You can order the free credit reports you are entitled to by law from the three nationwide credit reporting agencies either online, by mail, or by phone. There are also “specialty” consumer reporting agencies that track, for example, a person’s history of handling a checking account.
For information, visit consumerfinance.gov and search for “list of consumer reporting companies.”
Online
1. Go to annualcreditreport.com. This is the only place authorized to fill orders for the free credit reports you are entitled to every 12 months under the law.
2. Complete the online form with your name, date of birth, Social Security number, current address, and previous address if you have lived at your current address for less than two years.
3. Pick the report(s) you want: Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. For each of the three reports, you will complete an additional form that includes security questions based on information from your credit report.
- If you are unable to answer the questions, you will need to use another method to get your reports.
By Mail
- Obtain request form at https://www.annualcreditreport.com/manualRequestForm.action
- Mail it to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
By Phone
Call 1-877-322-8228