How To Check A Credit Report

Before you apply for a loan or go to another job interview, it would be of great benefit to know how to check a credit report score and see where you really stand financially. A bad credit score can result in your being denied a loan or given higher insurance premiums, and can give a potential employer a reason to deny you a job. Many credit reports also contain inaccurate information which can have unfairly detrimental consequences, while others will also uncover signs of identity fraud, which can be absolutely devastating to your financial well-being. Fortunately, it's easier than ever to check a credit report to protect yourself from these hazards, or help you plan out a road map to improve your credit score.

You will need the following to check a credit report:

• Information on all your previous loans

1. Visit the credit reporting agencies online. You can get a credit report from Transunion, Equifax, and Experian. You will need to give them your name, social security number, address, and information on one of your present or past loans or credit cards for security verification purposes. These sites may charge a fee.

2. Visit a free credit report website. Annualcreditreport.com is the website authorized by the Federal Government to provide free credit reports once per year, as mandated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. You can request your credit report online, by phone, or by mail.

3. Check for red flags. Check your credit report against your loans and past applications. If you see a credit application that you never filled out, this could be a problem. If you see a loan you never took out, be sure to report this immediately, as it is a sign of identity fraud in progress.

Tips:

• You can order one free credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies per year.

• The fastest way to check your credit report is by doing it online.

• Most sites offer free credit reports as a “free trial”, which means they will start charging you a fee after the trial period is over.

References:

credit/cre34.shtm

credit-record/crrecord.htm

creditreport.com/

http://www.equifax.com

http://www.transunion.com

http://www.experian.com