How to Get a Free Credit Report Once a Week
Why not do it yourself instead of paying for monthly credit monitoring? Usually, three credit bureaus – Equifax , Experian, and TransUnion – only offer one free credit report per year, but due to the pandemic, the same reports are available for free every week until April 2022 .
Where to get free reports
Go to Annualcreditreport.com as this is the only place where you can get all three credit bureau reports for free (they used to cost $ 10 each after the first free report). Alternatively, you can also make a request by calling (877) 322-8228 or by sending a request form by mail .
If you are already checking your credit through a free portal like CreditKarma, CreditSesame, or Wallethub, there are some differences to keep in mind as well.
First, the credit report directly from the real bureau will contain more detailed information about your payment history, the names you used and the previous addresses where you lived – details that will make it easier to identify identity theft. Second, most free credit reports offer VantageScore credit ratings, even though your bank or credit card is more likely to rely on FICO credit ratings. Third, these “free” services often require a membership subscription, resulting in spam.
Of course, these free credit reporting services also offer premium credit monitoring subscription packages. Subscriptions can provide more details for all three bureaus (but not always), as well as some additional security features (like dark web scanning and address change alerts), but they’ll also set you back $ 10-40 apiece. month.
Save money with DIY credit monitoring
Instead of paying all that money, consider saving money with Annualcreditreport.com through April 2022. These credit reports will have everything you need to catch errors and theft, especially since you will have reports from all three bureaus. They only catch that while these reports will contain comprehensive information about your credit history, they will not contain your actual credit rating – but it is usually easy to get it for free through your bank, credit union, or credit card provider.
This story was originally published in 2020 and has been updated on May 11, 2021 to reflect the expansion of free credit reports and provide new information.