If you've ever had a credit card, a utility account, or taken out a bank loan, each of the major financial reporting firms—Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion—probably keeps a profile on you that tracks how you use credit. They also issue a credit score for you, based on the information in your profile, which is commonly referred to as your credit report. Prospective creditors use the information in your credit reports and credit scores to judge your creditworthiness and determine whether or not to extend credit to you in the form of loans or service agreements, as well as the rate of interest to charge you. This information can also affect your ability to obtain a security clearance, or rent a house or apartment.
Given the extent to which the information in your credit reports can affect your life, it's a good idea to monitor your credit reports on an ongoing basis. By law, you are entitled to three free copies of your credit reports during any one-year period—one copy each from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, the three major credit-reporting agencies. To monitor your credit on a regular basis, request a new report once every four months from annualcreditreport.com, a website set up for this purpose by the credit-reporting agencies. Be aware of websites and services with names similar to AnnualCreditReport.com that offer copies of your credit reports for a fee. Some companies offer ongoing monitoring of your credit reports on a subscription basis. While they may provide a legitimate service to consumers, it isn't necessary to pay for copies of your credit reports. While you can successfully monitor your credit without knowing your credit scores, if you wish, they are available upon request, for a nominal fee set by the Federal Trade Commission, directly from any of the three credit-reporting agencies.
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