If your credit scores stay the same, keeping your bank accounts linked can help your overall credit health and may help boost your FICO® Score in time. If your bank accounts stay linked, Experian will continue to check for qualifying on-time payments and will add them to your credit file if they are found.
Experian wants access to consumers' bank accounts as part of an effort to help people boost their credit scores.
The short answer is yes, it's safe to link bank accounts. Linking bank accounts is as safe as any other banking activity. The level of security provided depends on your bank or credit union.
Is Experian safe? Experian is a safe and globally recognized credit reporting agency that offers identity theft protection and business credit assistance. Its services are ideal for consumers who want to raise their credit score by developing healthy credit habits.
Experian Boost is a well-intentioned feature. If you're someone who has a thin credit history who pays their phone or utility bill with a bank account, Experian Boost might be a good option to build up your FICO Score. However, with the average credit score increase of 13 points. Results may vary.
Even if it doesn't help you, however, Experian Boost will not hurt your credit score. For one thing, Experian Boost looks at your banking data, not your credit history. This means there is no credit inquiry. Plus, Experian Boost only includes on-time payments, which add positive payment history.
If you don't see your bank listed, you can let Experian know by clicking the “I can't find my bank” tab. Enter your bank's name; this will alert Experian Boost. You will receive a message letting you know that they are looking into adding your bank and letting you know when added.
In short—yes, Experian Boost is safe. Experian utilizes read-only access to your bank statement data to find your qualifying payments made to telecom and utility companies. This process is secure, and Experian does not store any consumer bank credentials—it only stores a record of any qualifying on-time payments.
Is it okay to give it to them? Yes. The credit reporting agencies ask for your Social Security Number (or Taxpayer ID Number) and other personal information to identify you and avoid sending your credit report to the wrong person. It is okay to give this information to the credit reporting agency that you call.
Banks and Stores
Experian, TransUnion and Equifax are the three largest credit reporting agencies, and most major banks use them to come up with a combined FICO score. International financial organizations such as Barclays, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, MBNA and Nationwide are examples of those that rely on Experian.
Unfortunately, linking services can also increase the attacks targeting you, such as creating a custom email to obtain your banking or credit card information by pretending to be a representative from your bank or your financial app. Information gained from one account could be used to access another account.
Is credit card linking mandatory? No, you do not have to link your credit card to your bank account. It is optional. However, it is recommended as you can manage multiple facilities without hassles of calling the bank.
The linked accounts feature enables you to specify extra accounts that are required by the CPM to logon to a remote device or to log on as a privileged user to change the original password.
When you log into your Experian account, you'll see a field titled Connected Accounts at the bottom right of your screen. Simply click 'disconnect' to begin the process of disconnecting your bank account.
Experian Boost works by connecting to your bank account(s) to find qualifying on-time bill payments and, with your permission, adding those payments to your credit file. The process takes about five minutes, and you'll see any changes to your credit scores instantly.
Is Experian Accurate? Credit scores from the credit bureaus are only as accurate as the information provided to the bureau. Check your credit report to ensure all the information is correct. If it is, your Experian credit scores are accurate.
Our Verdict: Credit Karma has better credit monitoring and more features, but Experian actually gives you your “real” credit score. Plus it offers the wonderful Experian Boost tool. Since they're both free, it's worth it to get both of them.
If you believe someone is using your Social Security number to work, get your tax refund, or other abuses involving taxes, contact the IRS online or call 1-800-908-4490. You can order free credit reports annually from the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion).
A Social Security number (SSN) is helpful when compiling your credit history because it is the only identifier uniquely assigned to each U.S. consumer. Experian will ask for it when you order your own credit report to help ensure that we provide you a complete and accurate report.
The new address will be reported to Experian when the lenders update your account history. Updates are usually made after the end of the billing cycle, so you should allow at least 30 to 45 days for the new address to be added.
Consumers in the state who saw a FICO® Score increase using Experian Boost improved their scores by 16.6 points on average.
Experian Boost also isn't permanent. If you decide it isn't for you, you can remove your data via Boost at any time. It's important to note, however, that the credit score calculated through Experian Boost is based off the FICO Score 8 model and works with FICO 9, VantageScore 3 and VantageScore 4.
How Often Can You Check Your Credit Score? You can check your credit score as often as you want without hurting your credit, and it's a good idea to do so regularly. At the very minimum, it's a good idea to check before applying for credit, whether it's a home loan, auto loan, credit card or something else.