What Is Experian CreditWorks Plus?

CreditWorks Plus continuously scans your Experian credit file for new accounts, hard inquiries, credit‑limit changes and personal‑information updates, sends real‑time alerts by email or app, supplies your FICO Score 8 and a score‑simulator to see how actions like paying down debt could move the number,

offers up‑to‑$1 million identity‑theft insurance and dedicated recovery specialists, and bundles discounts on Experian's full‑report and identity‑theft‑protection services, features revisited in the monitoring, pricing, and identity‑theft sections that follow.

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• CreditWorks Plus monitors all three major bureaus daily and sends real‑time alerts for new accounts, inquiries, and public‑record changes.
• It delivers three free FICO® Scores (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax) plus a VantageScore, and provides a downloadable full credit report each month.
• The service includes identity‑theft protection: up to $1 million insurance, dark‑web surveillance, and on‑demand credit lock or freeze.
• A built‑in score simulator shows how upcoming credit actions could shift your numbers, and personalized tips guide improvements.
• You receive a 30‑day loan‑rate price‑lock with participating lenders and access to Experian's dispute‑resolution tools.

CreditWorks Plus continuously scans your Experian credit file and sends alerts the moment a change occurs.

1. Pulls data from Experian every 24‑30 hours, creating a fresh snapshot of your report.
2. Compares the snapshot to your baseline; flags new hard inquiries, opened accounts, address updates, public records, and score swings.
3. Sends an email, mobile push, or dashboard notification that names the exact change and assigns a risk level.
4. Offers a one‑click 'dispute' shortcut or clear next‑step guidance so you can respond immediately.

For full technical specs, see CreditWorks Plus monitoring details.

CreditWorks Plus does not change your credit score because it only uses soft inquiries, which the credit bureaus record without affecting the rating. The service gives you real‑time score access and alerts, but it never performs a hard pull on its own.

If you act on an alert - say, apply for a loan or a new credit card - that separate application will trigger a hard inquiry and could lower your score. For the mechanics of soft versus hard pulls, see Experian's explanation of inquiries and credit scores.

CreditWorks Plus costs $24.99 per month after a 30‑day free trial, or $199 per year if you choose the annual plan. The trial begins immediately, and you must cancel before it ends to avoid automatic enrollment.

• 30‑day free trial - full access to monitoring, alerts, and identity‑theft tools; no card required.
• Monthly plan - $24.99 billed each month; auto‑renews unless you opt out.
• Annual plan - $199 paid once a year (equivalent to $16.58 / month); saves $100 versus monthly billing.
• Cancellation - can be done online or by phone at any time; you keep access until the current period ends.
• What's included - all features listed in the 'what features you get' section, plus identity‑theft insurance up to $1 million.

The price covers continuous credit‑file updates, fraud alerts, and the identity‑theft assistance detailed later, all managed through your Experian dashboard. For the latest rates and sign‑up, see the Experian CreditWorks Plus pricing page.

• CreditWorks Plus serves anyone who wants real‑time Experian monitoring and identity‑theft protection, especially those planning major credit events.
• People about to apply for a mortgage, auto loan, or other large credit line benefit from instant score alerts and pre‑qualification tools.
• Individuals with a history of identity‑theft or who use utilities, rentals, and telecom services gain extra coverage from Experian's extended data sources.
• Families with multiple adults appreciate separate monitoring and score tracking for each household member.
• Tech‑savvy users who rely on an app for instant notifications, dispute guidance, and detailed credit‑report insights find CreditWorks Plus indispensable.

CreditWorks Plus provides real‑time alerts, a dedicated recovery specialist, and up to $1 million in identity‑theft insurance that cover the costs of fixing a breach. The service also files the necessary police reports and FTC Identity Theft Reports on your behalf, and it works directly with creditors to lock or close compromised accounts.

If a new credit card pops up you don't recognize, CreditWorks Plus instantly emails and texts you, then assigns a specialist who contacts the issuer, disputes the charge, and starts the restoration process. When a tax‑refund scam is flagged, the team files the required paperwork, reimburses any lost funds within the insurance limit, and monitors your credit for any follow‑up activity. In a data‑breach scenario, the service drafts fraud alerts, places a credit freeze for free, and guides you through password changes and two‑factor authentication setup, all without extra fees.

When CreditWorks Plus notifies you of a potential issue, act immediately to verify and protect your credit.

1. Open the alert in your online dashboard or mobile app; note the date, type, and affected account.
2. Identify whether the activity is yours; if you recognize it, mark the alert as safe, otherwise continue.
3. Activate the one‑click freeze or lock feature to block new credit inquiries on the compromised account.
4. File a dispute through the platform and upload supporting documents; Experian's Identity Theft Resolution team will handle the creditor contact (CreditWorks Plus support center).
5. Follow any additional steps the team recommends - change passwords, place fraud alerts with the other bureaus, and keep an eye on the 'Alerts' tab for updates.

CreditWorks Plus lets you monitor your credit in real time while you prepare a mortgage, so any score dip or new inquiry triggers an instant alert you can address before the lender sees it (Experian CreditWorks Plus overview).

Log into the dashboard, download the latest Experian report, and use the built‑in dispute tool to correct errors; the service also provides a one‑click score‑share feature that many lenders accept as a verified snapshot.

Because the platform shows a 'mortgage scenario' simulation, you can see how a new loan will affect your score and adjust down‑payment or credit‑card balances accordingly; the next section compares this depth with free Experian tools and rivals.

Equifax will split a mixed or merged file when you present clear proof that two separate consumers are being combined under one deceased flag.

1. Identify the merger. Pull the consumer's credit report (see section 1) and note every account that belongs to a living person but shows the deceased indicator.
2. Collect separation evidence. Gather each person's government‑issued ID, Social Security number confirmation, and any probate or death‑certificate documents that prove the living individual's identity is distinct from the deceased.
3. Write a formal unmerge request. State the consumer's full name, date of birth, and Equifax file number; explain that the file contains records for both a living person and a deceased individual; request that Equifax 'unmerge' the records and remove the deceased flag from the living consumer's portion. Attach the IDs, SSN match letters, and probate papers.
4. Submit via certified mail. Send the letter and attachments to Equifax Consumer Relations, P.O. Box 105069, Atlanta, GA 30348, with a return‑receipt request. Certified mail provides the tracking evidence CFPB investigators often require.
5. Track the 30‑day response window. Equifax must investigate within 30 days of receipt. If they respond that the file remains merged, request a written explanation and copy of the investigation file.
6. Escalate if needed. Forward the refusal and supporting docs to the CFPB at file a complaint or contact your state regulator, citing the unmerge request and Equifax's incomplete investigation.

Following these steps forces Equifax to treat the living consumer's credit as a separate file, removing the erroneous deceased flag and preventing future disputes.

• CreditWorks Plus has a few notable limitations and common complaints you'll run into.
• The monthly fee jumps to $19.99 after the free trial, and Experian rarely offers a price‑lock guarantee.
• Credit score updates arrive only once per month, so rapid score swings aren't reflected in real time.
• Alerts sometimes lag 24 - 48 hours, leaving users exposed to recent fraud before they're notified.
• Identity‑theft help stops at alerts and basic advice; full recovery services cost extra and aren't included in the subscription.
• Customer support leans heavily on a chatbot; reaching a live agent often means a wait of 15 minutes or more.