Are Free Credit Reports Safe?

You’re legally entitled to an annual free credit report from the three major credit reporting bureaus. You can request your report from a verified website, phone number, or mail through the same verified service.

Below, we’ve given you all the information on where to get your credit report and some common credit scams to avoid.

How to request a free credit report

There are three ways to check your credit report for free: online, by phone, or by mail. While the annual credit report is free, the three major reporting bureaus can charge you up to $14.50 each for copies within that year’s timeline.

Make sure you follow each step to get your free credit report and stay on top of your credit.

Online

Do not contact the three credit bureaus individually. The only way to get your free credit report is by going through Annual Credit Report.

If you’re used to managing your credit online through Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax’s websites, you’ll appreciate how easy your online option is to complete.

1. Go to AnnualCreditReport.com
2. Hit the Request Your Free Credit Report button
3. Fill out the form
4. Choose which reports you want
5. Review your reports online

By Phone

You can call the Annual Credit Report agency to request a free copy of your reports from the three bureaus. You’ll need to give them your Social Security number and other personal information.

1. Call 1-877-322-8228
2. Have your identifying information available
3. Request your reports

By Mail

Your final request option is by mail. You’ll need to fill out the request form and send it to:

Annual Credit Report Request Service

P.O. Box 105281

Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

Is credit monitoring worth it?

Yes, credit monitoring and identity theft protection are worth it. They can help you catch an incident before it becomes a problem. You’ll also have insurance protection and professional assistance to dispute any problems or issues.

You can sign up for credit monitoring alone or couple it with the protective features of identity theft protection. Here are some of the benefits you’ll enjoy:

• Identity theft insurance
• Credit monitoring
• Credit alerts
• Social Security number monitoring
• Social Security number alerts
• Stolen funds reimbursement
• Lost wallet assistance
• Dark web monitoring
• Fraud alerts
• Underage minor credit monitoring
• Financial account monitoring

Below are our top recommendations for identity theft and credit monitoring services.

How to spot credit scams

Credit scams often target minorities, older adults, as well as people with a low income. Staying diligent and taking precautions can help you avoid becoming a victim.

Learn to recognize the warning signs of a scam.

Phishing scams

Phishing scams are a type of online fraud where criminals try to trick you into giving out your private information. They can send you an email or a text with a link that leads to a fraudulent website.

Some phishing scams use scary or threatening phone calls that sound like they’re from official offices. Many phishing scams look extremely legitimate.

If you receive a phone call asking for personal information, ask them for the name of the company and the caller. Then tell them that you don’t give out personal information over the phone.

Oftentimes, that’s enough to get the scammer to hang up. Follow up by researching the name of the company they gave you.

If you receive a suspicious link, don’t click it. If you do, don’t enter any information. Look at the name of the company requesting the information, and then do a separate, independent search for the company.

You can contact them independently to check the validity of the request.

Employment scams

Employment scams are on the rise as more people search for jobs. Employment scammers may reach out to you posing as a recruiter. Sometimes, they even reach out to thank you for applying to a fictitious job and hope you don’t realize that you didn’t apply there.

The goal is to get your most sensitive information, like your Social Security number and bank account numbers.

When you receive an interview offer (especially for remote positions), look up the company. Many scammers claim to be from real companies.

Contact the company from their verified sources on their site and ask if the interview/job offer is legitimate. Don’t give out any information until they confirm.

Credit repair scams

Companies claim that they can, for a fee, help repair your credit. This isn’t possible. You can repair your credit by contacting your creditors and setting up assistance programs to pay your debts. Anyone claiming they can erase these for you is operating a scam.

Unauthorized charges

If you pay your bills via automatic payments, make sure you check the totals monthly. Companies will often raise prices or tack on extra fees in an effort to trick you into paying more. Be mindful of your payments and dispute additional charges.

Online dating scams

In a romance scam, a scammer will reach out to you via social media to try and establish a romantic relationship. Oftentimes they’ll reply to a comment of yours on a post and say they want to chat in the DMs.

They’ll then establish a relationship, sometimes waiting months, before asking you for money or personal information. Don’t ever give out money or information to anyone you meet exclusively online.

Prize and lottery scams

Lots of companies run giveaways on social media. Scammers try to play on this by emailing or messaging people and telling them they won a prize. If you didn’t enter a contest, you didn’t win a prize.

It’s that simple.

If you did enter a contest and the message or email isn’t coming from the page that ran it, you’re likely dealing with a scammer. Always follow up with the source.

File segregation

This scam targets individuals who have declared bankruptcy. The scammer offers to get you new documents, like a Social Security number or EIN, in exchange for a fee. This scam is a federally prosecuted crime.

Identity theft

Identity theft is the umbrella under which most scams fall, and it’s usually the end goal. Once a scammer has your information, they can take out loans, open new accounts, make purchases, and many other things.

Monitoring your credit is the first line of defense to keep this from getting out of hand.

The best line of defense is to avoid giving away personal information unless you’re 100% sure of the source and to keep a credit monitoring system active.

FAQs

Bottom line

Requesting your free annual credit report is a good first step toward staying on top of your identity and your finances. Knowing exactly what affects your credit will also help you fix it and maintain a good standing, which is essential for borrowing and buying.

We suggest using a credit monitoring service to help you stay even more informed.