Little Known Tips For Using Your Free Credit Reports
Consumers use the Federal Trade Commission as a sounding board for their complaints. A few years ago, many consumers saw an advertisement for a free credit report and then got stuck paying a monthly fee for a service, and the FTC received a high number of complaints. As a result, the Fair Credit Reporting Act was changed so that consumers can receive a free credit report from TransUnion, Experian, and Eqiufax each, the three national consumer reporting agencies, annually.
There are many websites that advertise free credit reports if you agree to test out their services. The only place online where you can find a truly free credit report is the American government’s website, www.annualcreditreport.com. You can apply for you free credit report online, by phone, or by mail.
Not everyone takes advantage of the free credit reports that are available to them. Some people don’t want to take the time while others may not even know about the service. The only hitch to these free reports is that you have to take the time to request them.
The best way to use the free credit reports to track your history is to order one ever four months. You will stay up to date, and you will notice any unusual accounts that you didn’t open. Because each company has to give you one free report every twelve months, you can spread out the reports between them and never have to pay.
Keep in mind, however, that these credit report agencies are not going to send you a free credit report without at least trying to get you to spend some money on other services that they offer to consumers. They will offer you such non-essential services as monthly credit monitoring and a credit score.
It might be a good idea to check out your credit score if you are planning to apply for any loans in the near future. Knowing any problems that you might have can allow you to prepare information to explain the situations surrounding the negative, or show how your financial situation has changed since that time.
If you are worried about identity theft or have a spouse (or ex-spouse) that is wreaking havoc with your credit history, then it might be a good move to spend a little on the credit watch that is available.
Remember that you can indeed receive a no strings attached, absolutely free credit report online at www.annualcreditreport.com.