112th Precinct Community Council

Free Credit reports

Free Credit Reports by Heidi Harrison Chain

Free Credit Reports
By
Heidi Harrison Chain

The law now requires each of the consumer reporting companies to provide you with a free copy of your credit report at your request once every 12 months. The three credit reporting companies are Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. The three companies have set up a central website and toll free number or you can write to them to order your free annual report. The phone number is 1 877 322 8228, the website is annualcreditreport.com. Their address is Annual Credit Report Request Service, PO Box 105281, Atlanta Ga 303485281. Do not contact the companies individually as they will only be providing it free through annual credit report request Service. The law allows you to order one report from each of the companies every 12 months, so you can order your report from each of the companies one at a time and get three free reports of your credit every year.
It is very important for you to view your credit report. It has information about whether you can get a loan. It also has information about you on it and you want to be sure that it is correct. IF someone has set up a new credit account in your name and you do not know this- it would show up on this credit report. There is currently widespread identity theft and it is important for you to check that this has not happened to you. In order for us to address this problem, our guest speaker at our 112th precinct community council May 21st meeting at the precinct will give a very important presentation about id theft. We will also have a speaker on how to protect yourself from being having someone pick pocket your possessions.
When you get the report you should examine it . If you find errors then you should contact the credit reporting company in writing setting forth what is wrong. You should also contact the creditor and tell them in writing that there is something that is wrong.
You should also be careful because there are imposter websites on the web indicating that they will provide you with free annual credit reports. These sites will also ask for your information and if you give it – you could find yourself being a victim of id theft.