How To Get Free Credit Reports

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (also known as FCRA) requires the big three nationwide consumer reporting agencies to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once a year. The FCRA monitors the accuracy and privacy of information contained in the records of Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, the nation’s consumer reporting companies. The Federal Trade Commission (also known as the FTC) is the nation’s consumer protection agency and enforces the FCRA when it comes to consumer reporting agencies.

A credit report includes information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you have been sued, arrested, had a judgement against you or filed for bankruptcy in the last ten years. Nationwide consumer reporting agencies sell this information to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use your credit worthiness to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home.

How To Order Your Free Credit Report

Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion credit reporting agencies have set up a toll-free telephone number, a central website, and a mailing address. You are allowed by law to request a free copy of your annual credit report once a year through these three avenues. 

To order your free credit report, surf to annualcreditreport.com and fill out the information securely online. YOu may also  call 1-877-322-8228 toll free to request your report or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to:

Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

The form is located on the back of this brochure; or you can print it directly from  ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/credit. Do not contact the reporting companies individually for your free credit report. They are only offering thios free service online through annualcreditreport.com, by phone at 1-877-322-8228 otr by mail to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

You can order your reports from each reporting agency at the same time or you can order them separately. The law allows you to order one free copy of your report from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion once every 12 months.