As of 2011, the Fair Credit Reporting Act gives consumers free access to their credit reports once a year, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Requests can be made through AnnualCreditReport.com. No other website is authorized by the FTC to provide free yearly credit reports. Any other website that boasts "free" reports is likely snagging you into a free trial period that ends in your credit card being charged monthly membership dues.
More than Once
If you're being denied access to your free credit report online, you may have already obtained a copy within the last 12 months. The FTC only allows once-annual free access to your credit report, according to AnnualCreditReport.com. Trying to obtain it more than once in the same year costs up to $10.50 per copy.
Are Your Cookies Enabled?
Cookies, which consist of text information, are shared between your web browser and your web server to enhance your Internet experience and make your computer recognizable to websites. Cookies must be enabled so that you can obtain your credit report online, according to AnnualCreditReport.com. You can select your cookie preference in "Internet options".
Just Plain Busy
It's frustrating to apply for your free annual credit report online only to be told it will be mailed to you within 15 days, but this often happens. In this case, the credit bureaus may be overwhelmed with requests, according to the FTC. This can also happen if the bureaus need to verify your information.
How Old are You?
No one younger than 13 can obtain a copy of his credit report, either online or otherwise. In fact, no credit bureau can knowingly create a report for a person under 13, according to AnnualCreditReport.com. If you think the identity of a child of this age has been stolen, call the credit bureau directly to report the crime. A legal guardian has to provide his identification to prove his legal ability to call on behalf of the child.
Other Qualifying Situations
There are four other qualifying situations in which you can obtain a free copy of your credit report, according to the FTC. These are: if negative action, such as a loan denial or rejected job application, has taken place because of your credit report; if you're on welfare; if you're unemployed but plan to seek work within the next 60 days; or you believe you're the victim of identity theft. Any of these situations allows you to get another free copy in addition to your annual copy.
0 comments:
Post a Comment