Every twelve months the Fair Credit Reporting Act allows you a free credit report from the three widely used credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax, and Transunion. This is to allow to check your credit at least once a year for errors or suspicious purchases, or debts you have incurred.
Because your credit free reports is used to get you cars, jobs, buying homes, even renting homes it is vital to check it regularly in order to maintain a good credit score. Also, checking your credit report is the best way to catch and stop identity theft. You can order your three reports all at once, or space them out during the year. By ordering them throughout the year, you can monitor your credit report more closely.
Viewing your credit report regular can help you correct inaccuracies quickly so that when you go to apply for anything that uses your credit report, they get the most accurate information possible. If you notice suspicious purchases you can place a fraud alert on your credit free reports, close unused accounts, notify the Federal Trade Commission, and file a police report. A good place to start if you suspect identity theft is the Federal Trade Commission’s identity theft website.
The credit bureau must give you all the information tied into your credit free reports. Such information includes your identification, job history, name, birthday, and Social Security Number. Other information includes your payment history, a list of creditors who’ve asked for a credit history in the last year, as well as any other businesses or individuals who’ve requested a credit history. Matters of public record, such as bankruptcy and tax liens will also be found on your credit report.
The three major credit reporting companies have now consolidated their efforts into one website, phone number, and mailing address in order to make getting your credit free reports easier. By using annualcreditreport.com you can order your free credit report without worrying about scams or fraudulent claims.
To get your free credit report you may have to provide information to prove you are who you claim to be. That information will be name, birthday, social security number and address. You may also be asked for your previous address or for information only you would know in order to protect you from others trying to get a copy of your credit report.
You are also entitled to a free credit report if a company takes some negative action against because of a credit check. Such action could be denying applications for loans, jobs, or insurance. You must ask for a copy of your free credit report within 60 days of such action being taken. If you are on welfare or need a fresh copy of your credit report because of correcting inaccuracies or because you’ve been a victim of identity theft, you are also qualified for a free credit report. You may request copies of your credit report more often; however there will be a charge applied if you do not meet any of the specifications to qualify for a free one.