Why Should I Get a Copy of My Free Credit Report?
A Credit Article Contributed by Annie Bauers
I Was Told I Can Get a Free Credit Report Why Would I Want One?
You should get a free credit report and review it at least once a year. Most credit and financial advisors recommend that you review your credit report at least once every three months or so. There is a good reason for this. You should review your credit report for any errors or information that is listed incorrectly on the report.
Sometimes merchants make mistakes and charge your for items you have not purchased of even overcharge you for the items you have bought. This is not done intentionally but errors do happen. To be a responsible consumer and take charge of your credit you should review for errors periodically.
What Information is on My Free Credit Report
The same information that is on the credit report a potential lender would see. This information includes any loans you have currently, loans you have paid off in the past and your payment history. A free credit report is a complete report and no information is omitted from the report because it is free. So when you look at a copy of a free credit report it is the same one a lender sees.
Other information that will be on a free credit report is your name, address, social security number and place of employment. When you look at your free credit report make sure to look at this information and confirm that it is listed correctly.
One of the reasons you want to look at your free credit report is to confirm that all the information listed on the report is accurate.
Who Will Give Me a Free Credit Report?
One of the three credit reporting agencies will give you a free copy of your credit report. The three agencies are Experion, Equifax or TransUnion. All you have to do to get a free credit report is to call or write to the agency and request as free credit report. You are entitled to receive one copy of your credit report a year and it is highly advised that you do so. This is because you should take the time to check for errors on your credit report at least once a year.
If you have recently been turned down for credit you can also contact one of the credit agencies and request a free credit report.
There are many online resources that are available to obtain free copies of credit reports. many of these sites will give you you a copy of your free credit report in a matter of seconds. If you are unable to get a free copy of your credit report it is worth the money to pay for a copy. The average cost to you is between $12 and $13 and if there is an error you were not aware this small fee will be worth fixing the error on your credit report whether it is free or not.
