| A credit report provides information in regards to your | | | | There are companies that have their web site names |
| credit worthiness by giving the nitty gritty details of | | | | very close in spelling to the one mentioned above. So, |
| your credit transactions. These reports are sold by the | | | | if a consumer makes a typo error while typing the |
| credit bureaus to lenders like banks, insurance | | | | website address, they will be redirected to different |
| companies, credit card companies and many other | | | | unintended pages, which may collect some information |
| financially related institutions who use your report to | | | | and offer some services, at a cost. |
| evaluate you and decide whether to transact with you. | | | | When you order your information online, you will get it |
| Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you are entitled to | | | | instantly. Whereas if you order using the toll free |
| your very own free credit report from each of the | | | | number or through the mail, it is likely to take a |
| three top credit bureaus Equifax, Experian ad | | | | minimum of 15 days or more, depending on the |
| TransUnion, every 12 months, on request. This is to | | | | volumes being processed by the credit bureaus. You |
| ensure that you know what picture is projected about | | | | are also eligible for a free credit report, when a |
| you to the various potential lenders and businesses in | | | | company has refused to transact with you; if you do |
| the market and to protect yourself from any form of | | | | not have a job currently and plan to take up one in the |
| identity theft that seems to be prevelant in today's | | | | next sixty days; if you are on welfare or if your report |
| society. | | | | has any errors that you have reported with evidence. |
| In order to cater to the free annual credit report | | | | If you wonder what you will do with a credit report, |
| program, the three credit reporting companies have | | | | think again. Before applying for a loan or insurance or |
| set up a website, a toll free telephone and a mailing | | | | credit card or a job, it is a good idea to verify your |
| address as avenues through which anyone can order | | | | financial information and ensure that all the details |
| their free credit information. The website is , the toll | | | | provided there are accurate and current. Else, the |
| free number is 1-877-322-8228 and mailing address is | | | | report might throw an unpleasant surprise at you. |
| Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box | | | | Verifying your credit report periodically is a way to |
| 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281, to which you need to | | | | avoid identity theft, where a person lifts your identity |
| send in the Annual credit report request form. | | | | details and uses it for credit purposes like getting a |
| Additionally, you have the option to order free report | | | | loan or a credit card and defaults on it. By checking |
| and score (the score is optional and comes at a small | | | | your credit report, you can catch such thefts and |
| cost) from all three companies at the same time or | | | | report them on time, before it gives you 'bad credit'. |
| each at a different time, depending on your purposes. | | | | Now that you know the advantages of tracking your |
| Consumers that choose to search the Internet and go | | | | credit report and score, you could choose the best |
| online in order to obtain a copy of their free credit | | | | way to get it free and enjoy the benefits. |
| report and score need to be wary on one point - | | | | |