A Convenient & Secure Way to See Where Your Credit Stands (2024)

FAQs

What is the safest way to find your credit score? ›

Use a credit score service or free credit scoring site.

You're entitled to a free copy of your credit reports every 12 months from each of the three nationwide credit bureaus by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com. You can also create a myEquifax account to get six free Equifax credit reports each year.

You can start by going to the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion first by logging on to AnnualCreditReport.com to check your report for free. Each agency gives you access to your report once every 12 months. 4 You'll have to pay them if you want your credit score.

A soft credit inquiry, also called a soft credit check or soft pull, is usually done by you or another authorized person, like an employer. Soft credit inquiries don't affect your credit score because you're not actually applying for credit, and these types of inquiries don't necessarily require your permission.

Simply put, there is no “more accurate” score when it comes down to receiving your score from the major credit bureaus.

AnnualCreditReport.com is the official site to get your free annual credit reports. This right is guaranteed by Federal law. You can verify this is the official site by visiting the CFPB's website.

One of the best ways you can ensure your credit score and credit report are as accurate as possible is to check them both regularly. The law entitles you to a copy of your credit report for free under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). To receive your free credit report, you can visit AnnualCreditReport.com.

You can access someone else's credit report by directly contacting one of the credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian). Each of these bureaus technically gives their ratings independently, but all three of the scores should be quite similar for the same person.

You have the right to request one free copy of your credit report each year from each of the three major consumer reporting companies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com. You may also be able to view free reports more frequently online.

Can I check my credit score with no effect? ›

A soft inquiry never has any impact on your credit scores. Aside from self checks, other examples of soft inquiries include the checks performed by lenders with whom you have existing accounts (for account management purposes) and credit checks by lenders for purposes of marketing credit products to you.

You can also sign up for Experian's free credit monitoring service and get your FICO credit score through them. Certain banks and lenders can also give you access to your FICO score, but you'll have to reach out to a representative to find out.

The primary credit scoring models are FICO® and VantageScore®, and both are equally accurate. Although both are accurate, most lenders are looking at your FICO score when you apply for a loan.

Good news: Credit scores aren't impacted by checking your own credit reports or credit scores. In fact, regularly checking your credit reports and credit scores is an important way to ensure your personal and account information is correct, and may help detect signs of potential identity theft.

AnnualCreditReport.com is the official site to get your free annual credit reports. This right is guaranteed by Federal law. You can verify this is the official site by visiting the CFPB's website. Don't be fooled by look-alike sites.

Yes. Along with TransUnion and Equifax, Experian is recognized by financial institutions around the world as a safe, authoritative and trustworthy credit reporting agency.