Hunt for the Perfect Score

During February, TrueCredit will award anyone in America who has earned a score of 990 with $1,000 and a lifetime of free Credit Alerts. You must achieve a score of 990 when you order TrueCredit's score based on TransUnion data.

Official Rules:
You must purchase a credit score from TrueCredit. The score can be purchased with either a Single Credit Report or a 3-in-1 Credit Report. The Hunt for the Perfect Credit Score (The Hunt) is void where prohibited or restricted by law. All participants are bound by these rules and all decisions of TrueCredit are final. Participants are responsible for all federal, state, and local taxes. Participants must be U.S. residents and must be 18 years of age or older. By entering The Hunt, you are consenting to TrueCredit's use of your name and likeness in promotional and marketing activities and with respect to a list of participants, all without further compensation. Select participants shall be posted on this Web site after February 28, 2005. The Hunt shall commence on February 1, 2005 and end at midnight Pacific Time on February 28, 2005. The rules may be subject to change.

scores ranging between 501-990, earning the best possible credit score reflects years of responsible financial management & credit use.

During the month of February, TrueCredit is searching across the country for people who have achieved the perfect score. TrueCredit will award anyone in America who has earned a perfect TransUnion score with $1,000 and a lifetime of free Credit Alerts to help them keep their perfect score and guard against identity theft (see the sidebar for official rules). Curious if you qualify? Click here to receive a free score when you purchase your complete credit report now.

Not quite a perfect 990? Here are five simple tips for managing your credit:

1. Always pay your bills on time - Payment history is one of the most important factors in determining your credit score. Your credit report keeps track of your payments for 7 years, so make sure that your records are squeaky clean.

2. Use various types of credit actively for an extended period - Time is also a major factor in your credit score. Keeping your accounts open and active for a long time (7+ years) makes you appear to creditors as an established and reliable borrower. Creditors also like to see that you have a healthy balance of different types of credit and loan accounts.

3. Avoid excess debt - Keeping your debt under control signals to lenders that you are a responsible consumer. Using your credit regularly and having loans is good for your credit, but avoid maxing out your credit cards or carrying high balances.

4. Apply for credit in moderation - Too many inquiries can lower your score and too many new accounts can make you appear risky to creditors. It's better to only apply for accounts that you know you want to keep open for the long haul. Remember, checking your own credit doesn't harm your score.

5. Stay positive - Negative records such as bankruptcy filings, judgments, tax liens and collection records will remain on your credit report for 7-10 years and can do some damage to your credit score. Prevent these types of records by using your credit responsibly and