A free copy of your report
You can get a free credit report from each of the three bureaus every 12 months at AnnualCreditReport.com — plus extra free copies in certain situations, like after being denied credit.
Your rights under the FCRA
The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you powerful protections. Here’s what they mean — in plain English.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is the federal law that governs how your credit information is collected, used, and shared. It exists to keep your credit reports accurate, fair, and private. These are the rights it gives you as a consumer.
Know your rights
Each of these is guaranteed to you by federal law.
To know what’s in your file
You have the right to see all the information in your credit file at any consumer reporting agency.
To dispute inaccurate information
You can dispute incomplete or inaccurate information, and the bureau must investigate — usually within 30 days.
To have errors corrected
Inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information must be corrected or deleted, generally within 30 days.
To add a statement
If a dispute isn’t resolved in your favor, you can add a brief statement to your file explaining your side.
To have outdated items removed
Most negative information can’t be reported after seven years (ten for some bankruptcies).
To control who accesses your file
Only people with a valid, permissible purpose — like lenders, landlords, or insurers — may access your report. Employers need your written consent.
To freeze your credit
You can place a free security freeze or fraud alert to restrict access to your file and protect against identity theft.
To opt out of prescreened offers
You can opt out of unsolicited “prescreened” credit and insurance offers based on your report.
To seek damages
If someone violates the FCRA, you may sue and recover damages in state or federal court.
How to exercise your rights
You can act on these rights yourself, for free — or we can handle the heavy lifting for you.
Helpful starting points
- Get your free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com.
- Learn more from the FTC at consumer.ftc.gov.
- Read the full Credit Repair Organizations Act disclosure and brush up on the basics in Credit Facts.
Prefer help? We dispute inaccurate, unverifiable, and outdated items on your behalf — with no upfront fees. See how our dispute process works.
Put your rights to work
Start with a free credit review and we’ll help you act on the errors holding your score back.
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