In the world today, your credit report is what everyone looks at to determine your "reputation." Unfortunately, people don't have an opportunity to get to know you personally and your reputation is now reduced to a few pages of numbers and data. That's why it is so important to know what information your credit report contains, since inaccurate "blemishes" or fraudulent transactions can affect your ability to obtain credit and the interest rate you end up paying.
To check your credit report, you have several options:
If you enroll in a
credit monitoring service
, most services will provide you with a copy of your credit report. Check the details of your service for more information.
You may order a copy of your credit report directly from one of the following providers by clicking on the links below: (NOTE: "3-in-1 Credit Reports" give you a combined credit report from all three major credit bureaus - Experian, Equifax, & TransUnion)
3-in-1 Credit Report (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) PLUS Credit Score for $29.85
Under the new FACT (Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions) Act, you are entitled to ONE (1) FREE credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus PER YEAR. You may visit www.annualcreditreport.com to request your free credit report. (For security reasons, you must "cut & paste" this web address directly into your browser's address bar.)
Please note that this free report does NOT include your credit score and is no substitute for continuous credit monitoring. An identity thief can do incredible damage in days or weeks and it might not be sufficient if you only check your credit report a few times a year.
"This year alone more than 500,000 Americans will be robbed of their identities with more than $4 billion stolen in their names." -CBSnews.com
Tip of the Day
Subscribe to a Credit Monitoring Service that will notify you if any changes are made to your credit report. Although getting your credit report every 6 months is a good idea, an identity thief can do a lot of damage in 2 hours, 2 days, or 2 weeks! Reviewing your report every 6 months just isn't enough. By subscribing to one of these services, you can be proactive and help prevent an identity theft event from ruining your credit!
Today's Story
"I applied for a loan in November 2000 and was told I had bad credit. I requested a credit report in November 2000 and found all sorts of crazy information on it. I'm single but was listed as married. When I renewed my driver's license by mail, I was surprised to find someone else's face on my license. This is a nightmare and requires a large amount of my time." - From a consumer complaint to the FTC, October 5, 2001
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