARD membership. Our Fraud Specialists will walk you through all the steps required to restore your credit should you become a victim of fraud or identity theft.

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31. How do I dispute inaccurate information?

For complete details about disputing inaccurate data in your credit report, log in to your Member Area home page and click Dispute Center.

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32. What is the Fair Credit Reporting Act?

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) grants consumers important rights regarding consumer credit, credit files and related matters. Your specific rights are summarized below. You may have additional rights under state law.

• You must be told if information in your file has been used against you. Anyone who uses information from a consumer reporting agency to deny your application for credit, insurance or employment—or take another adverse action against you— must tell you and give you the name, address and phone number of the agency that provided the information.
• You can find out what is in your file. At any time, you may request and obtain your report from a consumer reporting agency. You are entitled to free reports if a person has taken adverse action against you because of information in a report; you are the victim of identify theft or fraud; you are on public assistance; or you are unemployed but expect to apply for employment within 60 days. In addition, you are entitled to one free report every 12 months from each of the nationwide credit reporting agencies and from some specialized consumer reporting agencies.
• You have a right to know your credit score. For a fee, you may request your credit score. In some mortgage transactions, you will receive credit score information without charge.
• You can dispute inaccurate information with the consumer reporting agency. If you tell a consumer reporting agency that your file has inaccurate information, the agency must take certain steps to investigate unless your dispute is frivolous.
• Inaccurate information must be corrected or deleted. A consumer reporting agency or furnisher must remove or correct information verified as inaccurate, usually within 30 days after you dispute it. However, a consumer reporting agency may continue to report negative data that it verifies as being accurate.
• Outdated negative information may not be reported. In most cases, a consumer reporting agency may not report negative information that is more than seven years old, or bankruptcies that are more than ten years old.
• Access to your file is limited. A consumer reporting agency may provide information about you only to people with a valid need as determined by the FCRA—usually to consider an application with a creditor, insurer, employer, landlord or other business.
• Identity theft victims and active-duty military personnel have additional rights. Victims of identity theft have new rights under the FCRA. Active-duty military personnel who are away from their regular duty station may file “active duty” alerts to help prevent identity theft.

For more information, visit www.ftc.gov/credit, or write to:

    Consumer Response Center
    Federal Trade Commission
    600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
    Washington, DC 20580

This product or service is not intended to substitute for the disclosures required by the credit reporting agencies and their laws.

The FCRA gives several federal agencies authority to enforce the FCRA:

NOTICE TO ILLINOIS RESIDENTS: MANY GOVERNMENT RECORDS ARE AVAILABLE FREE OR AT A NOMINAL COST FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. CREDIT REPORTING AGENCIES ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO GIVE YOU A COPY OF YOUR CREDIT RECORD UPON REQUEST AT NO CHARGE OR FOR A NOMINAL FEE.

MA, VT, CO, MD, ME and NJ permit consumers to obtain one credit file per credit reporting agency per year, free of charge.

GA permits consumers to obtain two credit files per credit reporting agency per year free of charge.

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33. What is the Federal Trade Commission?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the federal clearinghouse for complaints by victims of identity theft. Although the FTC does not have the authority to bring criminal cases, the Commission assists victims of identity theft by providing them with information to help them resolve the financial and other problems that can result from identity theft. The FTC also may refer victim complaints to other appropriate government agencies and private organizations for further action. If you have been a victim of identity theft, you can file a complaint with the FTC by contacting the FTC’s Consumer Response Center.

By Phone:	Toll-free 877-FTC-HELP (382-4357) TDD 202-326-2502
By Mail:	Consumer Response Center Federal Trade Commission 600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20580
On the Web:	www.ftc.gov/ftc/complaint.htm
For Consumer Information:	www.ftc.gov/ftc/consumer.htm

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34. What is a personal credit score?

A credit score, calculated from variables in your credit report and other factors determined by lending institutions, is a rating tool used by lenders to gauge an individual’s creditworthiness. Credit scores generally range from 350 to 850. A higher number represents a stronger financial position. Your credit score will fluctuate as often as information in your credit file changes. Consistently monitoring these changes will help you know how creditors and lenders view your financial viability.

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35. What are inquiries and do they affect my personal credit score?

Inquiries are requests for your credit information, including consumer requests for a credit report, lenders using credit information to review an account or a potential employer reviewing a prospective employee’s credit history. Inquiries made for marketing purposes do not affect your credit rating. However, inquiries initiated by the consumer, such as mortgage, auto loan and credit card applications, do affect your credit score; studies have shown that too many such inquiries are a red flag for credit risk. Inquiries do not weigh as heavily as past payment history or number of delinquent accounts.

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36. Does co-signing a loan affect my personal credit score?

Yes. Any loan or credit card account opened in your name, including co-signers and authorized users, affects your score.

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37. I didn’t receive a personal credit score. Why?

A credit score can’t be generated if there’s no information in a credit report, so individuals with little or no credit history will generally not have a score. To remedy this situation, consider applying for a retail, gas or secured credit card to start building credit. Then keep your debt low and pay your bills on time to establish your credit history on a positive note.

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38. How does my personal credit score affect me? My business?

Credit scores—calculated from such information in your credit file as total debt, types of accounts, number of late payments, age of accounts and number of inquiries—give lenders a subjective rating of your creditworthiness. Lenders consider this rating when deciding whether to extend you credit. It’s in your best interest, therefore, to keep your personal credit as robust as possible so you can secure favorable rates and terms. If your credit score is weak, you can often improve it by minimizing outstanding debt, avoiding overextension and limiting new credit applications.

As a small business owner, your personal credit score is vital to both your company’s success and reputation. Lenders consider this rating when deciding whether to extend you the necessary funds to grow your business. A good credit score will help your business secure favorable loan rates and terms.

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