Free Credit Reports Now Available in Midwestern and Western States

From: - Apr 12, 2005

Free Credit Reports Now Available in Midwestern and Western States

Would you like to get a free credit report? If you live in a Midwestern state (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin) or a Western states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington or Wyoming) you can now request free credit reports by calling TTY 1-877-730-4104.

Recent amendments to the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act give every American the right to free annual credit reports from each of the nationwide consumer reporting bureaus—Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You can get your free annual report(s) by calling 1-877-730-4104 TTY. This is a toll-free number.

Bernadette Cohen of Las Vegas, Nevada, planned to buy a new condo just outside the city. She decided to call and request a copy of her credit report in order to see for herself what mortgage lenders would see when they checked her credit reports. "I was surprised to find that some of my sister's charge accounts were listed on my report," she said. "That could have made my financial status less desirable to the banks. I'm glad that I got the copy of my report. I was able to let the credit reporting bureau know they needed to correct their records."

Credit experts recommend that you check your credit reports each year. It is also recommended that you request reports from different bureaus at different times of the year so that you always have a good idea what your credit report looks like. It's important to check your credit report each year and make sure that all of the information in it is accurate. Your credit reports are checked when you buy a home, rent an apartment, apply for a job, apply for a credit card, or apply for insurance.

Currently, only residents of the Western and Midwestern states can request reports at no charge. Other regions will follow in 2005.

To request a copy of your report from any or all of the three credit reporting bureaus, call 1-877-730-4104 TTY. The law allows you to order one free copy each from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion every year.