How do I go to annualcreditreport.com?

On any computer or phone, go to annualcreditreport.com — this is the only official free credit report site authorized by federal law. Click "Request your free credit reports." You can request reports from all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) at once or one at a time.

How do I verify your identity?

Enter your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. The site uses these to verify who you are. You may be asked additional security questions based on your credit history — for example, "Which of these was a previous address?" or "Which of these is a loan you have had?" These are normal identity verification questions.

How do I view your reports?

Select which bureaus you want to see and click "Continue." Each bureau's report opens in a new window or downloads as a PDF. You can view all three at once or spread them out through the year (for example, one bureau every 4 months to monitor throughout the year).

How do I review accounts and payment history?

Look through each section: Personal Information (verify your name, addresses, SSN are correct), Accounts (every credit card, mortgage, auto loan — check for accounts you do not recognize), Payment History (late payments are noted — verify they are accurate), and Inquiries (hard inquiries from lenders when you applied for credit).

How do I dispute any errors?

If you find incorrect information — an account you did not open, a payment incorrectly marked late, wrong personal information — you can dispute it for free. Each bureau has an online dispute form: equifax.com/dispute, experian.com/disputes, transunion.com/credit-disputes. Bureaus must investigate within 30 days and remove errors they cannot verify.

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Your credit report is a record of your credit history — every credit card, loan, mortgage, and many other accounts you have ever had, along with your payment history. Lenders use it to decide whether to approve you for credit and at what interest rate.

Under federal law (the Fair Credit Reporting Act), you are entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. During COVID, the bureaus extended this to weekly free reports, and as of 2023, weekly free access continues at AnnualCreditReport.com.

The only authorized free credit report website is **AnnualCreditReport.com** — this is the official site mandated by federal law. Other sites advertising "free credit reports" may require you to sign up for paid services.

Your credit report is NOT your credit score.

The report shows your history; the score (a number like 720) is calculated from that history. Free scores are available through many bank apps and credit card websites.

Checking your own credit report does NOT affect your credit score. This is called a "soft pull."

Why check your report? - Catch identity theft early (look for accounts you did not open) - Fix errors that may be lowering your score - See exactly what lenders see when you apply for credit