You see the commercials on TV all the time advertising a free credit report. What you don’t know that is the credit report is free when you sign up for a free trial of a credit service that company offers.

There is one website that offers free credit reports – Annualcreditreport.com.

We are eligible to receive one free credit report a year. It’s important to run your credit report once a year to make sure that no one has stolen your identity or taken out a false loan with your name. You also want to make sure no mistakes have been made on your behalf.

Before you begin remember that you are only eligible to get one free credit report per year. You need to save or print out this data when you retrieve it from these companies. A credit report is not the same as your credit score. To see your credit score you will have to pay $7.95 to one of the companies listed below. Your credit report however is free.

Get your credit report – Steps
1. Go to AnnualCreditReport.com
2. Select your state and click request report
3. Accurately fill out the information form and click continue
4. Select one or more of the following nationwide credit reporting companies – select all 3. Each company’s information may vary.
5. Click Next to continue and be routed to the Equifax site

You will then be routed off to each company’s website. Go through their forms to validate that you are who you say you are.

Equifax steps:
1. Complete the forms, click next
2. When you come to the Get your FICO credit score select “No Thanks” at the bottom of the screen.
3. Do not select any of the special offers (unless you want to pay for them) and click submit. Be sure to print out and save your report.
4. Browse your credit information on the left hand side of the page.

To go back to Annualcreditreport.com and finish getting your credit reports from the other two companies just go up to the top of the page and select > Return to AnnualCreditReport.com. Click Next to move on to TransUnion.

TransUnion steps:
1. After clicking next you may be asked to login to TransUnion if you already have an account (like I did).
2. Once you login you will be given some options to get your credit score or debt analysis. Decide on your choices and click accept.
3. If you don’t want to pay the $7.95 to see your credit score select no thanks.
4. Click Next at the order screen

Go back to annualcreditreport.com and select next to see the Experian info

Experian Steps:
1. After clicking next enter the last 4 digets of your social and click next
2. You will be given a chance to see your “Vantagescore” for $7.95. Make your choice.
3. Agree to the terms and conditions and select next
4. Submit your personal info into the form and click continue

If you feel the need to know your credit score I recommend going with Experians Vantagescore service. It was developed jointly by the three national credit bureaus and is very accurate.