The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA) made it possible for you to get a free copy of your credit report. Through FACTA you can order a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – each year. You should take advantage of this privilege by ordering your credit report and using it to monitor your credit history.
Ordering Your Free Credit Report
There are specific ways to access your credit reports under FACTA.- Online, by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com.
- By phone, by calling 877-322-8228.
- By mail, by printing a request form (Adobe viewer needed) and mailing it to the address listed on the form.
Free Credit Report Watch-Outs
Free credit report offers from other sources are not part of FACTA and may require you to sign up for a paid subscription service to receive the free credit report. If you use a search engine for the phrase “free credit report” or something similar, you can easily land on a scam site. To be absolutely certain you are going to the correct website, you can use the link from the FTC’s free credit report information site.
You should not contact the credit bureaus individually to get your free credit report.
Your credit score is not part of this offer and must be purchased separately.
Other Ways To Get Free Credit Reports
There are other situations in which you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report. These instances are outlined in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and include:
- You had an application denied because of information on your credit report. This includes credit, insurance, and employment applications. You have 60 days from the date you learn of the denial to ask for a copy of your credit report. The company will send you a notice that includes contact information for the credit bureau who provided the report used in making the decision.
- You are unemployed and plan to begin looking for a job within 60 days.
- You are on welfare
- You are a victim of identity theft and have inaccurate information on your credit report
