To keep your account and information secure, the credit bureaus have a process to verify your identity. Be prepared to give your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. If you have moved in the last two years, you may have to give your previous address. They may ask you some questions that only you would know, like the amount of your monthly mortgage payment. You must answer these questions for each credit bureau, even if you’re asking for your credit reports from each credit bureau at the same time. Each credit bureau may ask you for different information because the information each bureau has in your file may come from different sources.
When will my report arrive?
Depending on how you ordered it, you can get it right away or within 15 days.
● Online at AnnualCreditReport.com — you should get access immediately.
● By mail using the Annual Credit Report Request Form — it will be processed and mailed to you within 15 days of receipt of your request.
It may take longer to get your report if the credit bureau needs more information to verify your identity.
Why should I get a copy of my report?
Getting your credit report can help you protect your credit history from mistakes, errors, or signs of identity theft.
Check to be sure the information is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. Consider doing this at least once a year. Be sure to check before you apply for credit, a loan, insurance, or a job. If you find mistakes on your credit report, contact the credit bureaus and the business that supplied the information to get the mistakes removed from your report.
Check your report regularly to help stop identity theft. Mistakes on your credit report might be a sign of identity theft. New phone numbers and addresses even email addresses you are not familiar with could be the beginning stages of identity theft. When checking your report make sure your contact information is up to date and does not contain any unfamiliar or old information. (Consider credit card offers that could still be going to an old address.) Once identity thieves steal your personal information — information like your name, date of birth, address, credit card or bank account, Social Security, or medical insurance account numbers — they can drain your bank account, run up charges on your credit cards, get new credit cards in your name, open a phone, cable, or other utility accounts in your name, steal your tax refund, use your health insurance to get medical care, or pretend to be you if they are arrested.
Identity theft can damage your credit with unpaid bills and past due accounts.
If you think someone might be misusing your personal information, for additional help, you can seek out advice from an attorney.
Call our firm at 718-674-1245 or message here.
