How to Check Your Credit Report for Free and Dispute Errors

You can check your credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion for free, and you can dispute anything that is wrong at no cost. The only official place to order them is AnnualCreditReport.com. This guide shows where to get your reports, what to look for, and exactly how to dispute an error with both the credit bureau and the company that reported it.

Key takeaways

• AnnualCreditReport.com is the only authorized site for your free reports from the three nationwide credit bureaus.
• Through that site you can check each report for free weekly, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
• To fix an error, dispute it with the credit bureau and with the business that supplied the information.
• The bureau has 30 days to investigate, and the business generally must respond within 30 days of receiving your dispute.
• If the dispute changes your report, you get a free copy that does not count as your annual report.

Where can you get your credit report for free?

The FTC says AnnualCreditReport.com is the only authorized site for ordering your free annual reports. You can also order by phone at 1-877-322-8228, or by mail using the Annual Credit Report Request Form sent to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. The FTC advises against contacting Equifax, Experian or TransUnion individually to order these reports.

Online requests give immediate access. Phone and mail requests are typically processed within 15 days. You will need your name, address, Social Security number and date of birth, plus a previous address if you moved in the last two years, and you will answer some verification questions.

How often can you check your credit reports?

By default you are entitled to one free report from each of the three bureaus every 12 months. Through AnnualCreditReport.com, the FTC says you can also check each report for free weekly. You may qualify for additional free reports if:

• You were denied credit, employment, insurance or housing based on your report.
• You are unemployed and plan to look for a job within 60 days.
• You receive public assistance.
• Your report is affected by fraud or identity theft, or you have a fraud alert on your file.

What should you look for on your report?

Read each of the three reports line by line, because they can differ. A quick checklist:

• Accounts you do not recognize. These can be a sign of identity theft.
• Wrong account details. Check balances, credit limits, payment history and whether an account is shown as open or closed.
• Personal information. Look for misspelled names, old or incorrect addresses and employers you never had.
• Duplicates. The same debt listed twice can make your finances look worse than they are.

If you find nothing, a regular check is still a good habit, much like keeping a cushion in a practical emergency fund or reviewing a realistic monthly budget.

How do you dispute an error on your credit report?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recommends disputing in writing and keeping records. Each bureau also accepts disputes online, by mail or by phone.

1. Gather your proof. Make copies, not originals, of documents that support your case, and mark the disputed items on a copy of your report.
2. Write to the credit bureau. Include your name, address and phone number, the report confirmation number if you have one, each error with the account number, a clear explanation, and a request that the item be corrected or removed.
3. Send it in a way you can track. The CFPB suggests certified mail with a return receipt, and keeping copies of everything.
4. Dispute with the business that reported it. This company, called the furnisher, might be a bank or card issuer. Send a written dispute by certified mail to the address on your report or the address it lists for credit reporting disputes.
5. Wait for the results. The bureau must give you the results in writing.

How long does a credit report dispute take?

If the dispute leads to a change in your report, the FTC says you get a free copy, and it does not count as your free annual report. On request, the bureau must also notify anyone who received your report in the past six months, or the past two years for employment purposes.

What if the dispute does not fix the problem?

• Add a statement. You can ask the bureaus to add a statement about the dispute to your file, and anyone who requests your report later will see it.
• Complain to the CFPB. If problems continue, you can submit a complaint to the CFPB.
• Report identity theft. If the error is the result of identity theft, the CFPB directs you to IdentityTheft.gov.

How do you avoid fake “free credit report” sites?

The FTC warns that imposter sites with “free report” in their names, or misspelled web addresses, may charge you or collect your personal data. AnnualCreditReport.com and the credit bureaus will not email, call or send pop-ups asking for your Social Security number or account information, so do not click links in unexpected messages. Report suspected scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Our guide to recognizing online scams covers more warning signs, and a password manager helps protect the accounts you create along the way.

FAQ

Is it really free? Yes. Reports ordered through AnnualCreditReport.com are free, according to the FTC. Be wary of any site that asks for payment.

Do I need to contact all three bureaus? Each bureau keeps its own file, so check all three. If an error appears on more than one, dispute it with each. A furnisher that finds information wrong must notify all three nationwide bureaus.

Can I dispute online instead of by mail? Yes. Each bureau accepts disputes online, by mail or by phone, though the CFPB recommends putting your dispute in writing and keeping copies.

What if the business says the information is accurate? You can ask the bureaus to add a statement of your dispute to your file, and you can submit a complaint to the CFPB.

For more, visit our Personal Finance section.

Free-report details and scam warnings are from the FTC. Dispute steps and furnisher timelines are from the CFPB, and the bureau investigation timeline is from the FTC guide to disputing errors. This article is general information for U.S. readers, not financial or legal advice.