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U.S. Living & Working
Free Credit Report by U.S. Law
On December 1, 2004, the three nationwide consumer reporting companies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – began processing consumers' requests for free annual credit reports at www.annualcreditreport.com. The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA) amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and requires the nationwide credit bureaus to provide consumers, upon request, a free copy of their credit report once every 12 months. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces the FCRA with respect to consumer reporting companies.
www.annualcreditreport.com is the only Web site from which consumers are legally entitled to receive a free annual credit report. Consumers may choose to order free reports from all three nationwide consumer reporting companies at the same time, or stagger their requests over the course of the year. The law allows consumers to order one free copy from each company every 12 months.
The consumer reporting companies are permitted to advertise the sale of other products on the annualcreditreport.com Web site, but cannot do so in a way that would interfere with or hinder consumers' ability to request their free report. Consumers are not required to purchase any product to receive their free report.
AnnualCreditReport.com info (Federal Trade Commision (FTC) website)
Federal Trade Commision (FTC) website on Credit Issues
www.AnnualCreditReport.com
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The FTC has issued a new consumer education brochure, "Your Access to Free
Credit Reports," that explains why it is important for consumers to monitor
their credit history, how to request a report, and how to dispute any errors.
The brochure also reminds consumers that www.annualcreditreport.com will not send them e-mails or use pop-up
advertising to persuade consumers to provide personal information for a free
credit report.
The FTC cautions consumers that e-mails and pop-up ads claiming to be from www.annualcreditreport.com are unauthorized and could be scams. To be sure their transaction is secure and their personal information is not at risk, consumers should close their Internet browser after obtaining their report. The FTC's brochure is available at FTC website (www.ftc.gov)
The FTC cautions consumers that e-mails and pop-up ads claiming to be from www.annualcreditreport.com are unauthorized and could be scams. To be sure their transaction is secure and their personal information is not at risk, consumers should close their Internet browser after obtaining their report. The FTC's brochure is available at FTC website (www.ftc.gov)
Consumers who use the www.annualcreditreport.com Web site will be able to obtain their free report online. Consumers also may request a copy of their credit report by phone or mail – for these methods, consumers must fill out a standardized form. Free reports will be phased in across the country from west to east over a nine-month period.
History: Consumers became eligible on the following schedule:
- Beginning December 1, 2004: Western states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming);
- Beginning March 1, 2005: Midwestern states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin);
- Beginning June 1, 2005: Southern states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas); and
- Beginning September 1, 2005: Eastern states (Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia), Puerto Rico, and all U.S. territories.
Source: FTC, November 30, 2004
Document Information
Source: FTC Press Release: November 30, 2004
Last modified: 20111207