Hurricane Credit Relief

As our Gulf Coast region begins the largest rebuilding effort in our nation's history, Experian is well aware that the millions of consumers who have been affected by this disaster have a tremendous need for assistance to deal with issues regarding their financial health and well-being.

Experian is offering the following recommendations to their clients:

• Secretary of the Treasury John Snow recently delivered a speech that rendered a number of recommendations which included waiving of late fees and to delay reporting delinquencies. You may view the entire speech by clicking of the following website address www.ustreas.gov/press/release/js2700.htm
• Special Comment code AW (Affected by Natural or Declared Disaster) can be used when reporting data or responding to a dispute.
• Report the account as 'Deferred' and include Special Comment code 'AW' (for specific reporting instructions, refer to the attached bulletin from CDIA)
• Experian has implemented special procedures for dropping zip codes from the affected areas for consumer Prescreen programs.
• Businesses in the affected regions can be suppressed from marketing lists upon request.
• Special alerts have been added to business credit reports accessed through Experian's internet to help identify companies that may have been affected by the hurricane.

Experian has taken the following steps to assist consumers:

• Special assistance information for the Gulf Coast Hurricane victims is available on the Experian website at www.experian.com/consumer.
• Implemented procedures for consumers to receive a free copy of their consumer report. Consumers can request their report at www.annualcreditreport.com or by our new dedicated toll free number - 866-966-1067, which was established specifically to assist consumers in the affected areas.
• Implemented procedures for consumers to obtain credit reports on missing or deceased family members located on the Experian website www.experian.com/consumer.
• Implemented special procedures for consumers to add the Initial Fraud Alert message to their reports to combat identity theft.
• Implemented procedures to assist the consumer in adding a general statement to file referencing the disaster.
• Provide consumers with information on Opt Out - so that they will be removed from all solicitation programs.
• An industry initiative to create a new E-OSCAR consumer dispute code 'Consumer claims victim of natural/declared disaster' is underway and should be available shortly.
• Worked with the United States Postal Service to identify affected zip codes and suppress the delivery of direct mail.