Get a Free Credit Report Before Getting a Loan, Insurance or Applying For A Job
Did you know that as a US citizen you are entitled to a free credit report? It is good to check your report for errors or to update information contained in it annually.
If you are not sure what your credit score is you can get a report free of charge once a year from each of the three credit reporting companies.
That is three free reports every twelve months.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ensures that you can get a report once a year, free of cost.
You can get others if you need them but you have to pay a fee for them.
It is useful to get the 3 free credit reports you are entitled to before you apply for a credit card, for a new job, insurance or think of buying a new home.
Free credit reports contain your personal details such as your address, Social Security number, date of birth, and you can ask for this to be sent to you if you call the toll-free number which you can find on the government's information site online.
This can be mailed to you and you should receive it within 15 days.
Alternatively you can view the information online.
The web address is AnnualCreditReport.
com.
You will be asked a question that only you will know the answer to, such as how much your monthly mortgage repayments are.
This ensures that only you have access to the information contained in the report.
If you have changed address in the last two years, you should inform the company when you get the report and if there is any information in it which is wrong, then advise them immediately.
Insurance companies, employers, mortgage and other lenders have access to this information so that they can assess whether or not you are in a bad credit risk.
If the information in the report is wrong, then your score could be adversely affected.
There are some websites which will charge you for a report, and you should be aware that you do not have to pay for free reports, so do not pay money to any site owner when it is not necessary, and beware of the services offered by sites that charge you for a report.
All you have to do is to dial the toll-free number and ask for one, or access the website given above.
You can get a report from the three companies - Experian, TransUnion and Equifax by using the central website and can get a free report from each once every twelve months.
The consumer protection agency, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces the FCRA with regard to consumer reports and by law you are entitled to receive a free report each year as long as you ask for one.
They will not be sent to you automatically, so exercise your citizen's right to one should you need to see what your credit score is and if there is any misinformation contained in it.
If you are not sure what your credit score is you can get a report free of charge once a year from each of the three credit reporting companies.
That is three free reports every twelve months.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ensures that you can get a report once a year, free of cost.
You can get others if you need them but you have to pay a fee for them.
It is useful to get the 3 free credit reports you are entitled to before you apply for a credit card, for a new job, insurance or think of buying a new home.
Free credit reports contain your personal details such as your address, Social Security number, date of birth, and you can ask for this to be sent to you if you call the toll-free number which you can find on the government's information site online.
This can be mailed to you and you should receive it within 15 days.
Alternatively you can view the information online.
The web address is AnnualCreditReport.
com.
You will be asked a question that only you will know the answer to, such as how much your monthly mortgage repayments are.
This ensures that only you have access to the information contained in the report.
If you have changed address in the last two years, you should inform the company when you get the report and if there is any information in it which is wrong, then advise them immediately.
Insurance companies, employers, mortgage and other lenders have access to this information so that they can assess whether or not you are in a bad credit risk.
If the information in the report is wrong, then your score could be adversely affected.
There are some websites which will charge you for a report, and you should be aware that you do not have to pay for free reports, so do not pay money to any site owner when it is not necessary, and beware of the services offered by sites that charge you for a report.
All you have to do is to dial the toll-free number and ask for one, or access the website given above.
You can get a report from the three companies - Experian, TransUnion and Equifax by using the central website and can get a free report from each once every twelve months.
The consumer protection agency, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces the FCRA with regard to consumer reports and by law you are entitled to receive a free report each year as long as you ask for one.
They will not be sent to you automatically, so exercise your citizen's right to one should you need to see what your credit score is and if there is any misinformation contained in it.
