First of all, if your credit is not already frozen you may want to strongly consider FREEZING your credit with all three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion). Trust me, any inconvenience pales in comparison in dealing with being an identity theft victim. Does this action then prevent all identity theft that could be committed? No. But, it can go a long way. And, it sends a signal to the criminal, or anyone else, not to use your information and that you are protective of your information.

One site where you can access your reports from the major credit bureaus is Annual Credit Report.com. This is where the Federal Trade Commission will direct you to gain your free credit report. And, new in 2020 as referenced on the Federal Trade Commission’s website, six free copies of your report are available a year through 2026.

As the Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Information, site outlines:

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide credit reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. The FCRA promotes the accuracy and privacy of information in the files of the nation’s credit reporting companies. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the FCRA with respect to credit reporting companies.

A credit report includes information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you’ve been sued or have filed for bankruptcy. Nationwide credit reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home.

Now, I scroll through my credit reports very similarly to watching a scary movie with my hands covering my eyes because I’m afraid of what may lurk given my past experience. Like watching the creepy girl crawl out of the well in The Ring…same exact vibe. That being said, reviewing your credit really takes no time at all and is easy - as long as you don’t have any surprises. Then, it takes forever. And while forever can be scary, take time to review, understand and be in control.

References:

Free Credit Reports. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0155-free-credit-reports