The Fair Credit Reporting Law grants you the right to get a copy of your credit reports each year. This was enacted by the FTC to permit consumers to audit their credit profile for flaws and misuse. It is useful know ways to get free credit score reports and take advantage of your legal rights.
What Is Detailed in Credit Reports
Every credit report consists of personal facts and finances. It notes your past addresses, credit cards and mortgages, and monetary judgments such as a law suit or bankruptcy. This report is analyzed by lenders, employers, insurers, and others to gauge your credit worthiness. It is thus very important to ensure that your report does not have any mistakes.
Where Can I Request a Copy of My Credit Report
There are three separate credit bureaus: Experian, Transunion, and Equifax. Each can maintain slightly varying sets of data on you. They also compile scores differently. You may get a copy of your reports online at annualcreditreport.com. This website was set up for this specific purpose. You may also call them at 1-877-322-8228 or mail a specific request form to them. You must give your name, date of birth, social security number, and current and past addresses to verify your identity.
Alternate Online Options
There are several additional sites that use information from specific credit bureaus and observe activity. They inform you of specific activity in your file (such as your credit score being reviewed or new debts being established). This is helpful for following your score between reviewing the full annual reports and notifying you of any acts of fraud.
CreditKarma.com is one website that provides no-cost monitoring and will not even require a credit card. Many other sites are publicized as free but actually assess a fee beyond the first month, so ask about the terms when registering. Additionally, be careful of fraudulent websites that are located at typical mis-typing of urls. These websites are established to steal your private information.
Summary of Ways To Get Free Credit Score Reports
This overview on ways to get free credit score reports will help you get control over your credit activity. Fetch a copy of your credit report and review it carefully. Contact the credit agencies to fix errors. For more complex matters, consider hiring a credit consultant for further guidance. This blog is intended merely as an introduction and should not be taken as legal advice.