Definition
The Annual Credit Report Service is a collaboration between the three main consumer credit bureaus to provide free credit reports as required by the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003.
Analysis
You are entitled to one free credit report annually from Equifax, Experian and also TransUnion. You may request all three credit reports at once for comparison, or you may stagger your requests throughout the year to monitor for identity theft. Congress mandated free credit reports, but the scores will cost you if you want your credit score included.
Request Online
There is only one online source for the free credit reports mandated by Congress. Visit the Annual Credit Report Service at www.annualcreditreport.com.
Request by Telephone
To order your free credit reports, call the Annual Credit Report Service at (877) 322-8228. You will be asked to verify a few pieces of information.
Request by Mail
You will need to complete this request form and mail to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
PO Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
