How To Obtain A Copy Of Credit Report

If you live in the U. S., then you are entitled each year to get a free copy of credit report. It was not always that way. In 2003, a law, called th Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, was passed. Up until then, if you wanted a copy of your report, you had to pay for it. This act saved people a lot of money since you had to pay nearly ten bucks a copy before it.

There are three main credit reporting agencies in the country. TransUnion, Experian and Equifax are now, because of the 2003 law, required to give each person who requests their credit report one free copy within a twelve month time frame. These three companies all must use a centralized source. Their source has a toll-free telephone number, a postal address and a Web site.

It is important to note that you are responsible for requesting your annual copy. The companies are not required to simply send out credit reports each year. You have three options to choose from when placing your request.

First, you can place your request using snail mail. There is a brochure describing the free report in detail. On the back of it is a form that you can fill out and mail in.

Do not forget the telephone. That source also provides a phone number. It is available to you for your convenience, too.

Do not forget that you can always visit the Web site and order your report online. Since there is only the single offcial site, be sure that you do not stumble across one that tries to charge you for your report. Some very creative and money hungry people have set up sites with similar names and try to get you to pay for your report. Do not fall for it.

In total, you are allowed three reports. Remember that each agency must provide you with one. When placing your request, you may choose to do one at a time or all of them at once. Just be sure to use that central source as it is the only way to make absolute certain that you get the credit report free.

If you get your annual free credit report, you may think that you cannot get another one that year without paying for it. However, there are a few circumstances in which you are able to get another free report. Here are a few examples of situations in which you could get that extra report: application for unemployment or to get public assistance;you live in a state that requires free annual reports from each credit agency; or denial of a loan, job or insurance policy due to your credit.

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