Why am I being contacted by so many lenders?

Trigger Leads

We've been hearing from several of our Loan Officers, that their clients are getting bombarded by other lenders calling them out of the blue.  "How did they even get my number?  Are you selling my information?  This is crazy!" - said one client.

The answer is emphatically, absolutely not!  HomeTrust Mortgage values your privacy and only shares information with those directly related to your loan approval and closing. 

However, Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union (the 3 major Credit Bureaus) take advantage or the situation.  When you apply for a mortgage or pre-approval - the lender is going to need a credit report to validate the approval.  The Credit Bureaus sell that info to other mortgage lenders.

Some identify the sale of this contact information as a "Trigger Lead" - meaning when a mortgage lender requests a credit report, the bureau's computer systems categorize it as a mortgage inquiry.  They then sell the contact info to other mortgage lenders for cold-calling purposes, marked as someone who has inquired about a mortgage.

Why is this legal?

We don't think it should be, but unfortunately, it is.  The Federal Government has repeatedly favored the Credit Bureaus in this matter, citing that increased competition is more important than privacy.

What can you do about it?

The Federal Trade Commission recommends three options:

  • Make sure you are on the Do Not Call Registry.  Click here to register your number now.  Processing your request is usually completed within 24 hours.
  • Visit OptOutPrescreen.com to opt-out of information sharing.  This will prevent the sale of "trigger leads" as well as prevent the sale of your information for pre-approved credit card and insurance offers.  If you opt-out online you must renew it every 5 years.  If you opt-out by mail the request is permanent.  This process can take 5-7 business days to take effect.
  • DMAchoice.org is another option to help with the amount of physical junk mail you receive.  Registration lasts 10 years and it costs $4 to process your request.

HomeTrust Mortgage values the time and privacy of every consumer during their mortgage process, even those of our competitors. We do not participate in the purchase of other lenders' mortgage trigger leads.      

  


* Specific loan program availability and requirements may vary. Please get in touch with your mortgage advisor for more information.