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Annual Free Credit Reports | FAQ
We've been waiting for what seems like 5 lifetimes to be able and get our credit reports for free. Truly free. Before this change, you either had to be denied credit, be disabled or ask for one per year per bureau. Now consumers in every state can go to one source and order all three credit reports for free! That's no charge!

AnnualCreditReport.com is the official site to help consumers to obtain their free credit report. Fight identity theft by monitoring and reviewing your credit report. You may request your free credit report online, request your report by phone or request your report through the mail. Free credit reports requested online are viewable immediately upon authentication of identity. Free credit reports requested by phone or mail will be processed within 15 days of receiving your request.

Consumers in 14 East Coast states join the rest of the country in qualifying for a free annual credit report from each of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. The free reports were mandated by Congress in The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA), which requires the nationwide credit bureaus to provide consumers with a free copy of their credit report, at their request, once every 12 months. Consumers who want to access their credit report online can go to annualcreditreport.com.

“The right to receive a free credit report is an important new tool for consumers,” said Deborah Platt Majoras, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission. “Not only does checking the credit report give consumers a valuable snapshot of their credit histories, it permits them to detect and correct errors, and spot and stop identity theft.”

Credit reports contain consumers’ identification and financial information, including payment history with different creditors, inquiries made by various financial institutions, and information on the public record, such as foreclosures or bankruptcies. Consumer reporting companies collect and sell this information to lenders and other businesses that have a permissible purpose to obtain it.

Access to the free credit reports was phased in across the country in four installments from west to east starting last December. September 1 marks the final phase of the roll-out. Consumers in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and all U.S. territories are now eligible to receive their reports.

Consumers who visit annualcreditreport.com to get their free report online should close their Internet browser after obtaining their report to be sure their transaction is secure and their personal information is not at risk. Consumers also may order their free annual credit report by calling toll-free, 1-877-322-8228, or by mailing a completed Annual Credit Report Request Form to:

Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. The form can be downloaded from annualcreditreport.com or from the FTC’s Web site. It also can be requested by calling the FTC’s Consumer Response Center at 1-877-FTC-HELP.

Consumers may choose to order free reports from all three nationwide consumer reporting companies at the same time, or stagger their requests over the course of the year. Consumers are eligible to order a free credit report any time – they are not required to submit their request within a certain period of time.

This information is from the consumer site for the FTC and is not intended to replace any legal advice. It is for educational purposes only.

The site also offers Q and A about the following topics, providing consumers with a way to quickly get answers right on the site. This is important to keep consumers for seeking the same information from less than reputable sites that may be trying to get the visitor to their site under false pretenses.

How do I request a "fraud alert" be placed on my file?
What is a credit file disclosure or a credit report?
How do I request my free credit report through the Annual Credit Report Request Service?
Am I entitled to a free credit report under state law?
How often can I request a free credit report through this website?
Should I order all my credit reports at one time or space them out over 12 months?
How else can I request my free annual credit report?
How do I request a credit report by mail for a child under 13 years of age?
How can I provide a suggestion or complaint about the Annual Credit Report Request Service or this website?
Where can I find information on disputing or correcting information in my credit file?
How can I exclude my name from nationwide consumer credit reporting company lists for unsolicited credit and insurance offers?
What is a credit score?
How can I get my credit score?
What is the proper way to create a link to AnnualCreditReport.com?
How do I contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)?
Where can I find out more about credit reports, my rights as a consumer, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the FACT Act?
What about companies that claim they can improve my credit report for a fee?
Where can I find out more about credit repair?
Where can I find out more about identity theft?


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