Why should you view your credit report? There are many reasons. First, it’s a good idea to routinely check what information is in your credit files with the Big Three (Equifax, Experian and Trans Union). This allows you to verify that the information in your credit files is accurate. Second, if you suspect that there may be inaccurate information in your credit file, obtaining your consumer report is the first step to correcting the inaccuracy.
So, how do you view your credit file? Consumers are entitled to one free credit report each year from each of the nationwide consumer reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). To obtain your free annual credit report, you can use any of these three methods:
- Go online to annualcreditreport.com
- Call 877-322-8228
- Send a letter to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30374-5281
If you obtain your free report(s) online from www.annualcreditreport.com, you will be asked a series of detailed questions to verify your identity. Oftentimes these questions are difficult to answer. For this reason, we recommend calling the toll-free number to order your reports.
What if you want to obtain additional reports beyond your one free annual credit report? There are a number of way to obtain your consumer reports. If you’re trying to order additional reports from Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion, you can request your report through the following contact information (either call or send a letter):
Equifax
800-685-1111
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
Experian
866-200-
P.O. Box 2002
701 Experian Parkway
Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion
800-888-4213
2 Baldwin Place
P.O. Box 1000
Chester, PA 19016
Beware that consumer reporting agencies may try to enroll you in paid products to view your report, or even free reports that convert into paid products. Be careful to ensure you know what you are ordering and what programs, if any, you are enrolling in.
If you have questions about how to obtain your credit report, or how to review it once you’ve received it, the attorneys at Weiner & Sand LLC are more than happy to assist you.