A credit report is a summary of your personal credit history, which affects your buying power and ability to get a job, buy insurance, and rent or buy a place to live. It determines whether you can get credit, how good or bad the terms for getting credit are, and how much it costs you to borrow money.
You have the right to get a free copy of your credit report every 12 months through www.AnnualCreditReport.com. It’s a good idea to review your credit report to make sure your information is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. Mistakes on your credit report might be a sign of identity theft, where someone is using your personal information to drain your bank account, run up charges or open new credit cards, steal your tax refund, pretend to be you if they are arrested, and more.
The three nationwide credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – have a centralized website, toll-free telephone number, and mailing address where you can order your free annual credit reports. Learn how to get your free credit report, how to monitor your credit reports, and more at https://consumer.ftc.gov/free-credit-reports
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[Image description: Blue and black text that reads, “Every year, you have the right to request a free credit report. Getting a credit report is an easy way to help protect your credit history and spot signs of identity theft.” Above the text is a graphic of a calendar. Below is a graphic of a woman sitting on a large calculator, looking at a laptop, with money symbols and a graph arrow around her. Beside her are some shopping bags and a man reading a document.]