You can obtain a free annual report from all three of the nation's credit reporting agencies (TransUnion, Equifax and Experian), making it easy to monitor your credit on an ongoing basis. With cases of identity theft on the rise, you should monitor your credit report regularly. If someone does steal your identity and use it to open credit cards and take out loans, the evidence will show up in your report.
The Right Site
Go to the Annual Credit Report website to request the free report to which you are entitled. Simply typing "free credit report" into a search engine is likely to bring up a number of scam sites that promise a free credit report, but often require you to sign up for costly credit-monitoring services. At the Annual Credit Report website, you can request a copy of your report from all three major agencies (TransUnion, Equifax and Experian).
Stagger Your Reports
It is a good idea to check your credit profile at all three of the major credit-reporting agencies. Since you are entitled to a free copy each year, it makes sense to stagger those requests. If you request one report every four months, you can maximize its value to you.
Check Your Reports Carefully
Getting your credit report is only the first step. Once you have it, you'll need to check it carefully to make sure there are no outstanding issues. It is not unusual for credit reports to contain errors, and a mistake in your credit report could cause you to be turned down for a loan, or to pay a higher interest rate than you would otherwise have to.
Set Reminders
It is a good idea to set reminders on your email program, or write them on your calendar, to remind yourself to check your credit report every four months. Since identity theft can strike at any time, it is important to check your credit report as often as possible, though you are entitled to only one free report from each agency each year. Tracking the changes on your credit report is one of the best ways to spot early signs of credit problems.
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