HOW TO ORDER A COPY OF YOUR CREDIT REPORT

All consumers are entitled to one free copy of their credit report from each of the three major reporting agencies each year. It is important to review your credit report frequently, especially if you intend to apply for credit in the near future, because new and/or inaccurate information can turn up at any time. You should also review all three of your reports, from Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. Inaccurate information could be contained in one or two of your reports but not all three. Reviewing only one of the three reports does not give you the full picture.

The three major credit reporting agencies have set up a web site together to allow you easily make the request for your free annual report – www.annualcreditreport.com

If you make your request online, you should be able to view and print your report immediately. To request your report by phone, call (877) 322-8228. Your credit report will be mailed to you within 15 days. You can also make the request in writing, but you must print and complete a form from the web site and mail it to the specified address.

Under federal law, you are also entitled to a free copy of your credit report if a company takes adverse action against you based upon the contents of your credit report, such as denying your application for credit, insurance, or employment. You must ask for the report within 60 days of receiving notice of the adverse action. You should receive a notice that will give you the name, address and phone number of the consumer reporting agency that provided the information upon which the adverse decision was based. You are also entitled to one free report a year if you are unemployed and plan to look for a job within 60 days, if you are on welfare or if your report is inaccurate because of fraud, including identity theft.

To receive more frequent copies of your credit report (i.e. more than once a year without any of the extenuating circumstances listed above), a consumer reporting company may charge you up to $10.50 to provide you with another copy of your report within a 12-month period. Specific laws in your home state may entitle you to have additional free access to your credit reports.

To obtain additional copies of your credit reports, you can contact the three major credit reporting agencies: