Keeping an Eye on Your Credit Report

As you take some specific steps to build a positive credit track record for yourself, you also need to keep a watchful eye on your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies, and examine the elements within each of the reports. This is the best way to make sure that it's accurate. Catch — and correct — any potential errors, and be on the look out for fraudsters who open accounts in your name, and then don't pay the charges they accumulate.

• A federal law allows you to request a FREE COPY of your credit report from each of the credit bureaus once every 12 months at this website www.annualcreditreport.com. This is the only free resource to get a copy of your credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies once a year.
• If you find any mistakes on your credit report, you should contact each of the three credit reporting agencies to report the errors, and start the process to correct them.
  • www.equifax.com
  • www.experian.com
  • www.transunion.com