free credit report

Did you know that you are entitled to a free credit report once a year from all of the major credit reporting companies?  I don’t know about you but that is news to me!  If you are in the market to purchase a new home and have not had your credit report pulled lately you may be happy to find this news out!  By checking your credit report before you purchase a home or for any other reason for that matter you will be able to  see if there is anything on your credit report that is not accurate and remove it and you may also be able to find out if you have been the latest victim of identity theft.  The major credit reporting companies are Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian.  If you want to get your yearly free credit report  all you have to do is go to each of these sites and click on “Request Your Credit Reports”.  You can also send a letter to each of the three major credit reporting companies.   A few tips to follow are below.

  • Be sure that if you get on a credit report website and are asked for money that you do not respond. There are many hackers out there trying to get your information and this is just one of the many ways in which they do it. 
  • Do not give out your social security number unless you are on a site that you know is secure. 
  • Check your credit report every four months or so to be sure that your account hasn’t been compromised. 
  • There are credit monitoring companies you can hire to keep a watchful eye on your credit report if you feel it is necessary to do so. 

Again, be sure that you are not asked for any monies when trying to get your free credit report. Be assured that there are many companies out there that claim they will give you a free credit report only to ask you for your credit card information at the very last step.  Step away from those companies and continue with your search until you find one that lets you leave the page without asking for any form of payment.  Once you get your report you can then be on your way to making any changes needed to help improve your score.  When you get your credit where you want it and where it needs to be, the world will open up to you in ways you never thought possible. 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Realtors Sandra Nickel Hat Team!