FAQ
5 Reason to get a Credit Report
Your Rights
Identity Crisis

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Your Rights: Credit bureaus are firms that gather and distribute credit reports. These reports are used by lenders, insurance companies, employers and others who have a legitimate right to learn about someone's credit history and reliability. The Fair Credit Reporting Act sets procedures for how your credit history is collected by credit bureaus and is shared among lenders. The law also enables you to have errors in your credit file corrected.

Your Responsibilities: It's up to you to find out what's in your credit record and challenge the completeness or accuracy of any information contained in your file. To dispute a credit report accuracies, call any of the nation's three major credit bureaus at these toll-free numbers: Equifax at (800) 685-1111, Experian at (888) 397-3742, and Trans Union at (800) 888-4213. The Fair Credit Reporting Act limits how much you can be charged for each report ($8 as of mid-1999). There also may be instances where your credit report is free. For example, you may qualify for a free report if you've been denied credit within the last 60 days. If you believe that a credit bureau is distributing inaccurate information even after you brought that matter to its attention, you may file a complaint at any time with the Federal Trade Commission, the federal regulator of credit bureaus (call toll-free 877-382-4357) or bring a civil lawsuit to recover damages within two years of the alleged violation. (Note: Some experts suggest that, to be safe, you get copies from all three companies.)