The three bureaus, and how to get your free reports

You don't need to pay anyone to see your credit reports. You can get all three for free, every week, from one official website. Here's how it works.

There are three nationwide credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Each one keeps its own report on you. Lenders don't have to report to all three, so one report can show an account the other two don't. That's why you check all three, not just one.

The only official site for free reports is AnnualCreditReport.com. The three bureaus made free weekly reports permanent in 2023. You can also order by phone at 1-877-322-8228, or by mail.

Checking your own reports is a soft inquiry. It does not hurt your score.

• Nationwide credit bureau: Equifax, Experian or TransUnion. Also called consumer reporting agencies.
• Soft inquiry: a check that doesn't affect your score, like looking at your own report.
• Hard inquiry: a check a lender makes when you apply for credit. It can affect your score for a while.
• Identity verification questions: questions the site may ask, like which street you lived on, to confirm it's really you.

Andre pulls all three reports on a Sunday night. His Experian and TransUnion reports both show an old medical collection. His Equifax report doesn't show it at all. Nothing is "broken." The collection agency just didn't report to Equifax. If Andre had only checked Equifax, he'd have missed it. (Made-up example.)

• Lookalike sites. Type AnnualCreditReport.com yourself. Sites with similar names may charge you or try to steal your information.
• Reports, not scores. Free reports don't include a score. That's fine. The report is the part you can actually check and correct.
• Save a copy. Download or print each report the day you pull it, so you have a dated record.
• Nobody legitimate will call, text or email you "from AnnualCreditReport.com." If they do, it's likely a scam.

Set aside 20 minutes. Go to AnnualCreditReport.com, request all three reports, and save each one as a PDF with the bureau name and today's date in the file name. That's your baseline.

Educational information only. Not legal, financial, investment or tax advice. Results vary, and no one can guarantee credit outcomes.