Free Credit Report
You Can Always Get Your Report
One of the rights you have under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), is to be able to obtain a copy of your credit report. Fees vary in the 50 states, but if you go online with any of the major credit agencies, you can find out the charge and the information you need to provide to get your report. You can also request a copy by mail.
However, you cannot order a copy from credit bureaus by phone. There is no way to ensure that you are the one calling, obviously. Your credit history contains private information that should only be reported to those businesses having a "legitimate business need."
Getting a Free Credit Report
One way of obtaining a free credit report is to sign up for a free trial of one of the packages offered by Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union. Each of them offers some variation of continuing scrutiny of your credit file and reporting changes to you. Along with the credit manager-type deal, or a free trial, comes a free credit report.
Under law, you also have the right to a free credit report under certain circumstances. If you are unemployed, and intend to apply for employment within 60 days, you may obtain a free copy. Other situations include being on welfare, or having reason to believe your file contains inaccurate information due to fraud. Most common, perhaps, is the right to a copy if any adverse action has been taken against you within the last 60 days. This includes denial of credit, employment, or insurance.
