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Consumer Information
A Morrisson-Reeves Library Subject Guide
Famous Hoosiers ~Biography Resource Center Tutorial
House History ~Bibliography ~Maps ~Web Resources ~House Styles of Wayne County
Consumer Information ~Free Annual Credit Report ~Opting Out of Prescreened Offers ~Consumer Contacts
Search Engines and Web Directories
Checking your free annual credit report:
Your credit report can affect applications for loans, housing, employment, and credit cards. Checking your credit report is also an important part of protecting yourself from identity theft. It is vital to check your report for any inaccurate information. Your credit report includes personal information, your credit history, any inquiries that have been made into your credit report in the last two years, and public records, like liens, bankruptcies, and overdue child support.
Read more about credit reports:
http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs6-crdt.htm
This is a fact sheet on credit reports and privacy, which addresses FACTA and the importance of checking your credit report.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.htm
This is a Federal Trade Commission document that presents facts for consumers about free credit reports.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/freereports/index.html
Here you will find further information from the Federal Trade Commission regarding annualcreditreport.com as well as warnings about imposter sites.
http://credit.about.com/cs/creditrepair/a/121799.htm
This is a helpful article on what to look for when checking your credit report.
Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act
The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA or FACT Act) of 2003 (PL 108-159, 12/04/03) entitles everyone to a free credit file disclosure, or credit report, annual credit report once every 12 months from each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. AnnualCreditReport.com is the only official site for requesting your free annual credit report.
Requesting your free annual credit report:
In order to request your free annual credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com, you will have to provide your Social Security number and other private information. The site's security is designed to encrypt your information to maintain your privacy, which you can read about in detail in the site's FAQ section. If you are uncomfortable providing this information online, it is also possible to request your report by phone or mail.
By phone:
Call 1-877-322-8228.
You will go through a simple verification process and your report will be mailed to you.
By mail:
Complete the form available on this page and mail it to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
To get your free credit report online:
Go to AnnualCreditReport.com
- Select Indiana from the pull down menu under "Start Here" and click "Go"
- You will then be asked to enter personal information: name, date of birth, Social Security number, and address (and previous address if you have lived at your current address less than 2 years).
At the bottom of this page, you will enter characters from a picture:
This process prevents an automated program from filling out the form and protects your personal information.
- After submitting your personal infromation, you are asked to select the company or companies (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion) from which you would like to receive your report. Select the desired company or companies and click "next."
- The next screen informs you that if you have selected more than one, you will have to return to AnnualCreditReport.com before continuing to the next company's site to get your other credit reports. Click "next" to continue.
If you would like to see only one company, select the name below:
Experian
If you selected Experian, you are taken to a page that asks for validation of your request by giving the last four digits of your Social Security number. Enter those and click "submit."
*Note that after clicking submit, you may no longer use the back, stop, refresh, or reload buttons on your browser. Doing so will cancel your request.
You will be asked further validation questions on the next page. These may be questions about auto loans, monthly payments, county residence, or streets on which you have resided. Answer the questions and click "submit" to generate your report.
YOUR REPORT- make sure to note report number
After viewing your report, click on the return to AnnualCreditReport.com button located at the top of the page to return to AnnualCreditReport.com and continue on to the next company's site.
A pop-up window appears that warns you that you are about to leave the Experian website and advises you to print your report before leaving. It is also possible to return to your report with your Experian Report Number. Click "ok" to return to AnnualCreditReport.com. If you chose to receive reports from all three companies, repeat steps 3-4.
Equifax
On the first page of the Equifax request, your personal information is already filled in. If it correct, click "next."
The next page is an offer to buy your FICO® score. If you are not interested and only want your free credit report, click the button that says "No Thanks- Just Want Credit Report."
The next page offers you additional offers, including an offer to keep your report available for 30 days. This offer is free, however you will be asked to sign up for an Equifax account. Once you click submit, you will not be able to reorder your report for a full year. If you do want to do this, make sure that no is selected for the offers, and click submit.
Next is an order confirmation. Click "view and print your online report."
This page is your report. It is available in sections, shown in the menu, or you can view and print the entire report by choosing the "print credit report" link from the bottom of the menu. Your report will open in a new browser window.
When you are finished viewing your report, click on the "return to AnnualCreditReport.com" button.
If you also chose to receive a report from TransUnion, repeat steps 3-4.
TransUnion
The entry page for the TransUnion report states that there are three steps to getting your report: personal information, identity confirmation, and viewing your report. You will also be asked to create a user name and password in the second step. Click continue.
You are now asked to set up a user name and password, as well as select a secret question. This provides you with access to your report for 30 days. There is also a service agreement to read. In clicking "accept," you are accepting this agreement. After filling in your information and reading the service agreement, click "accept" to move to the next page.
You are then given the option of entering your email address so that you can be notified when you are eligible for your next report. This is not required. If you choose to do so, enter your e-mail and click "yes, please keep me informed." If you prefer not to give your e-mail, click "no thanks."
Next you are asked a combination of questions to confirm your identity. You are given a choice of what type of questions that you would prefer. The questions will vary. They may include account numbers for mortgages or car loans, credit card account numbers, previous addresses and employers. Simply answer and click next.
Once you have confirmed your identity, you will be offered an opportunity to buy a report with your credit score on it and again are presented with a service agreement. If you simply want your free credit report, click "no thanks, just my report."
Your entire report is displayed on the next page.
Once you are finished, click on the "return to AnnualCreditReport.com button."
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