Checking Your Credit Reports
It's a good idea to order your credit reports and study the information presented there, even if you have no immediate plans to seek a mortgage or other loan. Unless you've kept track of all three of your credit histories, it's likely they contain errors. Corrections aren't difficult to make, but it sometimes takes thirty days or more for records to be changed. Check your reports regularly (annual or more frequent checks are a good idea), and notify the agency immediately if you find an error.
Credit-reporting agencies offer options to help you check your credit history online. You can choose from several different types of reports.
A credit report with or without your current credit score
A three-in-one credit report that lets you view a side-by-side comparison of records from all three major reporting agencies, with or without scores
Report services that notify you every time your credit history is requested
Reports that include daily and weekly notifications of changes to your file
Subscriptions that allow you to access your current credit report any time you like
When you purchase a three-in-one report, the information displayed from each agency is usually the same as the data found in its files. However, the credit scores shown for the agencies that did not sell the report to you are not always accurate. For best accuracy, order a score report directly from each agency.
You are entitled to a free credit report if you have been turned down for credit or employment (due to your credit report) during the past sixty days. You can also receive a free report if you believe it contains fraudulent information, if you are on public assistance, or if you are unemployed and plan to apply for unemployment benefits within the next sixty days. Ask agency staff if you are eligible for a free or reduced-rate report.
Contact Information
Here's the complete contact information for the three credit agencies:
Experian
NCAC
P.O. Box 9595
Allen, TX 75013
1-888-397-3742
Equifax Information Services, LLC
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30374-0256
1-800-685-1111
TransUnion
P.O. Box 34012
Fullerton, CA 92834
1-800-916-8800
Getting Your Credit Reports Online
The first time you order an online report, the agency will ask you to establish a user name and password. You'll be asked to verify your social security number. You'll also be asked a series of multiple-choice questions about your credit history — all designed to ensure you are truly who you say you are.
Some online credit reports can be viewed for thirty days, while others disappear as soon as you close your screen. Be sure to read the instructions carefully and print out your report so that you have a permanent record of it.
Getting Your Credit Reports by Mail
Credit reports can also be ordered by telephone or by mail for home delivery. The typical cost for a mailed report is $8 to $10, but many states give consumers the right to receive a report at a reduced rate.
When you order a credit report by mail, be sure to include your payment, your full name and address, your social security number, and your most recent former address. You might also be asked to send a copy of your driver's license or a utility bill in your name that verifies your identity and home address.
You probably get offers for free credit reports in the mail. Some of those offers require that you subscribe to a service or buy products in order to receive the free report. Read the fine print before you respond to an advertisement offering a free credit report.
