Aug 09
26
How Applying for a Home Loan Can Put A Giant Target on Your Back
How Applying for a Home Loan Can Put a Big Fat Target on Your Back For Perhaps Less Scrupulous Brokers! How Not to Become a Trigger Lead…
Chances are you may never have heard of the term trigger lead before today.
While you're wrapping up your home purchase, lenders are buying your information from your mortgage company. These companies know your credit history, how much you owe and to whom, what type of loan you have applied to get and which lender is working with you on obtaining that loan.
After you close on your new home, lenders will receive even more personal information about you. They will not hesitate to call you, send you direct mail solicitations to refinance and hound you at every turn of every corner.
Fortunately, you have the power to stop them. There are three essential steps you can take to put an end to this madness . . . read more about how to protect yourself from becoming a Trigger Lead.
Don’t be caught off guard by unwittingly becoming a trigger lead.
Say you decide to buy a home and get a mortgage. So, you call a mortgage broker recommended to you by your Realtor, a family member or a friend. Maybe this is a reputable mortgage lender with whom you’ve done business in the past. You complete a loan application and receive a letter of preapproval.
Then, out of the clear blue, a different mortgage lender calls you. The lender might say they are affiliated with a credit bureau or give some other red-flag reason for calling. Your suspicions are aroused. You wonder, how did they know you were getting a mortgage and why are they calling you?
When you apply for a loan, your mortgage professional pulls a copy of your credit report. This triggers an inquiry. The credit bureau then turns around and sells your name to other mortgage companies. It’s not against the law for credit bureaus to sell your information to third-party vendors. This is called a trigger lead.
Stopping Trigger Leads
You’re about to enter into one of the biggest transactions of your life, and the last thing you need is a loan rep calling you and offering up phony interest rates. Deal with a trusted professional, not some telemarketer. Don’t ever buy anything over the phone.
Here are three ways to stop trigger lead harassment:
- Put your name and phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry. You can register your cell phone number as well. Do this at least a month before you apply for a loan because it takes 31 days to become effective. Make a note to re-register every five years because the order expires at the end of five years.
- To prevent mortgage lenders from sending you direct mail, you will need to register with the Direct Mail Association. Whether you register online or through mail, it will cost you $1.00, which can be charged to your credit card. Register early because the DMA distributes its lists quarterly, so it could take a while to become effective. This registration is good for five years.
- Sign up for www.OptOutPrescreen.com. This will stop the four credit bureaus from selling your name as a trigger lead. They are: Equifax, Experian, Innovis and TransUnion. The Fair Credit Reporting Act allows the sale of your name, but opting out puts a stop to trigger leads for five years.
By opting out, you can add 10 to 15 points to your credit score! For permanent restraint, you will need to mail in your registration, which is also available on the OptOut Web site.
