The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) was amended in 2003 and is now known as the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA). Under provisions of FACTA, you have the right to obtain a free copy of your consumer credit report, once a year (for Georgia residents, twice each year), from each of the national consumer credit reporting agencies. You may also obtain your credit score and related information from each bureau for a “fair and reasonable” fee. You can request your free reports by calling 877-322-8228, or mailing a standardized form to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281, or ordering online at: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp
Under FACTA, you are also entitled to a free report if:
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You’ve been denied credit, insurance, or employment within the past 60 days, or
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You are offered credit on terms that are materially less favorable than those offered to most other consumers, and that notification must provide a statement that explains your right to obtain a free credit report from a credit-reporting agency and how to obtain the report, or
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You certify in writing that you are unemployed and intend to apply for employment within 60 days, or
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You are receiving public welfare assistance, or
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You have reason to believe your consumer file contains inaccurate information due to fraud.
Should you dispute an inaccurate item in your credit report(s), you will receive updated credit reports free of charge after the investigation is complete.
This is all big news for those looking to ensure the accuracy of their credit history. Recent studies have found that nearly four out of five credit reports contain mistakes, and up to 25 percent contain errors which could result in denied credit, excessive interest rates, and lost employment opportunities. But, that doesn’t stop lenders, insurance companies and potential employers from using those flawed credit reports when making critical decisions.
Free reports is just part of the good news. Correcting unfair or mistaken items on those credit reports may ultimately save you tens of thousands of dollars. If you find your own attempts at credit repair unsuccessful call or contact us by filling out the above form. We can help.
You may also like to visit these pages:
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Credit Report Repair – How to remove mistakes and errors on a credit report.
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How to Fix Credit Report Errors – You have the right, under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, to dispute the completeness and accuracy of information in your credit file.
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How clean is your credit? – Most people find errors in their credit reports.
