Free Credit Report By Mail

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Requesting a free credit report by mail is fairly simple. You need to download a request form from one of the various reporting bureaus, print and complete the form, then send it off. It should take about 2-3 weeks to receive your credit report this way.

Addresses for the three credit bureaus are:

Equifax

P.O. Box 740241

Atlanta, GA 30374

www.equifax.com

Experian

P.O. Box 2002

Allen, TX 75013

www.experian.com

TransUnion

P.O. Box 1000

Chester, PA 19022

www.transunion.com

You can also request a cohesive report that includes information from all three bureaus from annualcreditreport.com. Their address is:

P.O. Box 105281

Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

You’re eligible to receive a free credit report by mail under several circumstances. If it’s the first time you’re making the request this year, you can get it for free. You can also get a free credit report if you’re unemployed, if you were recently denied a loan because of something in your credit report, ...
... if you suspect you’ve been a victim of credit card fraud or identity theft, or if you lost your job as a result of information within your credit report.

If you don’t qualify for a free report for whatever reason, it still won’t cost you very much. The states vary in price, but none charge more than $10. For example, Equifax is charging $7.95 for Florida residents but may charge more or less for New York residents.

You can also use these mailing addresses to dispute any information on your credit report. If you find a mistake on your report, it can negatively impact your credit score through no fault of your own. Mistakes can occur in all aspects of your credit report, including within your personal information, your financial history, or how your accounts are documented. You will also want to contact the bureau if you suspect identity theft or credit card fraud. Even though the charges aren’t a mistake, they weren’t made by you, and should be removed from your report.

Companies like Creditelves have been helping people get the loans they need by cleaning up their credit scores using this method for years. All you have to do is use one of their comprehensive templates to compose your letter to one of the credit bureaus.

Then, send it through certified mail to the appropriate address above and wait. The bureau has 30 days after they receive your written dispute to resolve the claim. If they decide you were right, or the original creditor doesn’t respond in time or doesn’t come up with relevant proof to back up their claim, the entry will be removed, and your credit score will be better off. It’s then your responsibility to contact them again to request another credit report so you can make sure the error was fixed, and all the other agencies were notified of the change.

If they don’t rule in your favor there are still a few things you can do. You always have the option to contact the original creditor and try to work the situation out, or you can add an addendum to your credit report explaining the entry in question.

Getting a free credit report by mail, and following up with the credit bureaus through the postal service sometimes takes longer than doing it online, but it’s often the best way to keep proper documentation of your interactions. The above addresses will help you start the process of getting a free credit report by mail.