You have the right to obtain a free copy of your credit report from the three agencies, once every twelve months. Here is a step by step video and Q&A for checking a credit report from the Federal Trade Commission.
Request your free credit report:
Online: Visit AnnualCreditReport.com
By Phone: Call 1-877-322-8228. Deaf and hard of hearing consumers can access the TTY service by calling 711 and referring the Relay Operator to 1-800-821-7232.
By Mail: Complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
PO Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) and the American Library Association have produced a nine-part series of videos to help consumers understand credit reporting.
Potential lenders generally use only one of the three credit agencies to obtain your credit score, and it's impossible to know which one, so it is a good idea to obtain a copy of your credit report every year to make sure the report is accurate, and to look for any signs of identity theft (such as a line of credit opened in your name that you do not recognize).
If you do spot errors in your report, you can and should contact the credit agency regarding the error and request that any misinformation be removed. The agencies are diligent in making sure every report is as accurate as possible. You generally only need to provide information that was missing or incorrect on your application for a free credit report.
If you are unable to resolve your dispute with the agency, file a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau online or by phone at 1-855-411-2372.
To contact any or all of the three credit agencies, to obtain a copy of your credit report or to dispute or correct information on your report, use the contact information below:
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© 2017 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Experian |
© 2017 Equifax, Inc. Equifax Information Services, LLC |
© Copyright 2017 TransUnion LLC. TransUnion, LLC |
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's website includes a section on credit, with useful, easy to understand information on how to obtain credit reports and scores; how to dispute a credit report; how credit scores are calculated; and other important topics. Much of the information is presented in a question/answer format.
FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, frequently publishes educational information regarding credit and debt.
USA.govThe website of the federal government of the United States, usa.gov, includes a page with important information on credit reports, credit scores, and related topics.
Comprehensive information about credit and debt topics, with a focus on counseling services.
A state-by-state listing of agencies approved by the U.S. Justice Department for credit counseling and debt education.
