Get Your Credit Report for Free

Your credit report include information on your address, the number of credit accounts you have, whether you pay your bills on time, and whether you have been sued or filed from bankruptcy. Lenders use it when determining whether to lend to you and at what rates. The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends that you check your credit report at least once a year to prevent identity theft and to make sure your information is being accurately reported. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you are legally entitled to at least one report every 12 months from each of the three major credit bureaus, and the process to obtain them – whether online or by mail – is quick and easy.

Steps

Getting Your Credit Report

1. Go to annualcreditreport.com. This is the website set up by the three credit reporting agencies – Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian – to allow customers to easily request a credit report. This is the only site authorized to issue free credit reports, so be sure to use it, and not other “impostor” sites.
2. Fill out the required information. You will need to provide basic information to establish your identity, including your:
   • Birth date
   • Social security number
   • Current address
   • Previous address if you have not lived at your current address for 2 years
3. Decide which credit reports to order. The three reporting companies get their information from different places and so may have slightly different information. They also present it in different ways. If you are about to seek credit for a large purchase like a car or house, it is a good idea to get all three reports to make sure your credit information is accurate. If you are not about to make a big purchase, it makes more sense to space out your requests so that you can keep track of your credit information over the course of the year.
   • Equifax – Equifax conveniently groups accounts into “open” or “closed”, making it easy to review your current accounts. It also provides an 81-month credit history for each credit account, reflecting whether the account was paid or overdue in each of those months. For more on the Equifax report layout and codes used, see here.
   • Experian – The most helpful feature of Experian reports is that they tell you when an account or a negative report is scheduled to fall off your credit report. Experian also offers an 81-month payment history for each account. Experian is also the only company to report on-time rent payments, as opposed to just late ones. For more on the Experian report layout and codes used, see here.
   • TransUnion – TransUnion tends to have the most up-to-date previous address and employment information. You can correct the employment information via their website when you get the report, though this will not change your credit score. They are also the only credit agency to report your monthly balance and payment as part of your credit history. For more on the TransUnion report layout and codes used, see here.
4. Verify your identity. Each credit reporting agency will ask you questions regarding your credit history in order to verify that you are who you say you are. The questions will concern your credit accounts – when they were opened, how much you owe, etc. – and your previous addresses.
   • Don’t be worried if you don’t recognize some of the information. “None of the above” is a very popular answer in credit companies’ identity verification questions.
5. View your report or reports online. You will be able to view all the reports you ordered online. If you register an account with the reporting companies, you may be able to return to view them for up to 30 days. Otherwise, you will only be able to view them once, so be sure to save the reports or print them.
6. Request a credit report by phone or mail. If you're not the internet type, there are two other ways to request your free annual credit report:
   • By phone – To request that your report be mailed to you by phone, call 1-877-322-8228 and ask for a copy of your report from each of the three reporting agencies. You will go through a simple verification process over the phone, similar to the online process, and should receive a copy of your report within 2 to 3 weeks of your request.
   • By mail – To request your report by mail, you will need to complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form available here and then mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. You can expect to receive a copy of your report in approximately two to three weeks from the date your request is received by AnnualCreditReport.com.
7. Check your credit report, from all three bureaus, every year. If one of the bureaus gets false information from your credit company, or it simply makes a mistake, it pays to fix the problem quickly. A lingering blemish on your credit report might go unnoticed and then get buried if you fail to request a report every year, leaving you with a mysteriously low credit score and no reasons why.
   • Print and archive your credit report. Having a physical copy is so old-school, but it's also smart. Having copies of your credit reports dating back to when you first started using credit may come in handy if you ever need to show proof, for example, in a dispute with a credit company or the bureau itself.

Understanding Your Credit Report

1. Know what all the information on your report means. All three reporting agencies report the same type of information on their reports:
   • Identifying Information – Your names, address, social security number, date of birth, and places of employment.
   • Credit Accounts – These include mortgage accounts and home equity loans, revolving accounts (credit cards), and installment accounts, where the amount and term of payment are fixed, such as car or student loans. The payment history for each account will be recorded for 81 months (or more in the case of TransUnion). Satisfactory and negative accounts will be reported separately, with negative accounts usually reported first.
   • Credit Inquiries – Hard inquiries occur when you apply for a loan and authorize a lender to ask for your report. These inquiries negatively impact your credit score if there are too many in a short period. Soft inquiries are when a creditor orders your report in order to send you a “pre-approved” offer. Soft inquiries do not impact your credit score.
   • Public Record and Collection items – This includes bankruptcies, foreclosures, lawsuits, wage attachments, liens, judgments, and information on overdue debt from collection agencies.
2. Examine your report for signs of identity theft or credit fraud. The first thing to do with your credit report is to scroll through it to be sure there is no inaccurate information. This will help to protect your credit score and to prevent identity theft. Make sure you check:
   • Name – There should be no names listed other than your own.
   • Address – Be sure the only addresses listed are places you have lived. If another address appears, it may be a sign of identity theft.
   • Credit Accounts – The report will list all your present and past credit accounts, along with information regarding whether payment has ever been late, and if so, how late. Make sure all accounts belong or belonged to you, and check to be sure any negative information is correct.
   • Public Records Information – Check to see if your report lists any delinquent accounts, bankruptcies, foreclosures, lawsuits, wage attachments, liens, or judgments, be sure they are accurate. This sort or information can devastate your credit score, so be sure it is accurate if reported.
3. Report inaccurate information. You can inform reporting companies that you think information is inaccurate via their websites while reviewing your report, or you can write the companies. They must investigate the disputed item and forward your dispute to whoever provided them the information. You should also report the inaccurate information to the creditor in question, otherwise they may report it again and it will reappear on your credit report. If the reporting agency refuses to remove the disputed item, you can ask that a statement of your dispute be included in all future credit reports.
   • Equifax – You can start an online dispute here, call them at 866-349-5191, or write them at: Equifax Information Services, LLC; P.O. Box 740256; Atlanta, GA 30348.
   • Experian – You can start an online dispute here or write them at Experian; P.O. Box 4500; Allen, TX 75013.
   • TransUnion – You can start an online dispute here, call them at 800-916-8800, or write them at TransUnion LLC; Consumer Dispute Center; P.O. Box 2000; Chester, PA 19022.
4. Put a fraud alert on your reports. If you do find inaccurate information, it may be a sign of attempted identity theft. To safeguard your credit, contact Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax to put 90-day fraud alerts on your accounts. These alerts will inform lenders and creditors that they need to take extra precautions to verify your identity before issuing any more credit. You only need to contact one agency, and they will tell the other two to put alerts on your accounts.
5. Know the difference between your credit report and credit score. Your credit score is a number that lenders use to determine your eligibility for loans or credit cards, and it is calculated using your credit history. One website describes it this way: "If credit was a term paper, the score would be your grade at the top and the report would be the feedback your professor wrote about how well you performed on the back." If viewing your report online, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion will all give you the option to pay to view your credit score. Scores are as follows:
   • 600 or less – This qualifies as bad credit, meaning you will find it difficult to secure credit for a car loan or mortgage. You will probably only qualify for a secured credit card, which requires a deposit before you can make charges, much like a debit card.
   • 600-700 – This is average credit. You will qualify for loans and credit cards, but with higher rates and worse terms
   • 700+ – You have good credit and will be approved for most loans with competitive rates and also by most card companies, so long as you don’t have too many credit card accounts or too much debt.
   • 780+ – This high rating requires a history of at least 5 years of on time payments, along with a mix of debt – credit cards, student loans, mortgage, etc. You should be able to get top rates on loans and any of the best credit cards.
6. Take steps to improve your credit score. The simplest ways to improve your credit score are to pay your debts on time and to reduce your debt to total credit ratio on your revolving debt (credit cards) to 20% or less. You can do this by either paying down your balances or obtaining more credit.

Ordering Additional Free Reports in a Given Year

1. Re-order a credit report if necessary. The FCRA provides for certain situations in which consumers are entitled to another free credit report, even if they have already obtained one from that reporting agency in the last 12 months. Some situations that may entitle you to a free report include:
   • You had an "adverse report" - i.e. a credit, insurance, or employment application denied because of information on your credit report. The employer, insurer, or bank will send you a notice that includes the contact information for the reporting agency that provided the report used. You have 60 days from the date you learn of the denial to contact the agency and ask for a copy of your credit report.
   • You are unemployed and plan to begin looking for a job within the next 60 days.
   • You receive government welfare assistance.
   • You are a victim of fraud of identity theft and believe is has resulted in inaccurate information being placed on your credit report.
2. Get an extra free report courtesy of your state. If you are a resident of Colorado, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, or Vermont, you are entitled to one additional free report per year from each reporting agency. See here to learn how to get your additional free report.
3. If you are entitled to another free credit report for any reason, request it from each of the three reporting agencies. Each agency has a different procedure for requesting and obtaining your report.
   • Equifax: Request your report online, by calling: 800-685-1111 or by writing to Equifax Disclosure Department, P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374. When writing, be sure to include your name, social security number, current and previous addresses, date of birth, and telephone number. For your protection, you will also need to verify your identity by providing copies of certain documents. For a list of acceptable documents, see Equifax’s Acceptable Forms of Identification page.
   • Experian: If you have had an adverse report, you can get an extra free report online here. If you are getting a report in response to fraud, go here. Otherwise, call 888-200-6020.
   • TransUnion: Request your report online, by calling 800-888-4213, or by writing to TransUnion LLC, 2 Baldwin Place, P.O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022. When writing, be sure to include your name, social security number, current and previous addresses, date of birth, and telephone number.

Tips

• When using Annual Credit Report, you may want to use a browser without any extensions or add-ons as it may interfere with your request. You typically only have one chance to submit the information correctly or you will be informed to make your request by mail.
• If you are under 13 years of age, or you are requesting a credit report for your child under 13 years of age because you suspect that the minors' information has been used fraudulently, contact the credit reporting agencies directly and report the illegal use of your child's information to law enforcement.

Warnings

• According to the FTC, www.Annualcreditreport.com and the three consumer-reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, will not send you an email asking for your personal information. If you get an email, see a pop-up ad, or get a phone call from someone claiming to be from www.annualcreditreport.com or any of the three reporting agencies, you should not reply or click on any link in the message. Such emails should be forwarded to the FTC at spam@uce.gov.
• There are many companies offering consumers free credit reports and then billing for services that the consumer has to then cancel. Be aware of such scams, and remember that AnnualCreditReport.com is the only authorized source for the free annual credit report to which federal law entitles you.

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