How to Get a Free FICO Credit Report

You have probably seen the television commercials or web advertisements for companies offering "free" FICO credit reports. While some of these sites do offer some version of a free credit report, almost all try to bill you for additional services or sign you up for recurring monthly charges. Under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, however, you are guaranteed a free credit report from one of the three national credit-reporting agencies. By following a few easy steps, you can gain access to your credit report quickly and easily.

Instructions

Get a Free FICO Credit Report

1

Visit AnnualCreditReport.com, the only authorized source of free credit reports from the United States government. You are allowed one report from each of the major credit reporting companies -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion -- every 12 months. You can choose to view the ratings from all three agencies at once, but it is recommended that you choose one at a time and space them out over the year so that you can monitor your score throughout the year. Follow the instructions at AnnualCreditReport.com to view your credit reports. Once your identity is verified, you will be able to view your report immediately.

2

You can also request a copy of your credit score by phone. Call (877) 322-8228 and follow the instructions to verify your identity. Your report will be processed within 15 days. Delivery can take two to three weeks.

3

To request your credit report by mail, you can visit https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/requestformfinal.pdf and download the credit report request form. After printing and completing the form, mail the request to:

Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

Your report will be processed within 15 days. Delivery can take two to three weeks.

4

Look for your credit score number. Your FICO credit score number will be between 300 and 850. Your score is calculated based on a number of factors, including money owed to creditors, credit history, payment history, number of accounts, number of report inquiries and types of credit used. Check to ensure the information used to determine your score is accurate. The higher your score, the more money you will likely be capable of borrowing and the lower your interest rates will be. A score of at least 700 is best.

5

Report inaccuracies. If you see a problem on your credit report, you can report it to the company that supplied the report online, by phone or by mail. You will probably need to supply information and documents that prove the information is incorrect. The law requires an agency to investigate your complaint, in most cases within 30 days, reply in writing and supply you with a new credit report if anything was changed.