How to get your free credit report and read it

A credit report is a summary of your credit history, and lenders, insurers and landlords can all read it. AnnualCreditReport.com is the only website authorized to fill orders for the free reports. Each of the three nationwide bureaus offers a free report there once a week.

What you need

• Most of an hour and a quiet place to read
• Your recent card, loan and bank statements, to compare against
• Your past addresses, especially any from the last two years
• Your Social Security number and birth date

Steps

1. 1

   Order the reports

   Go to AnnualCreditReport.com, or call 1-877-322-8228. Each bureau asks questions only you would know, such as your monthly mortgage payment. Online access is immediate, and a report requested by phone comes by mail. Order one from each bureau: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

   10 min

2. 2

   Read the personal information

   This section lists your name and any name you've used on a credit account. It also shows addresses, your birth date, your Social Security number and phone numbers. Check that each one is yours.

   5 min

3. 3

   Read the accounts

   The report lists current and past credit accounts, with balances, limits and each account's payment history. Match each one to a statement you hold, and write down any account you don't recognize.

   15 min

4. 4

   Read the collections and public records

   Missed payments and loans sent to collections appear here. So do liens, foreclosures, bankruptcies, and civil suits and judgments.

   5 min

5. 5

   Read the inquiries

   This section lists the companies that have accessed your report. Note any you didn't apply with.

   5 min

6. 6

   Save each report

   Download or print each one and keep it with your financial records, so you can compare the next report against it.

   3 min

7. 7

   Check the three are read and saved

   You should have one report from each bureau, each section checked, and any line you didn't recognize written down.

   2 min

Who reads your report

Lenders use credit reports to help decide whether to lend you money, and to check whether borrowers still meet an account's terms. Insurers, landlords, and utility, internet and phone providers may review them too.

Lookalike sites

Some sites use names or misspelled addresses that look like AnnualCreditReport.com, and they can lead to services that sell or misuse your information. AnnualCreditReport.com and the bureaus won't email you asking for your Social Security number or account information.

Why read it regularly

Checking your report regularly helps protect your credit history from errors. It can also show the early signs of identity theft, such as an account or an inquiry you don't recognize.