You can obtain a free copy of your credit report once a year from each of the three national credit reporting companies at annualcreditreport.com or by calling 1‑877‑322‑8228.
To learn more about the importance of credit scores, how they affect your access to loans and the interest rates you pay, and steps you can take to increase your score, take the Credit Score Quiz, developed as an educational resource by VantageScore Solutions and Consumer Federation of America.
Additional information on credit scores, what they measure (and what they do not), and how your behaviors can increase your score, can be found at the VantageScore Solutions consumer website.
The three major national credit reporting companies (CRCs) are: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. These firms collect information about your borrowing and repayment behavior from lenders and businesses that have extended credit to you. This information is compiled into a credit report.
You can obtain a copy of your credit report from each of the three companies for a fee. You are also entitled to a free copy within 60 days of being denied credit from the CRC that supplied the lender with your report.
You may contact each company by clicking its name:
Several organizations within the federal government provide information about credit reports and credit scores, including the following:
Department of Housing and Urban Development
This educational video shows how reason codes work, how they’re used, and what you can learn from the reason codes you received with your credit score.