The Three Main Credit Reporting Bureaus in the United States

If you've ever used a credit card, taken out a mortgage or applied for utilities in your name, chances are your lender has taken a look at your credit report. Your credit report contains information about your balances, payment history and the types of credit you have. Credit reports are maintained by each of the three credit reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. These companies organize your financial information and make it accessible to lenders.

Equifax

Equifax has been providing consumers and businesses with credit reporting, portfolio management and fraud detection services for over 100 years. Based in Atlanta, the company employs approximately 7,000 employees in 15 countries worldwide. Equifax offers a number of consumer products for monitoring credit reports and scores, including ID Patrol, Score Watch, Debt Wise and Equifax Complete, which allows you to access all three credit reports and provides unlimited access to your Equifax credit score for $16.95 per month (as of 2011). You can contact Equifax through its online member center, by telephone at 800-685-1111 or by mail at P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374.

Experian

Experian operates globally in four primary areas of business: credit services for businesses, decision analytics, marketing services and credit services for consumers. As of 2011, Experian employs approximately 5,500 employees in North America and provides credit reporting services for 215 million consumers in the U.S. alone. Consumers may choose one of four credit reporting packages, ranging from unlimited access to your Experian credit report and score to a deluxe package featuring all three credit reports, an Experian credit score and identity theft monitoring. You can contact Experian online, by phone at 888-397-3742 or by mail at 475 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92626.

TransUnion

TransUnion began as the parent holding company for a railcar leasing operation. Through the 1970s and 1980s, the company evolved and began to offer credit reporting services to businesses across the U.S. As of 2011, the company operates in 25 countries worldwide. TransUnion offers its customers credit reporting services, fraud and identity theft protection services, and credit education resources in conjunction with TrueCredit. You can reach TransUnion online, by telephone at 800-888-4213 or by mail at 2 Baldwin Place, P.O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022.

Credit Report vs. Credit Score

A credit report should not be confused with a credit score. A credit score is a numerical value that measures your lending risk based on the information contained in your credit file. Under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA), consumers are entitled to obtain a free copy of their credit report from each of the three credit reporting bureaus annually (see Resources). You will have to pay a fee to obtain your credit score from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.