As cases of identity theft continue to rise, we would like to
share a fantastic way to help protect you against identity theft.
According to the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACT
Act), you can request a FREE credit report once every 12 months from each of the
three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. They have joined
efforts to offer a centralized way to obtain information about your credit
reports through:
www.annualcreditreport.com. This secure site allows you to request, view,
and print your report, and also offers options to request your report by phone
and mail.
How often should I obtain my credit report? This is
entirely up to you. You may request one from each bureau at the same time to
compare your information. However, you won't be able to request another free
report for 12 months (you can purchase other reports at anytime; the maximum
cost that can be charged is $9.95). Another idea is to request your report about
every four months from one of the bureaus (rotate the bureau you select) to keep
an eye on your credit and take care of any discrepancies which may appear.
Important:Annualcreditreport.com will not be
contacting consumers. Please be careful when providing your personal information
to any organization offering this service.
