The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) a federal law passed in 1970, regulates the collection, dissemination, and use of consumer credit information. The law protects consumers’ rights by ensuring the accuracy and privacy of their credit reports.

Your credit report is a detailed record of your credit history. Businesses use the reports to determine your credit worthiness when issuing credit. Under the FCRA consumers have the right to obtain a free copy of their credit reports with the major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion once every 12 months, however the three major credit bureaus have permanently extended a policy that allows you to check your credit report at each agency once a week for free.

Monitoring each of your reports is important, errors on the reports can lead to financial problems.

Annual Credit Report is the official website to request free copies of your credit reports. The site is maintained by Central Source, LLC. Central Source, LLC is sponsored by Equifax, Experian and TransUnion so you have a single site where you can ask for all three of your free credit reports.

Make sure to use the official website AnnualCreditReport.com. Other sites have similar-sounding names. You can request and review your free reports through one of the following ways:

• Online: Visit AnnualCreditReport.com 
• Phone: Call (877) 322-8228
• Mail: Download and complete the Annual Credit Report Request form . Mail the completed form to:

Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

When you request your reports, you will be required to provide your name, address, birthdate, Social Security number and other personal information to verify your identity.

You can order your reports from any or all of the three major credit bureaus. For each report request, you will be asked to answer questions pertaining to your personal finances. If you have difficulty answering the questions online you can request your reports by phone.

Review your reports to ensure that all the information is accurate. If you find errors, file a dispute.

According to Consumer Reports incorrect information on credit reports was the top complaint made to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from 2021 to 2023.

You can file a dispute online, by phone or by mail. You will be asked to provide documentation to support your claim.

Keep copies of everything you send to the credit bureaus. If you mail your dispute, send your letter by certified mail and request a “return receipt” so you have a record the credit bureau received it. The credit bureau has 30 days to investigate the dispute.

The credit bureau will send the documentation you submitted to the business that reported the information. The business must investigate and report the results back to the credit bureau. If the business finds the information they reported is inaccurate, they must notify all three credit bureaus so they can correct the information in your file.

The credit bureau must provide you with the results, and if the dispute results in a change to your file they must provide you with a free copy of your updated report.