How To Check Your FICO Score For Free

TransUnion, Equifax and Experian are the three major credit reporting agencies in the United States which are required by law to provide a free copy of your annual credit report each year. By obtaining this free copy of your credit report and FICO score you can view all information as reported by lenders and identify any incorrect or factual errors.

Prior to contacting any of the three credit reporting agencies it is best to pull together all of your pieces of financial information such as mortgage, credit card and bank account statements as some of this data may be used as part of the verification process. Whether going on the web site or calling on the phone, you'll need to provide key information that only you should know which will help verify that you have access to the credit reports in question.

If going to the web site, click on the link that says "Resources" which will begin the process for requesting your free annual credit report and free FICO score. AnnualCreditReport.com will provide instant access to your free credit report once an account is created and your identity is verified.

You can also call (877) 322-8228 to request your free FICO score and annual credit report if you don't have access to the online resources. You will need to do the same verification process but once you've been verified the representative should be able to mail a hard copy of your credit report within 1 to 2 weeks.

Once you obtain your free annual credit report, review of thoroughly for any factual errors or other information that is inaccurate. Any errors you find will need to be corrected by making a written statement and then mailing it to the corresponding credit reporting agency. Be sure to follow up and verify that the errors have been corrected in a timely fashion.

Not only are you looking to make sure that balances of been paid off and payments have been made on time but you're also looking for accounts that you never opened which could be fraudulent. If fraudulent activity is found contact the police to report a possible identity theft and place a freeze at all three credit reporting agencies on your accounts.

There are many resources available online for obtaining your free FICO score and annual credit report so act today. These pieces of information can determine whether or not you qualify for a loan but also what interest rate you'll pay so always be proactive and make sure the information is accurate.