Free Credit Reports Now Available
Experts agree — it’s important to check your credit
report regularly to verify your accounts, look for suspicious
activity and correct
any errors. Now, you can get that information for free thanks to the
Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions (FACT) Act.
To get a free credit report, you can log on to AnnualCreditReport.com. You can also request a copy by calling 1-877-322-8228 or completing the Annual Credit Report Request Form (pdf) at FTC.gov and mailing it to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
All Wisconsin residents are allowed one free credit report per
year from each of the three major credit reporting companies. For
more information about the FACT Act, go to the Federal Trade
Commission's Web site,
FTC.gov, or call toll-free 1-877-FTC-HELP.
When you get it, here is what to do:
- Check for any errors.. Make sure that all of your personal
information
is correct and that no one has mistaken you for another consumer. - Look for outdated information.. Make sure that the report
shows that bills have been
paid off or accounts that have been closed. - If you find any mistakes, contact the credit reporting
agencies and have
them investigate.
There is no deadline for ordering free reports. You can get one copy from each of the three agencies. You can space them out and get one report every four months if you choose.
Watch out:
You won't get a copy of your actual credit score -- at least not
free. That would cost you up to $7. The companies may also try to
sell you other services, but you don't have to pay for the credit
report.
I tried this out just to see how accurate the report was compared
to the credit report that was pulled when I got my mortgage. It was
actually very accurate. This is going to be a very useful resource
to verify that other persons credit is not being reported on your
own. Good Luck!
