How to Contact Equifax

1. 1
   Visit annualcreditreport. com to get your free yearly report online. Did you know that you are guaranteed one free credit report each year? Under the Federal FACT (Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions) Act, every U.S. consumer is entitled to one free credit report every year from each of the "big three" credit reporting agencies (including Equifax). To request your free report, click here to visit annualcreditreport.com, then:

   • Click the "Request your free credit reports" button.
   • Click the "Request your credit reports" button on the next page.
   • Fill out the form with the requested information, pressing "Next" at the end of each page to proceed.
   • Follow the prompts to request your reports. Note that, with this method, you can get a report from Equifax, Experian, TransUnion, or all three agencies.
2. 2
   Call 1-877-322-8228 to request a credit report via phone. ^[1] If you don't have an internet connection or prefer not to use one, using your phone is the second-quickest option. Follow the automatic prompts you hear to complete and submit your request. You'll need to supply some important personal and financial information to complete the request — see the "What You'll Need" section below for more information.

   • As with the online method, you can request reports from any combination of the three agencies when ordering over the phone.
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3. 3
   Mail in the request form. If you'd prefer to receive your credit reports by mail, use the official request form provided by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The form is (available via the FTC website). Use the "print" option to print out the form (you'll need access to a printer), then fill out the required information.

   • When you're done, fold the form (don't tape or staple it), seal it in a #10 envelope, and address the envelope to:

     Annual Credit Report Request Service

     P.O. Box 105281

     Atlanta, GA 30348-528

   • Be sure to check the bubbles at the bottom of the form for the agencies that you'd like to receive a report from.
4. 4
   Don't contact Equifax directly for credit reports. Equifax (as well as Experian and TransUnion, the other major credit agencies) do not handle requests for credit reports directly. If you contact the customer service department as Equifax or one of the other agencies to get your free credit report, you will be directed to use one of the methods above.

   • Note that all three of the methods above allow you to request reports from one, two, or all three agencies, so you don't have to worry about using up all of your free reports at once if you don't want to.
5. 5
   Don't fall prey to imposter websites. If you decide to request your free credit reports online, make sure you only use annualcreditreport.com . This is the only site that is officially verified and approved by the FTC. ^[2] Other, unauthorized credit reporting sites may not be truly free — they may, for instance, require you to sign up for a free trial service that will automatically start charging you if you don't specifically cancel it. Some malicious sites may even be blatant attempts to gather your personal information.

   • This means that it's a bad idea to use search engines queries like "free credit reports." Many of the results you'll get from these searches will be websites deliberately designed to imitate the "real" free credit report website.
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What You'll Need to Request a Credit Report

1. 1
   Be prepared to provide basic personal information. All of the methods for requesting your credit report above will require you to provide basic information about yourself. This includes, but may not be limited to, your:

   • Legal name
   • Birth date
   • Current address
   • You'll also need the address of your previous residence if you have moved within the last two years. ^[3]
2. 2
   Have your Social Security number handy. The major piece of private information that is requested when you request a credit report is your Social Security number (SSN). This number is unique for every U.S. citizen and is used for a wide variety of important financial tasks.

   • If you don't know your SSN and can't locate your card, you should contact your local SS office to ask for a replacement. You may also call 1-800-772-121 or visit ssa.gov . You will probably be required to prove your citizenship with a birth certificate or passport.
   • Note that, when requesting your credit report(s), you will have the option to have only the last four digits of your Social Security number disclosed on the report you receive.
3. 3
   Be ready to supply a limited amount of private financial information. You may or may not be required to provide additional information about your finances to get a credit report. The precise information you will be asked for can vary from agency to agency because the different agencies use different information to put together your report. Being aware of this beforehand allows you to gather the documents you'll need to answer these questions. Things you may be asked about include:

   • Mortgage payments
   • Student loans
   • Car loans
   • Credit card payments
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