There are more than a few ways to get a free annual credit report. There are many websites that will offer free reports, but you need to be weary. Many of them that offer the free credit reports make you sign up for something in exchange for the report. More often than not, this will leave you paying a substantial amount of money. The site www.annualcreditreport.com is a legitimate site, and is approved by all three credit reporting agencies. They will provide most people with a credit report from all major reporting agencies totally free of charge one time per year. 

If you choose to use an alternative site, be informed and look at the reviews of the company that is offering a free report. The main three credit bureaus are Transunion, Equifax and Experian. It is your right to be able to get your free annual credit report once a year. The information you need to provide for them is your name, date of birth, address and social security number. This company can provide you with the report by either email or regular mail. Most people opt for email, because it is instant. A credit report that is mailed can take up to fifteen days to receive.

A credit report consists of important data on how you pay bills, where you reside and whether you have been arrested, sued or if you have ever filed bankruptcy. Consumer agencies use this information to allow your report to be pulled. Many companies will also get a brief version of your credit history so that they can give you prequalified offers. 

The three worldwide credit agencies each have a toll free number and a mailing address available for those who wish to contact them. This information is located on their individual websites. This information is helpful for people who want to order their free annual report. You have the option of ordering your reports from each individual reporting agency or ordering an all-in-one tri-merge report. However, you should be aware that the only reports that will be free are the individual ones. 

The law allows people to order a free credit report from each of the consumer reporting agenciesone time per year. You want to keep a steady check on your credit report. This is important if you decide to buy a home, go to school or get a personal loan. 

When you get your free annual credit report, you will be able to review it and dispute it if information is incorrect. It is crucial to get the report, so that you can make sure bills are paid to keep a healthy credit history. While pulling a report and score causes your credit rating to decline if it is pulled by most people, you won't have to worry about that if you pull it yourself. Anything a consumer orders their credit history, the score does not drop. For every time that a business pulls it, it drops two points each time.