Get your free credit reports.

1. 1Step 1: Get ready.Next step

   Set aside about 10 minutes. Have your own legal name, date of birth, Social Security number or ITIN, and your current address - plus your previous address if you've lived there less than two years. Use a device where you can save PDFs; a computer is easiest. Keep two tabs open: this guide and the report site.

2. 2Step 2: Open the official site.

   Go to annualcreditreport.com and click "Request Your Free Credit Reports" (or "Request My Reports" in the header). No credit card is needed for your free reports.

   Open annualcreditreport.com

   Watch out: Lookalike "free credit report" sites exist to sell monitoring. Skip search ads and type annualcreditreport.com into the address bar.
3. 3Step 3: Fill out the new request form.

   Under "Fill out your personal information," click "Start Here."

   1. Name: enter your first name, middle initial (optional), last name, and suffix (optional).
   2. Identity: enter your birthdate (month, day, year) and your Social Security or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number - then enter that number again to confirm.
   3. Address: add your address, city, state and ZIP. Answer "Have you lived at this address for 2 years or more?" - choosing No opens fields for your previous address.
   4. Review everything, then click Next.

   Watch out: Enter personal details only in the official request flow - never in this guide or in an email.
4. 4Step 4: Choose all three reports.

   Select Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, using the choices the site actually shows you. Each bureau's report can differ, and your reports are free every week.

5. 5Step 5: Verify with each bureau.

   Each bureau runs its own security check. Follow its actual prompts - the methods and screens can differ. Keep any codes you receive private. You don't need to sign up for paid products or monitoring to get your free report.

   Watch out: If verification fails, use the official phone or mail options below. A security freeze does not block you from getting your own report, so don't assume you have to lift one.

   Official phone and mail options

1. 6Step 6: Save and check each full PDF.

   Save each report as a full PDF, then check it.

   1. Download or print: use the bureau's own Download or Print option if it has one. For browser printing: in Chrome, set Destination to "Save as PDF"; on a Mac, use the PDF menu > Save as PDF.
   2. All pages: include every page of the report.
   3. Name and save: name each file with the bureau and date (like "Equifax Credit Report 2026-09-27") and save it to a folder you know.
   4. Open and check: open each PDF and make sure every page is readable. Keep the originals unchanged.
   5. On a phone: use the browser's download or share option and save to Files or Downloads where supported - controls vary.

   Watch out: Save BEFORE closing the tab - otherwise you may have to verify again.

   Check off each saved report:

   • Equifax saved
   • Experian saved
   • TransUnion saved

   Important: Save your report first, then identify the exact entry and field that looks wrong. If you dispute, you can use the bureau's official online, mail or phone process - keep copies of what you send, the records that support it, and any confirmation you get back. CreditHound does not write, send or file disputes for you.

We'll tell you where to email your reports.

1. 7Step 7: Attach your reports to an email.

   Send your three saved PDFs in one email to the address we give you.

   1. Compose: start a new message with the subject "Credit reports for review."
   2. Attach: click the paperclip or Attach files, choose your three PDFs, then click Open or Attach. Send the PDFs, not screenshots.
   3. Wait: let every upload finish.
   4. Check: confirm the filenames and the recipient you were given.
   5. No destination yet? Save it as a draft.
   6. If one report isn't available, attach the ones you have and say which is missing.

   Watch out: Never put your SSN, passwords or verification codes in the subject or body.