Credit Tips: How can I get a free credit report?

Posted On: March 1, 2005

Author: jbkinn
Joined: 19 Oct 2004
Posts: 13
Location: N C
Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:31 pm
Post subject: How do you get your free credit report

I understand that a new law allows one to get a free credit report from the three main credit reporting companies. How do you do this? Do they give you your credit score?

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Author: Ira
SENIOR MEMBER (Member for 2 yrs.+)
Joined: 19 May 2003
Posts: 837
Location: NJ
Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 10:43 pm

The short answer is ; YOU can’t, and neither can I, and both of us for the same reason: we’re in the Eastern part of the country. The government for whatever reason is phasing in the free credit reports. For now onlyresidents of the Western States are eligible. Soon the Southwest will be eligible, followed 3 months later by the Northwest, followed by the Southe3ast, and finally New York & New Jersey.

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

Ira

Last edited by Ira on Wed Feb 16, 2005 8:28 pm; edited 1 time in total

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Author: fire3000
Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Posts: 9
Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 10:13 am
Post subject: Free Credit Report

If you live in the east, you have to wait until September to request a free report (www.annualcreditreport.com). You can get a free report online now by joining a service (credit card required) and calling them to cancel the service before the 30 day free trial ends (go to experian, equifax, or TU sites). Also if you have been denied credit or a credit increase request during the last 60 days, the credit bureaus will send you a free report (request at their sites).

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Author: Board Monitor
Board Monitor/ Administrator
Joined: 05 May 2003
Posts: 568
Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 10:28 am

jbkinn,

Thanks for your post and welcome to the board! Unfortunately, the new law doesn’t allow consumers to get their credit score…only your report. You might be interested in our free score offer here:

http://www.cardratings.com/crinfofr.html

Out of curiosity, how did you find out about our website?

Best Regards,
Curtis Arnold
Board Monitor
U.S. Citizens for Fair Credit Card Terms, Inc.
http://www.cardratings.com
501-663-0314 PH
501-301-8474 FX

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Author: fire3000
Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Posts: 9
Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 1:02 pm
Post subject: How I reached this site

I Google searched “credit card limits”

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Author: NightStar
Board Monitor
Joined: 07 Nov 2003
Posts: 2616
Location: Illinois
Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 2:25 pm

What you should do is call the phone numbers for the credit reporting agencies - sometimes you can snag a free credit report that way.

Experian 888-397-3742
Equifax 800-685-1111
TransUnion 800-916-8800

Just select the option for having been declined credit, the system will check and let you know if you will be receiving a free copy of your credit report.

The credit reporting agency can not track what creditor declined you…they just have a time stamp of when a creditor accessed your credit report - and if last access from a creditor was in the last 60 days you will receive a free credit report that way.

No score though - that costs additional.

Best Regards,
Pammila Phillis
Board Monitor
U.S. Citizens for Fair Credit Card Terms, Inc.
http://www.cardratings.com
501-663-0314 PH
501-663-0033 FX

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Author: jbkinn
Joined: 19 Oct 2004
Posts: 13
Location: N C
Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2005 10:38 am
Post subject: Thanks for info/Chris… am already a member

Thanks for explaining phase out of free credit reports. Unfortuantlly (??), I have not been denied credit, so no free one that way. I just was curious about what my credit score was.

Chis, I didn’t respond to the survey since I am already a member.

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Author: NightStar
Board Monitor
Joined: 07 Nov 2003
Posts: 2616
Location: Illinois
Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2005 1:04 pm

Regardless that you have been denied, I still recommend calling the numbers and selecting that option, sometimes the automated system will give you a free credit report reguardless of the fact of the matter.

I had a creditor while back (Citi Bank) that pulled my credit report like every 2 months through TransUnion, and it was just a periodic review, nothing else. But because I knew they pulled I was usually able to call every few months select having been declined and still get a free credit report because of them continually accessing my credit report.

There is a good chance that you have a creditor that is pulling your credit report from time to time that will allow you to slip in and get a free credit report that way.

Also other reasons consumers can get free credit reports include:

Being unemployed and searching for employment
Having been declined insurance or service of some sort where a credit repdort was accessed.
Having been declined employment where a credit report was accessed.
Also if you are receiving public aid assistance you can receive free credit report.
Finally if you have been a victim of ID Theft, or if you just want to activate a fraud alert to be added to your credit report - they will send you a free credit report that way too.

Some of these options require written in request for the credit reports, and may require additional requested documentation being included with the request.

Best Regards,
Pammila Phillis
Board Monitor
U.S. Citizens for Fair Credit Card Terms, Inc.
http://www.cardratings.com
501-663-0314 PH
501-663-0033 FX

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Credit Tips: How can I get a free credit report?

Posted On:

Author: archive
Joined: 23 Jul 2004
Posts: 5007
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2005 11:25 pm
Post subject: denied credit - how do i get my credit report?

Joe
Date: 8/31/2000 10:13 pm CDT

I would like a copy of my credit report. I applied for credit recently and was turned down

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Author: archive
Joined: 23 Jul 2004
Posts: 5007
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2005 11:25 pm

Board Monitor - CA
Date: 8/31/2000 11:00 pm CDT

Joe,

Thanks for your inquiry! You are entitled to a free copy of your report if you were denied credit. The creditor than denied your application for credit is required to provide you with instructions about contacting the credit bureau that they used to make their decision.

You can also find out more information about credit reports by visiting the “Credit Information” section of our site (including contact info.). Click on the “Credit Reports” link.

Hope this helps!

Best Regards,
Curtis Arnold
CFCCT P.R. Director
http://www.cardratings.org

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Author: archive
Joined: 23 Jul 2004
Posts: 5007
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2005 11:26 pm

Board Monitor - CS
Date: 8/31/2000 11:06 pm CDT

In most cases you should receive a letter from the issuer that declined you which will list the bureau(s) that supplied the information leading to your denial. They should have also included contact information such as an address or phone number that you can write to or call to request a free copy of your credit report. You have 60 days to order your report. If you did not receive the contact information, I recommend you call the corporation you applied to and you will be able to obtain the contact information for the credit bureau(s) they use.

Take Care,
Casey Smith
cardrevolt.com

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Author: NightStar
Board Monitor
Joined: 07 Nov 2003
Posts: 2634
Location: Illinois
Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2005 9:49 pm

Experian 888-397-3742
Equifax 800-685-1111
TransUnion 800-916-8800

These are the automated numbers for obtaining free credit report that were declined credit.

Just a matter of determining which bureau the creditor pulled from if they fail to provide you with the adverse action letter, but that is not a real problem, just calling and checking the phone system they should know automatically and send you out the report.

Best Regards,
Pammila Phillis
Board Monitor
U.S. Citizens for Fair Credit Card Terms, Inc.
http://www.cardratings.com
501-663-0314 PH
501-663-0033 FX

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