Credit report

How it works

Lenders and other businesses send account information to consumer reporting companies, often called credit bureaus. There are three nationwide companies, and because each may get its information from different sources, your three reports may not match exactly. A report typically shows identifying details such as your address and date of birth, your credit accounts and how you have paid them, and some public records, such as a bankruptcy.

Checking your reports is free. Federal law entitles you to a free copy from each nationwide company every 12 months, and the three companies have permanently extended a program that lets you check each report once a week at no cost. AnnualCreditReport.com is the only website authorized to fill orders for the free reports the law provides.

A report is most useful when you compare each entry with your own records. If you find a mistake, you can dispute it with the credit reporting company and with the business that supplied the information. An account you do not recognize may point to identity theft, which has its own reporting and recovery steps at IdentityTheft.gov.

Related terms

Sources and further reading

• FTC: Free credit reports
• CFPB: The difference between a credit report and a credit score

Examples are illustrative and focus on U.S. personal finance. This page is educational, not individual financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Read our editorial approach or report a correction.