3 Free Credit Reports
How To Get 3 Free Credit Reports Each Year!
The passing of the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) mandated that all U.S. citizens need to be
given a free credit report each year from each of the 3 credit reporting agencies. The only requirement
is that you must submit either an online or written request to each agency. The goal of this act
(FCRA) was to ensure that each individual stays informed, avoids possible identity theft, and receives fair
treatment when it comes to credit worthiness.
In the past, consumers had to pay or qualify based on fraudulent activity within the credit report. A
few states had required that residents periodically be entitled to free credit reports, but now it has become the
standard nationwide.
Because there are 3 credit bureaus and each one is required to give you a free report on an annual basis, you
can request one from each of agency at different times of the year. I would suggest using the
following schedule so you which agency to request a report from each time.
If there current month is:
January - April order your report from Equifax
If it's May - August order from Esperian
If it's September - December order from Trans Union
Please add this site to your favorites, so you will easily be able to access this information in the
future.
When you make your first request just use the one that is closest to the month listed above. If it is in
between two of them just pick the one closest to today's date. After you make your first request, simply add
a note to your calendar or cell phone to remind you to request the next report in 4 months. To request your
free report online simply visit: annualcreditreport.com
When you fill out the form the first time, request the credit report from just one agency. In 4
months you will want to request one from a second agency and in 8 months you can request one from the
third. Since the reports are very similar it works great to spread them out over the year in this
fashion. This way you have regular access to credit reports with having to pay any membership fees.
Each bureau will offer you a variety of paid subscription services, however they are NOT necessary in order
to receive your report, so simply decline the offers. The only exception being if you need to know your exact
combined 3 in one credit score, that is not available for free. You can however estimate your fico score or get your transunion credit score for free.
Get your Free Credit Reports Here
For those of you who want to request their credit report via regular mail, you can use the following form:
Request A Free Credit Report By Mail
Please be sure to indicate at the bottom of the page which reporting agency from which you wish to
receive the report.
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