Why Credit Reports are Important
If an identity thief has stolen your identity, he/she is very like opening new credit accounts
in your name. These accounts are likely to show
up on your credit report. This is why it is important to regularly review your credit report so you can identify suspicious activity on your report and take action to stop it. The sooner you catch it the better. It is wise to order a credit report at least once a year to look for any suspicious activity. If you suspect your information has been stolen, or is being used fraudulently try to check it at least monthly.
How to Get Your Credit Report
An amendment to the federal Fair Credit
Reporting Act requires each of the major
nationwide consumer reporting companies
to provide you with a free copy of your credit
report, at your request, once every 12 months.
To order your free annual report from one or
all the national consumer reporting companies,
visit: www.annualcreditreport.com; call toll-free:
877-322-8228; or complete the Annual Credit
Report Request Form and mail it to: Annual
Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281,
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. You can print the form
from ftc.gov/credit. Do not contact the three
nationwide consumer reporting companies
individually; they provide free annual credit
reports only through www.annualcreditreport.com,
877-322-8228, and Annual Credit Report
Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA
30348-5281.
OTHER RIGHTS TO FREE REPORTS
Under federal law, you’re also entitled to a free
report if a company takes adverse action against
you, such as denying your application for credit,
insurance or employment, and you request
your report within 60 days of receiving notice
of the action. The notice will give you the name,
address, and phone number of the consumer
reporting company that supplied the information
about you.
You’re also entitled to one free
report a year if you’re unemployed and plan to
look for a job within 60 days; if you’re on welfare;
or if your report is inaccurate because of fraud.
Otherwise, a consumer reporting company
may charge you up to $9.50 for additional
copies of your report.
If you ask, only the last four digits of your
Social Security number will appear on your
credit reports.
TO BUY A COPY OF YOUR REPORT, CONTACT:
- Equifax, www.equifax.com
- Experian, www.experian.com
- TransUnion, www.transunion.com
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