How to get a real credit report

If you are about to apply for a loan, credit card or mortgage, you should order a copy of your credit report from all three credit reference agencies. Check your credit rating at Experian, Equifax and TransUnion before you apply because you may find that your credit profile is not a good fit for a bank or that you need to fix your credit score prior to applying for finance.

Importance of your credit report information

My credit check and why it matters You should check your credit report for free because the information affects the likelihood of whether you will be able to refinance your home, perform a balance transfer or get auto financing. It not only determines whether you will be approved, it also affects the rate of interest that you will pay if approval is granted. Lenders set up the price of financial products based on the information the credit reference agencies hold about you. If there are any mistakes, you need to find and correct them prior to submitting your application.

How to order a real credit report

Legal entitlement to your free credit report information Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, all Americans are legally entitled to a copy of their credit report for free once a year from the three credit reference agencies. This does not affect your right to receive the information if you believe that you may have been the victim of credit card fraud or personal identity theft. View credit report online, by post or over the phone You can either request this information at the same time or from one agency once each quarter. While this will help you to keep track of things, it is important to appreciate the information which is held by each agency is totally independent and unique. You w ill not necessarily find that the same mistakes are held by each credit reference agency. How to get a real credit report Although there are many companies which allow you to see the information that Experian, Equifax and TransUnion hold about you, only one is authorised by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can order a copy from Annualcreditreport.com. What is my credit score? Although you can see the information which is recorded about you at Annualcreditreport.com, there is no legal obligation for them to provide your credit score. If you need to see your score, you should sign-up for a free seven-day trial offer. Provided that you cancel before the offer lapses, your credit card will not be billed.