Did you know that
you have a legal right to
access an
annual free
credit report? Under the Fair Credit Reporting
Act (FCRA), each consumer reporting company nationwide is required to
provide you with a free copy every 12 months if requested.
The major
companies you can request an annual free credit report from are
Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. The FCRA also entitles that your
credit report remain accurate and private in the nation’s
consumer reporting files and databases. To make sure that consumer
reporting companies stay in line, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
enforces the laws that accompany FCRA.
The reason why keeping your credit report
private is such a priority and backed by laws is because this report
holds a lot of information: where you live, how you pay your bills, if
you have been involved in a law suit, if you have been arrested, or
even filed for bankruptcy.
Your information is basically sold to
creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use a credit
score by these nationwide consumer reporting companies. So when you try
to apply for a credit card, try to rent a home, or intend to get a
loan, you can expect the company you are applying with will have your
credit information.
You may wonder how you can obtain your
annual free credit report. The three nationwide consumer reporting
companies have established a website, a toll-free telephone number, and
a mailing address so that you can request your annual free credit
report.
If you want to make the request online,
visit annualcreditreport.com. If you are ordering your free credit
report by phone, call 1-888-322-8228. Or you can complete the Annual
Credit Report Request Form and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request
Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, Georgia 30348-5281.
It is easier to
request your annual free credit report online but if you choose the
mailing option, you can find the form needed at
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/credit. Because the three
nationwide consumer reporting companies have established one location
to get your annual free credit report, do not contact one of the
companies individually.
By going through annualcreditreport.com you
can order three different reports from each company at the same time,
or you can do it one at a time. You can order one free copy of your
credit report every 12 months from each company.
Please be careful not to use any other
website stating to get you your annual free credit report. It is most
likely an imposter website trying to gain you information. They are not
part of the legally mandated free annual credit report program.