subject: Don't Get Ripped Off - Get Your Real Free Credit Report [print this page] We've all seen and heard those ear-catching jingles and commercials on T.V and radio from those websites claiming to offer you free credit reports, free credit monitoring and so forth. However, many of these sites are not really what they purport to be. Using the words "free or "free credit report" in their names and ads does not mean it's actually free because there are usually strings attached. Some sites may direct you to other sites that will collect your personal information or try to up-sell you some other product or service. Other sites may sign you up for a supposedly free service that will convert to a subscription-based service after a short trial period. Be sure to carefully read the Terms of Service (TOS) for any of these plans you sign up for to find out if you will be charged for this service if you do not cancel it during the trial period.
So if there are all of these sites that are not quite what they claim to be regarding free credit reports, then how can you get your free report without getting charged for it? To clear up the confusion, this article provides clear and concise answers on how to get your free credit report, under what circumstances you can order a report, and what information you will need to provide.
A law called the "Fair Credit Reporting Act" (FCRA) requires all national consumer credit reporting agencies - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion - to give you a free copy of your report once a year (i.e. once every 12 months) at your request. There is only one official site that is authorized to give you a free report each year, and it is the site used by all three credit reporting agencies.
1) How to Order Your Free Credit Report
There are three different ways to request your free report, and it is a fairly simple process. The three credit reporting agencies have set up a website, a mailing address, and a toll-free phone number through which you can order your free annual credit report.
2) Under What Circumstances You Can Order a Report
By law, you are entitled to receive a free credit report from each of the credit reporting agencies once per year. This means you can actually get three (3) free reports each year - one each from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You may order reports from each agency all at one time, or you may stagger them one at a time throughout the year. By staggering your request periodically - let's say once every 3 or 4 months - you will be able to monitor the accuracy of the reports throughout the year. This allows you to correct any inaccurate or incomplete information you might find in a more timely manner than if you received all of your credit reports at one time, e.g. at the beginning of the year.
You are also entitled to a free credit report under the following circumstances:
a. Within 60 days of receiving a notice of adverse action against you, such as denial of application for credit, insurance, or employment;
b. You are currently unemployed and plan to look for a job within sixty (60) days;
c. You are currently on welfare or public assistance;
d. Your report is compromised due to identity theft and/or fraud.
If these circumstances do not apply, a consumer reporting agency may charge you up to $10.50 for each additional copy of your report within a 12-month period.
3) Information You Need to Provide
Name
Address
Social Security number
Date of Birth
You may need to also provide your former address if you have moved within the last ten (10) years. For security purposes, each credit reporting company may ask you for some confidential known only to you, such as what you pay on your monthly mortgage payment. The information asked for will likely be different for each agency as your file contains information from different sources.
In conclusion, you now have the basic information on how to request a free credit report, under what circumstances you can order a report, and what information you need to provide. Don't be scammed by compelling ads and commercials from some bogus website - go straight to the source for your truly free credit report. Don't delay: Use the contact information provided in this article to request your free report today!
