Help Center***BREAKING NEWS: ABA-backed bill to ban abusive trigger leads signed into law ***
What Exactly Is a Trigger Lead?
When you apply for a mortgage or refinance, you authorize the lender to pull your credit report. Every credit inquiry includes specific industry codes that indicate the permissible purpose for the pull. When those codes show the inquiry is mortgage-related, the three major credit bureaus — Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax — are notified that you are actively shopping for a home loan.
The bureaus then package your name, contact information, credit score range, and loan details into what is called a “trigger lead” and sell it to other lenders, brokers, and loan companies.
Important clarification: The credit reseller (like KCB Credit) is also NOT selling it. The data is being sold directly by Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax themselves.
Within days — sometimes hours — you can expect an avalanche of phone calls, emails, and mailed offers from competing lenders aggressively trying to win your business.
Is This Legal?
Yes, it is completely legal in all 50 states. The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) CEO has confirmed that, under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), any company that meets the legal requirements can purchase and use trigger leads.
The Federal Trade Commission has historically supported the practice, arguing it increases competition and gives consumers more choices. For most borrowers, however, the reality feels far more like harassment than helpful competition.
How Trigger Leads Are Sold
These leads are typically sold in large batches. Buyers can filter them by virtually any criteria they want:
- Credit score ranges
- Age
- Geographic area or specific zip codes
- Current mortgage balance or payment amount
- Loan-to-value ratio
- And many other variables
Steps You Can Take to Reduce or Delay Trigger Lead Solicitations
While nothing is 100% foolproof in today’s data environment, these actions significantly cut down the volume:
- Opt out at OptOutPrescreen.com
This is the single most effective step for mortgage and credit card offers. It’s free, lasts five years (or permanently if you mail in the form), and is operated by the three major bureaus themselves. Do it at least 1–2 weeks before you plan to apply for a mortgage for best results. - Register with the National Do Not Call Registry (donotcall.gov)
Free and usually effective within 24 hours. Existing trigger leads that were already sold can still be used for up to 31 days after you register, but new ones will be blocked. Note: Some aggressive lenders get around this by calling with “informational” messages instead of direct sales pitches — a common loophole. - Stop direct mail offers at DMAchoice.org
For a small processing fee (currently $2 online), you can opt out of unsolicited loan offers and other junk mail for 10 years. - Ask your loan officer to leave your phone number and email off the initial application (Uniform Residential Loan Application/1003 and the credit order screen). They can add it later once your loan is further along. This prevents your contact info from being included in the trigger lead data that gets sold.
No combination of these steps is a perfect shield. Personal information is widely available through data brokers, public records, online purchases, and countless other sources. Determined callers can often find a phone number through skip-tracing or other methods.
That said, borrowers who take these proactive steps almost always report receiving far fewer calls and mailers — often the difference between a manageable few contacts and an overwhelming flood.
Taking these precautions ahead of time is one of the easiest ways to keep your mortgage shopping experience as peaceful and private as possible.
Please contact support@kcbcredit.com if you have any questions.