A Credit Report
Unsure what your credit score is, what a credit report may reveal about your past? Getting a credit report is a good idea when you're unsure about your credit score. If you are planning on applying for a loan, buying a car, putting a down payment on a house, or simply applying for a credit card, you are going to want to know what kind of credit you have beforehand. A credit report is the only sure way of knowing your credit score. If you've been rejected for a loan or credit card, a credit report will help you figure out why. Your credit can have a direct impact on the big purchases you try to make in the future. Looking over your credit report can help you improve your score, and your chances of getting that loan the next time you apply. The good news is that getting a credit report isn't necessarily difficult or time-consuming. You don't need to make any appointments, fill out any paper work, or even leave your house - as long as you have an Internet connection and a working computer. There are a number of different sites online that offer a credit report upon signing up. Prior to applying for a new credit card several years ago, I tried one of these sites out just for the heck of it. Right off the bat, I noticed a number of sites that claimed they will give anyone a credit report for free, so I tried one of these to get started.
The first site I tried was indeed free, yet to this day I have yet to receive a credit report from them. They required a credit card number, which I gave them, a bunch of other personal information, and then stated that I would receive my credit report in the mail. Well, it is now several years later and I have yet to receive the promised credit report in the mail. Fortunately, they did not charge my account for anything, but nevertheless I regret ever signing up with them in the first place.
Your best bet, I soon learned, in getting a credit report is to use a well-known, respected credit services such as Experian, or Equifax. They will charge you a small fee for the credit report, usually around $30 USD, a little more if you want a highly detailed report. Getting an accurate credit report (without giving out sensitive personal information to a strange company) is well worth this small fee.
Overall, my advice before getting a credit report of your own is to spend a few minutes researching different credit report sites first. Don't be fooled by offers of free credit reports, because there are likely strings attached. Additionally, there is always the danger that the site you are signing up on is a complete fraud, designed for collecting personal information, possibly for illegal use. Looking into credit report sites a little, before signing up for a credit report, may save you a lot of headaches later on.
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