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Phone Numbers On Credit Report

maire5

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2018
232
208
I noticed that one of the credit reporting agencies lists most of my cell phone numbers from all time. Of course this defeats the purpose of trying to have a private number like I used to have with an unlisted phone line in the past. Anyone know how I can have a private number nowadays? I also found my “landline” (bundled with cable tv) number online one time. I intend to remedy that by cancelling the service since I don’t use it anyway.
 
Anyone know how I can have a private number nowadays?
Only people you authorize to view your credit reports can see those phone numbers. Your credit reports are private; the credit bureaus cannot and do not share personal data, like your phone numbers, with random people.

Have you initiated a hard credit inquiry lately? By applying for a credit card, car loan, mortgage, etc.? If not, no one's seeing your phone numbers. At least not the ones in your credit reports.
 
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Only people you authorize to view your credit reports can see those phone numbers. Your credit reports are private; the credit bureaus cannot and do not share personal data, like your phone numbers, with random people.

Have you initiated a hard credit inquiry lately? By applying for a credit card, car loan, mortgage, etc.? If not, no one's seeing your phone numbers. At least not the ones in your credit reports.

As must as I like to argue, I can't argue with the lady. She's right.
 
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I use prepaid phones (except for one recent instance). They ask for that information anyway. I read somewhere that one can not give them fake identification. I do not provide my phone number to credit bureaus and I have never authorized any entity to go giving out my number to anyone else, credit bureaus or not. I thought only law enforcement and court orders applied to divulging private information, but apparently not. Since no prepaid phone service has ever had to come after me for payment, I do not see what gave them the right to give this information to the credit bureau. I was just wondering if anyone knew of any way possible to have a real private number.
 
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I use prepaid phones (except for one recent instance). They ask for that information anyway. I read somewhere that one can not give them fake identification. I do not provide my phone number to credit bureaus and I have never authorized any entity to go giving out my number to anyone else, credit bureaus or not. I thought only law enforcement and court orders applied to divulging private information, but apparently not. Since no prepaid phone service has ever had to come after me for payment, I do not see what gave them the right to give this information to the credit bureau. I was just wondering if anyone knew of any way possible to have a real private number.

Nothing like that is private, anymore, sadly.
 
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Only people you authorize to view your credit reports can see those phone numbers. Your credit reports are private; the credit bureaus cannot and do not share personal data, like your phone numbers, with random people.

Have you initiated a hard credit inquiry lately? By applying for a credit card, car loan, mortgage, etc.? If not, no one's seeing your phone numbers. At least not the ones in your credit reports.

Unless the credit bureau had a data breach and personal data was leaked out? Which happened for both Equifax and Experian.
 
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Unless the credit bureau had a data breach and personal data was leaked out? Which happened for both Equifax and Experian.
Yes, you're correct--but the crackers who got in were after Social Security numbers, so they could steal identities, open credit cards fraudulently, etc., not phone numbers.
 
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Ahh, for the good old days when wired phone service actually worked and one could have an unlisted number.
My landline works great! Yes, a real, physical, analog, hard-wired landline. :eek:

No dropped calls, no static, no spotty coverage, no wondering why the other party has been silent for awhile, etc. I plan to keep mine until they're no longer supported--if that day ever comes...but I don't think it will.

Doctors, stores, restaurants, banks, credit card companies, hospitals, police and fire departments, schools, customer service centers, every imaginable business out there will always want stable, reliable calls and connections. So I don't see landlines going the way of the dinosaurs.

Is there a reason you don't have one? Mine is partially due to spotty cell reception [because of the nearby San Gabriel Mountains], but mostly personal preference.
 
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