By Hector Milla
It's a right for every person to get a free credit report at least once per year. The national consumer reporting companies have put up mechanisms to ensure that every person gets his credit report whenever it's needed.
The companies have a central website through which orders for the report are placed. The three nationwide consumer reporting agencies decided to put up the central website in order to prevent inconveniences and confusions that may be experienced if there were multiple websites.
Imposter websites may claim to offer similar services but are not legally mandated to issue credit reports. For online orders the report is received almost immediately. The new upgraded 3-in-1 reports come with credit scores although validation of client's identity, especially the account number is requested before such information is released.
The consumer reporting companies have also provided a toll-free telephone number through which they can be reached. Information enquired in such conversations is processed and the credit report is ready within 15 days. The service is almost entirely voice activated and thus personal information like name and address will be given orally while the date of birth and the social security numbers can be entered through the phone's keyboard. The caller is given a chance to choose which of the three bureaus he would like to get the report from.
A free credit report can also be obtained through mail. The client should first of all download the official request form from the annual credit report website. The form should then be printed and filled in completeness before being mailed. The credit report is received after a period of four to five weeks i.e. 15 days for processing and 2 or 3 weeks for delivery.
Other additional sources are the official websites of the three consumer credit report agencies where like the central website, it can be obtained instantly after all the necessary information is entered. Also, there are reputable companies offering this service with that advantage that you can get report and scores without the one year limitation.
The Attorney General's office also provides insights on what the consumer should know about credit reports. Note that what you need to know is your scoring, you will have to pay additional for that information.
Final Tip: while you can get a free annual credit report once per year, this one does not contain your credit scores making it incomplete, then trying to get a full credit report in a free trial base with one of the best credit report services become a must, this way you will have a full picture of your very particular financial situation, this will undoubtedly help you to get your credit scores improved and consequently a fixed credit report.
Hector Milla runs the Best Credit Report Service website, where you can see his 3 best rated credit reporting companies. Visit for further information and read our full review of the best credit reporting companies, plus articles and video training about how to get the most of your credit fixing process.