The Best Ways to Get Your Credit Report

It is critical in this day of identity theft and rampant credit card fraud, that you acquire and maintain an accurate and up-to-date picture of your credit history. Keeping tabs on your credit will help ensure you are not denied financing should you want to buy a new car or home. Vigilance will also catch any fraudulent use of your credit cards, and any mistakes that could affect your credit rating. Free credit reports are readily available to help you in this essential task.

Start Here

In the U.S., the government has mandated that you have access to a free credit report once a year from any of the three major credit reporting entities. The three companies, Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax, have coordinated with each other and set up a website to make getting your report easy. Their site, AnnualCreditReport.com, is listed in the Resources section.

Caution

Take care to link to the proper website, as a misspelling or similar URL could take you to a fraudulent site, or to a business that will charge you money to get your report. You can pay money on the AnnualCreditReport.com site if you want your credit score in addition to your credit report, but it is not required.

Special Circumstances

If you've recently been denied credit, or if you have reason to suspect someone's tampering with your accounts or your identity, you can ask for a free report in addition to the annual offering. The AnnualCreditReport.com site also walks you through how to put a Fraud Alert on your accounts, if you've noticed suspicious activity.

Even if you think all is well with your accounts, you may decide it's prudent to get a report every four months. Do this by rotating between the three companies, requesting a report at four-month intervals. To make this a simple matter, keep a record of your report requests. Write down the date, the company, and the report result each time you request new information. Keep this record on your computer, in your tickler file, or clipped to the appropriate page in your calendar. Remember to have your spouse get a report, too, because a mistake on one person's history will affect joint applications for credit.

Be Prepared

When you're ready to request your free credit report, be ready to answer security questions. You'll need to know your previous addresses, so have this information handy. You'll also need your Social Security number.