# Help me get my credit report **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 29, 2005, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-my-credit-report/314759 "2005-07-29T16:08:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2005, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-my-credit-report/314759/1 "2005-07-29T16:08:25Z")
OK, so I just applied for (and got, once I finish the paperwork) an auto loan from my credit union, but when the loan person called me, they let me know that there were two anamolies on my credit report. Now, otherwise I have good credit. Not great, but by no means bad, but those two things did lower my score a bit. The only thing I could possibly think they were were my credit card that had one late payment, and the student loan that also had one late payment (I’ve only had credit for one year, so it was easy to think of what it might be.) But when she told me what they were, and when they were, it was not those items, and in fact, were companies I have never had to deal with. One was from a cell company (I have a cell phone, but a) with a different company b) It was a gift from my parents and they pay it every moth (the plan is in my name, but bill goes right to them,) and c) it was two years after this anamoly occured.) The other anamoly was from a hospital that I never went to in that year, and have only been to once in the past five years, and was under my parents health insurance anyways. Both anamoies were deliquent payments, it seems. Well, eager to get those off my record, I need to get my credit report for details and crap. I know why they are there…there is another person, almost my exact age, who lives in VT (where I lived until last July) with same last and first name, and same middle initial. We went to the same doctor in HS, so we always had our charts mixed up, and now our credit scores are getting mixed up. Great. :rolleyes: Hey, credit companies, there’s this new thing called a social security number. Mine is not at all like his. Learn to look at THAT, instead of the name and assume only one person could possibly have that name. Anyways, I got a form from my credit union to request a copy of the credit report, and I’m wondering if I should just fill that out (and apparantly pay $9.50) or go to [www.annualcreditreport.com](http://www.annualcreditreport.com) and get one from there. And regardless of how I get it, I see I have to pay, because it’s not past Sep 1, and I don’t live in a state that gets perma-free reports. But which company do I get one from? Do they all have the same info? Do I just need one from whichever company my credit union got their report from? Should I get one from all three to expunge the record on all three? Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2005, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-my-credit-report/314759/2 "2005-07-29T16:39:32Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > OK, so I just applied for (and got, once I finish the paperwork) an auto loan from my credit union, but when the loan person called me, they let me know that there were two anamolies on my credit report. I know that if you’re **denied** credit because of mistakes on a credit report, you’re entitled to a free copy of the report, but boy, it’s hard to get information about this. You’re also entitled to a free report from each company if there is a mistake due to fraud or identity theft - which might be a good angle for you to use, since they have the wrong person’s information on your report. Your best bet might be to ask your credit union for documentation of the information they got and then contact the credit reporting company directly to fix the error. From the [Federal Trade Commission](http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.htm): > [@](#): > > Q: Are there any other situations where I might be eligible for a free report? > > A: Under federal law, you’re entitled to a free report if a company takes adverse action against you, such as denying your application for credit, insurance, or employment, and you ask for your report within 60 days of receiving notice of the action. The notice will give you the name, address, and phone number of the consumer reporting company. You’re also entitled to one free report a year if you’re unemployed and plan to look for a job within 60 days; if you’re on welfare; or if your report is inaccurate because of fraud, including identity theft. Otherwise, a consumer reporting company may charge you up to $9.50 for another copy of your report within a 12-month period. > > To buy a copy of your report, contact: > > ``` > * Equifax > 800-685-1111 > www.equifax.com > * Experian > 888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742) > www.experian.com > * Trans Union > 800-916-8800 > www.transunion.com > > ``` The [AARP](http://www.aarp.org/money/credit_debt/a2002-10-04-CreditDebtCreditReports.html) also has an informative article about what you can do to correct errors. You should be able to correct mistakes on your credit reports without paying for access to those reports, but it’s not going to be a quick fix.