Looking for a "Free Credit Report" That Won't Burn You

[On the Road]

I was shocked by being declined for a loan today due to a "delayed repayment history."

I would like to see exactly what the credit reports are showing, and I understand the fastest way to do that is by one of those "free" services that put you on a $10/month monitoring program unless you cancel in 30 days.

Does any have have experience with these offers? I would definitely plan to cancel, but am concerned about how difficult they might make the process.

Note: I understand you can get a free report directly from the agencies themselves, but a credit card was recently counterfeited and they won't accept an online application. The manual process appears to be fairly slow and cumbersome.

[NMDemDist2]

1. here, and if you can't get it online here, the for fee services won't either

https://www.annualcreditreport.com/

[On the Road]

11. Thank You

I'm doing a manual application, but it's not as bad as it looked initially. It's appears to require seven forms of ID, but in practice it's only two -- one from each category.

I even offered to pay for the FICO score, much as I hate doing that.

[MidwestTransplant]

12. I have used annual credit report. Good deal. Also they each report

has the number of the burearu to call with problems. It's hard to get a human if you just try their normal numbers.

[HughMoran]

22. Thanks for the link

I got my report(s) that way - no problems - whew!

[onehandle]

2. This is the Official Government Website for a free credit report. Zero cost.

https://www.annualcreditreport.com

You can get one once a year.

Some states have different rules. For instance here in Georgia we get two a year.

[alstephenson]

16. Yes, onehandle is right. This is the only truly free credit report.

Forget about all the others that claim they are free. Everyone should check their credit report at least once per year.

[onehandle]

18. Yeah. Whatever anyone does, DON'T go to "FreeCreditReport.com"

Please stop those damn commercials.

[alstephenson]

24. I couldn't agree more!

I hate those commercials!

[jaxx]

3. I think that if you are declined for credit, you can get a report from each

by writing in and asking for one. Check online and they might give you more info. But I think it's an automatic for a decline.

[onehandle]

4. That is true, but only from the ones cited in the turn down. nt

[On the Road]

13. Will Do That

but I have to wait for the letter from the lender.

Up to that point, I had an excellent experience with TD Bank and was hoping to do business with them. Their rate structure was excellent and they were efficient and knowledgable.

I went to several other banks, particuarly Sun Bank and BB&T, and the employees seemed confused about what loans they still offered under what circumstances. The phone centers gave different answers from the local branches.

[Wapsie B]

5. You still have to pay for your FICO score which is nuts.

It's your information yet you have to pay to see it. :eyes:

[onehandle]

8. I agree, but he can find the instance that he wants in a regular free report. nt

[L0oniX]

6. Delayed payment history remains on your record for 2 years. Nothing you can do about it.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

10. I disputed mine and they took it off. nt

[L0oniX]

15. I did too but it was their fault in the first place.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

19. In my case it was true but a friend told me to dispute everything no matter what.

It actually worked. I guess I got lucky. My credit has been jacked up since college but it's looking a whole lot better after I disputed everything on it.

[alstephenson]

17. Two years? How about five to seven?

I had a 90-day late over five years ago - it still shows up on one of the reports. Like vampires, they (late payments) never die.

[Radical Activist]

7. I had a credit card sign me up for a credit report services.

Every time I asked for a report they had some kind of clerical glitch or problem or needed more info. I never got a credit report and never got that $5 a month taken off no matter how many times I asked.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

9. I was able to get a free report online from 2 out of 3 Bureaus.

Equifax fucking sucks and charged me now I can't login their web site to check the status of my investigation.

You can dispute every single negative item on each bureau. I did and my credit report looks a lot better now.

[On the Road]

14. Thank You, I Plan to Do That

I'm not even saying none of it is accurate -- I've been letting utility bills and a few others slide. But I do my mortgages and equity loans on time all the time, and would like to be given credit for that.

*And thanks everyone for the quick input. It was very helpful.*

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

20. Let me re-emphasize that equifax is a pain in the ass. The other 2 processed all

my dispute within 30 days and sent me an email to notify that the process was complete. Fucking equifax never notified me and by the time I remembered to check 31 days had gone by and my report expired. i tried to get another one and now their web site can't process my request. I'm supposed to do it by mail now. So just be prepared the other 2 were very efficient and didn't charge me.

[HughMoran]

23. Yeah, the filthy Equifax morans gave me an "error" too. 2 out of 3 ain't bad

Someone should report Equifax - they're being sleazy about the free report best I can tell.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

21. I used "Free Credit Report" once.

When I cancelled, I had to call them but it only took less than five minutes. They didn't hassle me about trying to stay signed up.