Requesting a copy of your credit report and score regularly is one of the most important things you can do to make sure they are correct. Most people think of a credit report as a summary of how reliable you are with your money. Throughout the year, many lenders and other organisations report your financial performance to credit reporting agencies. By asking for a copy of your credit report every year or even every six months, you can make sure that all of the information is correct and, if it isn't, you can take steps to fix it. Here are some tips on how to get a copy of your credit report.
There's more than one credit report.
Most people talk about getting "a" credit report, but there are actually three different credit reporting agencies that each make their own report. Even though they usually have a lot of the same information as the report, they can sometimes have different or wrong information. This is why it is important to ask each credit bureau for a report. Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union are the three most important credit bureaus.
It is simple to ask for a credit report.
Each of these three major credit bureaus is required by law to give you a free credit report once a year. This is good news for people who want to know what their credit report says about their financial history. You will have to pay a small fee if you want more than one report per year. You can easily get a free credit report by going to the websites of the three major credit bureaus or calling them to ask for one.
Why Do You Want a Report?
It is very important to get a copy of your credit report every year to see if there are any mistakes. If there are mistakes on your credit report, you might not get a mortgage or car loan. Before making a big purchase, you should always look at your credit report.
If you think your identity has been stolen, you should also ask for a report. Contacting the three major credit bureaus and asking that new loans and credit cards require proof of identity is one way to lessen the damage caused by identity theft. When you get your credit report, it's easy to see if loans or credit cards have been taken out in your name without your permission. This is another way to stop identity theft.
