A federal law known as the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 gives you the right to a free credit report every year. You can take advantage of your right to a free annual credit report to monitor your credit with the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Show NoteYou can get one free credit report per week from Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian through December 2023 at AnnualCreditReport.com. 3 Ways to OrderThere are three ways for you to order your official free annual credit report.
When you order by phone or mail, you will receive your annual credit report via mail within two to three weeks. When you order online, you should be able to access it immediately. To get a free credit report, you should order your annual credit report using one of the methods listed above and not directly from the credit bureaus or through any other websites. One exception to this rule, though, is Equifax. Equifax provides you with six free copies of your Equifax credit report each year if you sign up for a free myEquifax account. It will offer this service through at least 2026. NoteIf you find an error on your credit report, report it to the relevant credit bureau in writing. Keep a copy of anything you send. When to OrderYou can order all three annual credit reports at one time, or you can space them out over the year. You may choose to order your Equifax annual credit report in April, Experian in August, TransUnion in December, and start over with Equifax the next April. This would allow you to monitor your credit throughout the entire year. You can also order a free credit report in certain situations. These include:
If a company takes adverse action against you, you will receive a letter with information on which credit bureau to contact. If you are in one of the other situations that entitle you to an extra free report, contact each credit bureau directly for a copy. If you aren't in one of these situations and you need an additional copy of your credit report, you can buy a copy by contacting the relevant credit bureau. Free and $1 Credit ReportsPrior to the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003, there were dozens of impostor websites on the internet promising to give you a free annual credit report. These sites would request your credit card information and enroll you in a trial membership to a credit monitoring service. If you didn't remember to cancel the trial, your credit card would be charged for a full period of the credit monitoring service. These gimmicks still exist, although now most of them offer your credit report for $1, rather than for free. The legitimate website for ordering your free annual credit report doesn't require a credit card and doesn't ask you to sign up for any trial subscription. Seeing Your Credit ScoreYour credit score is not part of your annual credit report, regardless of whether the report was free or paid, so you'll have to order your credit score separately. You can check it for free through sites like CreditKarma.com or CreditSesame.com. You can also order your credit score for a fee from myFICO.com or from one of the three credit bureaus. How can I get a free copy of my credit report by mail?AnnualCreditReport.com
By calling: (877) 322-8228; By mailing: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.
How do I get my full credit report by mail?You can request and review your free report through one of the following ways:. Online: Visit AnnualCreditReport.com.. Phone: Call (877) 322-8228.. Mail: Download and complete the Annual Credit Report Request form . Mail the completed form to:. How do I get my free annual credit report?Request Your Free Credit Report:
Online: Visit AnnualCreditReport.com. By Phone: Call 1-877-322-8228. For TTY service, call 711 and ask the relay operator for 1-800-821-7232.
Is AnnualCreditReport com legitimate?AnnualCreditReport.com is the official site to get your free annual credit reports. This right is guaranteed by Federal law. You can verify this is the official site by visiting the CFPB's website. Don't be fooled by look-alike sites.
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