How To Do Personal Credit Checks

I cannot stress enough how important it is to do personal credit checks to see what is being reported on your credit report. By simply monitoring and checking your report can help to prevent identity theft. A credit rating is an invisible factor that can truly plays an important role in your life. A poor credit rating stops you from participating in many promotional offers, products and services. It can prevent you from being able to open a bank account, and it can even prevent you from getting certain employment. The dreams of owning your very own home can be shattered.

If you are aware of what your score is and what is being reported on your report then you can take back the control and raise your score. The way to do this is by running your own personal credit checks.

The Fair Credit Reporting Agencies require that all three of the reporting agencies - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion to provide you with a free credit report once a year, that's once every 12 months. This can be obtained by phone, mail or online.

If you decide to get your personal credit report by mail, which is the method that I suggest that you do since it is the easiest way as well as the safest way. You should not expect your credit report for at least a few weeks. You will need to fill out a form to request your report and then mail it to:

Annual Credit Report Request Service P.O. Box 105281 Atlanta, Georgia 30348-5281

Here is the number that you can call to order your personal credit report over the phone, 1-877-322-8228.

When you try to get your report from online you will find that it is a little more difficult even if you are an internet savy user. I say this because sometimes it is your security questions will be inaccurate. I myself have had it pull someone's information so when it asked me a series of questions, they were not meant for me and I was unable to obtain it online. All that I was able to get was more frustrated.

If you have any plans in the near future you should definitely do a personal credit check to see what is being reported on it. There are instances that negative inaccurate items will be on your report. Sometimes there is even items on your report that are not yours.