Ordering Your Credit Report
Free Annual Credit Reports
The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every twelve months.
How do I order my free credit report?
You can order your report online at www.annualcreditreport.com; by telephone at 877-322-8228; or by completing the “Annual Credit Report Request Form” and mailing it to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
You can also obtain the request form at www.ftc.gov/credit. Do not contact the three nationwide consumer reporting companies directly.
What information do I have to provide to get my free credit report?
You will need to provide your name, address, Social Security Number, and date of birth. To verify your identity, you may be asked to provide some information only you would know, such as the name of your credit card company.
How long does it take to get my free credit report?
If you request your report online, you should be able to get it immediately. If you request your report by phone or mail, it should be mailed to you within 15 days.
Will the free credit report include my credit score?
No. However, you can purchase your credit score when you order your free report.
Does ordering my credit report lower my credit score?
No. For more information on your credit score, see Credit Reports & Credit Scores.
What should I do if I ordered my free credit report, but I never received it?
Please call the NYC Financial Justice Hotline at 212-925-4929, or click here to request assistance.
Other Ways to Order Your Credit Report
If you have already ordered your free credit report, and you want to get another report within the twelve month period, you must order it directly from one or more of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies. You can order your report by phone, mail, or internet.
Experian:
Experian National Consumer Assistance Center
P.O. Box 4500
Allen, TX 75013-1311
1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
Equifax:
Equifax Customer Information Service Center
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30348-0241
1-800-685-1111
TransUnion:
TransUnion Corporation
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19022-2000
1-800-916-8800
Can I get a second credit report for free?
Yes. You can get a free credit report if you have been denied credit in the last 60 days. However, you can only get a free credit report from companies whose reports were used in the decision to deny you credit. For example, if you have been denied credit based on information in your TransUnion report, you can get a free report from TransUnion, but not from Experian or Equifax.
You can also get a free credit report if you are unemployed and intend to seek employment within 60 days, if you are on public assistance, or if you believe your report contains inaccurate information due to fraud.
Finally, you can get a free report if you are a victim of identity theft, and you place a “Fraud Alert” on your account.
If I don’t qualify for a free credit report, how much is the fee?
About $9.00 for a basic credit report, and a few dollars more for your credit score.
More Information
Credit Reports & Credit Scores
Reading Your Credit Report (PDF)
Housing Court Records and Your Credit Report
Sources: Federal Trade Commission, New Economy Project.
Disclaimer: This site provides general information for consumers and links to other sources of information. This site does not provide legal advice, which you can only get from an attorney. New Economy Project has no control over the information on linked sites.
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