What is a Trigger Lead?
When applying for a mortgage with Grand Savings Bank your credit report is pulled from the three major credit bureaus. This action is the trigger –the credit agencies know you are in the market for a mortgage. Credit bureaus may sell your data to other mortgage companies. This data may include your name, email, debt info, address, income, and credit score.
Are Trigger Leads Legal?
The short answer is: yes. And trigger leads are in the consumer’s interest. According to the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, trigger leads allow for more competition between mortgage companies. In theory, it benefits the customer by giving you more options and making sure you get the best possible deal on your financing. But in practice, we encourage our customers to be alert for trigger leads. They can sometimes expose customers to identity theft, predatory lenders or just plain cause confusion during the process of taking out a loan.
How to Avoid Trigger Leads
Here are a few simple actions you can take to protect yourself:
- Register for Opt-Out Prescreen at www.optoutprescreen.com to stop credit bureaus from selling your information for five years.
- Register your name and phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry at www.donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222 from each phone number you wish to protect.
- Sign up with the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service to opt out of commercial mailings for five years with a $1 processing fee at www.dmachoice.org.
And if you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to contact your lending officer. We are here to help guide you through this process.