If you have never checked your credit report, you should do so immediately---it is free and you may find errors that cost you thousands more on loans. Obtaining your free credit report requires a few basic pieces of information and possibly details about your financial profile. Watch out for scams, because only the Annual Credit Report website offers a truly free report.
Identification
The Annual Credit Report is a portal operated by the three major credit rating agencies in the U.S. and the only website to offer a no-strings-attached free credit report. At the website, you enter your name, Social Security number, current address or previous one if you have not lived at the same residence for two years and security questions. The security questions ask information only you would know and comes from your credit profile, such as your monthly debt payments.
Misconception
The free annual credit report from TransUnion, Equifax or Experian does not contain the FICO risk analysis score, only the data the particular credit agency has in your profile. The FICO score is ultimately what you want to know, because lenders judge your creditworthiness based on this number. Also, the major agencies may have different data, so you want to know all of your scores, because lenders often take the middle score.
Warning
Visit AnnualCreditReport.com for a free credit report, instead of the individual agency websites. Federal law only requires the major bureaus to offer a free report through a central website. Going to the individual agencies for a report usually requires the purchase of your FICO score. Third-party websites may also try to insist on a purchase for your "free" report or make you try or purchase other services, such as credit monitoring.
Tip
You can order your free annual credit reports through the phone by calling (877) 322-8228 and a service representative will guide you through the process. You can also complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348. This is the slowest method and may take up to three weeks to arrive.
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