Avoiding Unsolicited Offers: Your Guide to Managing Trigger Leads

Key Takeaways

• Be cautious of unsolicited loan offers across various types of loans, including mortgages, HELOCs, credit cards, and auto loans.
  

• Ask detailed questions about loan terms, fees, and penalties to ensure you fully understand any offers you receive.
  

• Opt out of trigger leads to protect your privacy and avoid potential identity theft.
  

If you're applying for any type of loan, whether it's a mortgage, HELOC, credit card, or auto loan, you might encounter unsolicited credit offers, also known as trigger leads. In this article, we’ll walk through what these are, what you should watch for, and how you can avoid them.

What are Trigger Leads and How Do They Work?

Trigger leads are generated by national credit bureaus. When you apply for any loan, your information can be sold to other lenders. These lenders then use your information to reach out to you with various loan offers, which can result in a flood of unexpected calls, texts, and emails.

What to Watch For

Trigger leads can happen for various types of applications. While some view these solicitations as helpful, others find them irritating. If you're considering these offers, it's essential to ask the right questions. Important inquiries include understanding the loan terms (such as fixed or adjustable-rate for mortgages, or the interest rate and rewards for credit cards), closing costs, prepayment penalties, and balloon payments.

It's crucial to be cautious about who you're communicating with. Trigger leads can make you vulnerable to identity theft, with scammers posing as legitimate lenders. Be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true and make sure any offer you receive is from a trusted source, like Credit Union of Texas (CUTX).

How to Avoid Trigger Leads

Fortunately, you can take steps to avoid trigger leads altogether. Opt out in advance when applying for a loan. This prevents credit bureaus from sharing your information with other lenders.

The Benefits of Opting Out

By applying with a trusted institution like CUTX, you've already done your homework and you’re done with the hard part. Additional credit pulls from unknown lenders can potentially impact your credit score. Opting out of trigger leads ensures you're "one and done" – you've already chosen your lender, and you don't need to deal with unsolicited offers that could put your financial security at risk.

Opting Out

Avoiding trigger leads is as simple as opting out:

• Call the toll-free number 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688).
• Sign up for www.optoutprescreen.com, the official Consumer Credit Reporting Industry website. You can opt out for five years or permanently.

Explore Loan Solutions with Us

At Credit Union of Texas, we're here to help you navigate your loan options without the hassle of trigger leads. Talk to one of our loan originators or contact us today to learn more about our loan solutions.