Requesting Your Free Annual Credit Report

You are entitled to one free credit report per year by law, and this is the easiest way to get it, no strings attached.

In order to protect yourself from identity theft and be aware of possible fraudulent credit obtained in your name, you should review your credit report at least once per year.

You are entitled to a free credit report from each credit bureau every year. You should take a close look at your credit report and make sure all the credit listed has been obtained by you. You are also entitled to a free copy of your report any time you are denied credit.

When requesting a free copy of your credit report, be on the lookout for scams, especially if you plan to view the report online.

Instead of searching for "free credit report" on the Internet, go directly to the web site, www.annualcreditreport.com.

This site is approved by the Federal Trade Commission and is run by all three major credit reporting bureaus – Experian, TransUnion and Equifax.

You do not have to pay for a copy of your credit report if you request one copy a year from each credit bureau (you might want to request a free copy from a different bureau every 4 months). However, you do have to pay a few dollars if you want to know your credit score, which can be useful information when applying for larger loans, such as a mortgage or new car loan.

You will need to provide your name, address, date of birth, Social Security Number and, in some cases, previous addresses and account numbers. Look for the "locked" padlock graphic on the bottom of your web browser indicating the site is secure and that it is safe to provide this information.

When you conduct a keyword search of the Internet using the words "free credit report," some search engines will refer you to copycat sites that have similar web site names and addresses. Some of these sites claim to offer free reports but charge customers or they will offer consumers a free credit report if they pay for a credit monitoring service.

To obtain a free report, you can go online to www.annualcreditreport.com or call (877) 322-8228. Otherwise, you can download a request form from the web site and mail it to Annual Credit Report Request Service P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.