Defend Your Dollars

Credit Reports

Consumers living throughout the U.S. now have the right to order a free copy of their credit report thanks to a federal law, known as the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), adopted by Congress in 2003. Because credit reports are free, consumers have better access to this important document and can take steps to make sure it offers a fair picture of their credit history.

Your credit is one of your most important assets. Having good credit means you should have more options to borrow money at the lowest cost and from the best lenders. It also means that others who look at your credit — such as landlords, insurance companies, or even prospective employers — are less likely to turn you away or penalize you because you have poor credit.

Take the first step to find out where you stand in the credit world. Get a copy of your consumer credit report and credit score.

Your consumer credit report should contain accurate and up-to-date information about your credit history and behavior. Having your consumer credit report and credit score in hand lets you see what your creditors or those who base decisions on your credit will see. If you discover mistakes, you can have them corrected. Reviewing your consumer credit report can also alert you if someone has stolen your identity.

Be sure to get a free copy of your consumer credit report to stay up to date with your credit profile and to protect yourself from identity theft.

The information on this site is provided as a guide and is not meant to be legal advice. Be sure to consult an attorney for legal advice.

Publications

• Oregon Measure 42 Myths and Facts
  Posted 10/10/06 at 11:22 am

  Measure 42 bars insurers from using a customer’s credit score to set insurance premiums. The measure applies to medical, health, accident, automobile, fire and liability insurance.

• The secret score behind your auto insurance
  Posted 08/10/06 at 11:41 am

  The August issue of Consumer Reports looks at credit based insurance scores.

• Report: Banning the use of credit information in insurance
  Posted 06/30/06 at 4:51 pm

  Your insurance premiums should be based on risk factors like your driving record, not on information that predicts your ability to repay loans.

• Millions of veterans at risk for identity theft following data breach
  Posted 05/22/06 at 3:34 pm

  Congress urged to require stricter data security practices and give consumers new safeguards

• Consumer groups seek more accurate credit reports
  Posted at 12:11 am

  Comments submitted to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Office of Thrift Supervision, Federal Reserve System, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, National Credit Union Administration, Federal Trade Commission

• Letter to SD Governor to veto weak identity theft bill
  Posted 03/03/06 at 12:53 pm

  Letter to the South Dakota Governor asking a veto of SB 180, a measure so restrictive that it will not provide South Dakota consumers with the benefits of a security freeze.

• Letter to credit agencies urges Spanish language material
  Posted 01/19/06 at 2:19 pm

  Spanish-speaking Latinos are being effectively denied the newly-acquired right to a free annual credit report, because the information is currently provided only in English.

• DACO joins in call to credit agencies on behalf of the people of Puerto Rico
  Posted at 2:07 pm

  Credit reporting agencies “Equifax”, “Experian” y “Transunion” should voluntarily publish in Spanish all information related to the free credit reports that all consumers have a right to access annually.

• DATA bill will not effectively help deal with the very real threat of ID theft
  Posted 11/16/05 at 5:33 pm

  Consumer and privacy groups urge House Subcommittee to amend H.R. 4127, the Data Accountability and Trust Act (DATA)

• Groups ask Fair Isaac to adapt credit scoring models to exclude harmful information about disaster victims
  Posted 09/12/05 at 5:58 pm

  Twenty consumer and community groups ask Fair Isaac to adapt credit scoring models to exclude harmful information about disaster victims.

Blog Posts

• Credit Bureau Nightmares: Victims Speak Out
  Posted 09/29/97 at 10:57 pm

  9/29/97 Credit Bureau Nightmares Victims Speak Out These individuals have agreed to entertain requests for media interviews. Please contact the DC office for details at (202) 462-6262 LANCE CLEM Mr. Clem, who resides in Denver, Colorado, works in the state’s Department of Public Safety administering their regional crime/community policing initiative. He had four separate run-ins Continue Reading