Yes, the FCRA requires that you be given a FREE copy of your CR from all CRAs once every 12 months. The FTC has some very good, concise info on the subject, and I commend it to you.
Here's the law on it: 15 USC 1681j(a)
You can call, write or go online. It is an excellent idea to pull your CR from all 3 CRAs once every 12 months. They even send you an Email reminder that it's time for your free report.
This is the official website established by the Big Three CRAs. It's mostly easy to use. Do not be taken in by other companies that advertise. There is almost certain to be fine print, credit card charges for a subscription to a golfing magazine, or some darned thing. One company associated with one of the Big Three advertises heavily on TV.
You can request your TU and EX reports online and access them online, but I recommend you request a paper copy of EQ by calling or writing. EQ is a bit "online challenged". You can call or write for any, or all 3, for whatever reason. Lotta folks have a basic distrust of accessing such things online. OTOH, others have reported good success with online requests from EQ.
You can also view and dispute your EX report online at one of several links. They don't appear to restrict it so you can access it any time you want.
http://www.experian.com/rs/fi2.html
If either stops working, go here.
http://www.truecredit.com/help/learnCenter/disputing/overview.jsp
TC is a 3 in 1 monitoring service that TU offers. There are two links you can use to dispute with EX. You don't need to subscribe to TC to access it.
For TU, if you want to go back and access your report again, use the ID and password you established.
http://annualcreditreport.transunion.com/
EX will give you a number that you need to write down and remember if you plan to go back and review your CR.
TU will assign a file number to your report, but you won't need it.
It's a good idea to utilize your FACTA requests, even if you use MFSW or TC or some other monitoring service. Original EX and TU reports break down your TLs into good and adverse. The adverse TLs are listed first in their own section. Some other services don't necessarily show this, and it's good information to have in case the TL is somehow flagged as adverse which is not readily apparent to you.
Message Edited by Noah_Bodie on 10-23-2007 07:47 AM
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Fused
?: I know you can see your credit report free of charge but is it the actual score that you have to pay for?
DH did my credit report Feb 2008 but no score was posted. Since that time, I've been working diligently to get those little negatives off (basically not making late payments on anything else and just have time working on my side). I'd like to get another credit report (since it's been over a year since my last one) but I'd like to have the score included because we intend on building a house in the next year or two.
Thanks,
~Cynthia~