Check your credit reports from all three US bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) at least once a year. Check again three to six months before a big application like a mortgage, car loan, or apartment, and right away if you suspect identity theft. Reports are free every week at AnnualCreditReport.com, and looking at your own report never lowers your score.
The CFPB says you should check your credit reports at least once a year, and that requesting them won't hurt your credit score. Once a year is the floor. Weekly access exists mainly for people who are mid-dispute, recovering from fraud, or about to apply for credit.
This guide covers the US system. Other countries have their own bureaus and rules. In the UK, for example, the main agencies are also Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, but there's no AnnualCreditReport.com. The ICO explains that you can request a free "statutory" credit report from each agency directly, without signing up for a paid subscription.
How often to check, by situation#
| Situation |
How often |
Which reports |
| Nothing unusual going on |
At least once a year |
All three |
| Mortgage, car loan, or rental application coming up |
3 to 6 months before, then again shortly before applying |
All three |
| Account you don't recognize, data breach notice, or fraud |
Now, then monthly until it's resolved |
All three |
| You filed a dispute |
After the investigation ends (about 30 days) |
The bureau(s) you disputed with |
| Credit monitoring alert |
Now, by going to the bureau yourself (never via the alert link) |
The bureau that alerted |
Why all three? Lenders don't all report to every bureau, and they don't update on the same day. An error or a fraudulent account can show up on one report and not the others.
Where to get your free credit report#
Go to AnnualCreditReport.com by typing the address yourself. It's the only federally authorized site for free reports from the three nationwide bureaus. According to the FTC's page on free credit reports, the only ways to order them are that site, the phone line at 1-877-322-8228, or a mail-in request form. The bureaus have made weekly free access permanent.
Look-alike sites with misspelled addresses exist, and some "free report" offers are really paid monitoring with a trial period. The FTC notes that AnnualCreditReport.com and the bureaus won't email you asking for your Social Security number or account information. If an email does, it's a scam.
You'll be asked identity questions, often about old loans or addresses. If you get locked out of online verification, use the phone or mail option. Don't go hunting for another site that will ask for the same details.
Credit report vs. credit score#
Your report is the raw record: identifying details, every account, balances, payment history, collections, bankruptcies, and who has pulled your credit. Your score is a number calculated from that record, and different scoring models give different numbers.
For catching errors and fraud, the report is what you need. If you also want a score, many banks and card issuers show a score for free, but treat it as a rough guide, since the lender you apply to may use a different model.
What to look for on your credit report#
Go through it in this order. It's quicker than it looks, maybe 15 minutes per report.
- Personal details. Name spellings, addresses, and employers. An old address is normal. An address where you've never lived is a red flag.
- Accounts. Every credit card, loan, and line of credit. Make sure each one is yours, the status (open or closed) is right, and the credit limit and balance look correct.
- Payment history. Look for late payments you don't remember. A single wrong 30-days-late mark can cost you on a mortgage rate.
- Collections and public records. These do the most damage, so double-check every one.
- Hard inquiries. These appear when a lender checks your credit after you apply. One you didn't apply for can mean someone tried to open an account in your name.
Keep short notes as you go: which bureau, which account, what's wrong, and what proof you have.
How to dispute an error#
The FTC's guide to disputing credit report errors says both the bureau and the business that supplied the information have to correct mistakes. So you dispute in two places.
- File a dispute with each bureau whose report shows the error. Online is fastest. Name the exact account and field, say what the correct information is, and attach copies (never originals) of your proof.
- Contact the lender or collector that reported it, in writing, with the same details.
- Save confirmation numbers and a copy of everything you sent.
- Wait for the result. The bureau generally has 30 days to investigate.
- Pull the report again and check the corrected entry yourself. "Investigation complete" doesn't always mean the item changed.
If the investigation doesn't fix it, the FTC says you can ask the bureau to add a statement of the dispute to your file and future reports.
Accurate negative information, like a late payment you really made, generally can't be removed just because it hurts your score. Be very wary of any company promising to delete it for a fee.
What to do if an account isn't yours#
An account, inquiry, or address you don't recognize can mean identity theft. The FTC's guide to what to do about identity theft lays out the steps:
- Report it at IdentityTheft.gov. You'll get a personal recovery plan and pre-filled letters.
- Place a credit freeze with each of the three bureaus. It's free, and it stops new accounts being opened in your name. You have to freeze each bureau separately. Freezing one doesn't freeze the others.
- Or place a fraud alert. You only contact one bureau, which tells the other two. An initial alert lasts a year and asks lenders to verify your identity before opening anything.
- Call the lender behind the fake account using a number from its official website, not one from an email or text.
Then change the passwords on your email and financial accounts, starting with any you reused elsewhere. Our guide on when to change your passwords covers which accounts to secure first.
A freeze is worth considering even without fraud. You lift it temporarily when you apply for credit, and it costs nothing either way.
Once a year or staggered?#
Two schedules work well:
- All three on the same day each year. Easiest for comparing reports side by side.
- One bureau every four months (Equifax in January, Experian in May, TransUnion in September, for example). You get a fresh look three times a year for the same effort.
Pick a month that's easy to remember, or tie it to your yearly budget reset. A recurring reminder in ChoreLists.com works fine, as long as you never put your Social Security number, account numbers, or security answers in the task itself.