Check your annual credit report and receive a free instant credit report when you use the Annual Credit Report website. This reputable website has the recommendation from the government as the only place to get your information free and quickly. The online credit report allows you view online or print out the records. This helps when comparing all three credit-reporting agencies and the information they have about your credit history.
Before you consider buying a house or getting an insurance policy, you should check your credit report at least six months ahead of time to see if you need to clean up any areas of the report. The annual credit report allows you to check for mistakes, such as wrong name information, marital status, payment history and make sure items are removed from your history as required by law.
Because you receive the annual credit report free, you have no reason not to check your credit history yearly. The online credit report helps people protect themselves from identity theft and fraudulent credit applications. If you see something that appears suspicious, you can contact the credit agency reporting the inconsistency and inquire about the...