The official website to get your free credit report is: AnnualCreditReport.com. This is the only official program to receive your free report and you must go through this program in order to a report with absolutely no strings attached. You can request your free report once per year.

There are lots of other websites, TV commercials and 1-800 numbers promising free reports, but they usually require your credit card number and they try to trick you into signing up for paid services. Worse yet, there are numerous scams on the internet to trick people into giving up their private data.

What the Official Free Credit Report program will ask you:

• Your Name, Address, Date of Birth
• Social Security Number
• To prove your identity, information from your credit report that only you would know, such as details about your mortgage, vehicle or prior address
• You will NOT be asked for your credit card number!

To request a Credit Report over the Internet

1. Visit this webpage: www.annualcreditreport.com, and click the button to request a report
2. Fill out the request form, and select which company’s reports you would like to receive (you can select all three, or just one or two)
3. Next you will be asked some questions to verify your identity using information from your credit report that only you would know, for example, details regarding your mortgage, previous address, or automobile
4. If you answer correctly, you will immediately be shown your credit report online

To request a Credit Report by Phone

1. Call their hotline at 1-877-322-8228
2. They will ask you for your name, address and social security number, and they will verify your identity with information found on your credit report
3. If you answer correctly, they will mail you a copy of your credit report within 15 days

To request a Credit Report by Mail

1. Download this request form: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/pdf-0093-annual-report-request-form.pdf

2. Complete it and mail it to:

3. They will process your request within 15 days of receiving your form

You can find more information and FAQs about your Credit Report at these sites:

• http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0155-free-credit-reports
• https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/helpfaq