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What is Early Warning Services, and what’s in your EWS report?
Having trouble opening a bank account? Early Warning Services (EWS) might have something to do with it.
EWS, which is owned by seven of the largest banks in the U.S., gathers and reports information about your banking history. The information is then pulled by banks when determining if you qualify for a new account. Unfortunately, these reports aren't always accurate, and they can represent a hurdle for millions of people who need access to banking services.
What do Early Warning Services reports contain?
EWS reports contain records of banking account activity and transactions on your individual and joint checking and savings accounts. The information in these reports is supplied by the banks and credit unions where you've held accounts in the past.
If there's negative information in your report, it will generally stay there for seven years. Other information can stay on file indefinitely. Here's what you can expect to find inside:
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Identifying information: Your name, Social Security number, date of birth, current and past phone numbers and addresses
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Account information: Account history and activity, such as the bank's name, the account number, and account status
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Account mismanagement: Problems or account misuse, including non-sufficient funds, overdrafts, involuntary account closure, bad checks, and fraud
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Inquiries: Which institutions have pulled your EWS report and when
Who uses Early Warning Services?
More than 80% of banks pull your banking reports when they screen your account applications. Along with ChexSystems, your Early Warning Systems report is the most relied upon source used by financial institutions for this kind of screening. Pulling your EWS report allows financial institutions to:
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Determine if you're too risky to be approved for an account
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Determine if you qualify for a loan or credit card (for people who have little-to-no credit history)
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Verify your identity
While many banks use these reports, some offer products that are available whether or not you have a negative banking history. "Second chance" bank accounts, for example, don't usually have all the features you get with regular accounts, but they're easier to qualify for.
Aside from banks, some retailers also use EWS reports to decide if your checks can be accepted.
Read more: What is ChexSystems, and how do you find out if you're listed?
When should I check my Early Warning Services report?
Most people don't think about Early Warning Systems reports until something bad happens, like being denied a new bank account. But there are other scenarios where you'll want to get a look at your report. Here's when you'll want to pull it:
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You've been a victim of bank fraud, identity theft, or check fraud and want to clean up the damage
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You're having trouble opening a bank account or using checks, and you want to pinpoint and fix the problem
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You have an outstanding bank fee or an unpaid overdraft, and you want to know who to pay and how much you owe
Read more: Here's what to do if your bank account application was denied
How to get a copy of your EWS report
You can request a free copy of your EWS report once every 12 months, and additional free copies are available any time your report is used to deny you a new account.
Here's the process for requesting your EWS report online:
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Go to ConsumerServices.EarlyWarning.com and click "Register and Send Files."
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When prompted for a Recipient Email, enter [email protected].
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Create a User ID and password.
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Upload any applicable documents.
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Receive your report by mail within roughly 15 days.
You can also request your report by calling 1-800-745-1560, or by printing the request form and mailing it here:
Early Warning
5801 N. Pima Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85250
How to get removed from Early Warning Services
Like credit reports, you can only get errors and incomplete information removed from your EWS report. In other words, there's no way to remove negative but accurate information before it's due to fall off.
You might be tempted to pay a credit repair company or other agency to "fix" the report for you, but they don't have the ability to remove accurate information either.
Instead of paying for a so-called fix, you can file a dispute for free with EWS or with the company that reported the information. The National Consumer Law Center recommends doing both.
Disputes can be filed with EWS in a few different ways. One option is to visit ConsumerServices.EarlyWarning.com (Enter [email protected] for Recipient's email). You can also file a dispute by mail using the following address:
Early Warning
Attn: Consumer Services
5801 N. Pima Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85250
When you file, be sure to include the specific reasons for the dispute, along with your Consumer ID Number and copies of all supporting documents. Once submitted, EWS will investigate and send you a response within 30 days. If your dispute is unsuccessful, you can write a rebuttal statement to add to your report.
For unpaid balances that appear on your EWS report, another approach is to try and resolve the issue. For example, you might pay off old bank fees or other outstanding debt. Doing so won't remove the negative records from your report, but it can improve your chances of being approved for a new bank account.
Frequently asked questions
Is Early Warning Services LLC legitimate?
Early Warning Services is a legitimate consumer reporting company that's jointly owned by seven major banks in the U.S. and used by over 2,500 banks to review your banking history.
How long does Early Warning stay on record?
Positive or neutral information can stay on your Early Warning Service report indefinitely, but negative information falls off after seven years.
Does Early Warning Services affect credit scores?
No, your Early Warning Service report does not have information about your credit accounts or credit history and has no impact on your credit scores.
Read more: Does closing a bank account hurt your credit score?
