# how to check your credit

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-check-your-credit/229579>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 17, 2004, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-check-your-credit/229579 "2004-02-17T00:19:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Zaphod7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/df788c/32.png) [@Zaphod7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zaphod7)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-check-your-credit/229579/1 "2004-02-17T00:19:18Z")

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Is there a free way to check your credit records somewhere and if so how?

cheers  
Zaphod

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**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-check-your-credit/229579/2 "2004-02-17T00:36:22Z")

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I keep hearing ads for [http://www.freecreditreport.com](http://www.freecreditreport.com). Good luck!

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**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-check-your-credit/229579/3 "2004-02-17T03:20:45Z")

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Free Credit Reports are available to residents of these six states:  
Colorado  
Georgia  
Maryland  
Massachusetts  
New Jersey  
Vermont

And you are entitled to a free one if you were denied credit.

The ‘big three’ of credit bureaus use their name as their website adress too:

TransUnion  
Equifax  
Experian

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**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-check-your-credit/229579/4 "2004-02-17T03:27:39Z")

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> [@HeyHomie](#):
>
> I keep hearing ads for [http://www.freecreditreport.com](http://www.freecreditreport.com). Good luck!

I checked this site out. Apparently “free” means giving them your credit card number. They’ll charge you only $7.95 per month to be a “member” unless you remember to cancel before the end of one month.  
No dice. Free means free. No strings.

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**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-check-your-credit/229579/5 "2004-02-17T04:10:58Z")

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As with other financial, law, nature, etc. etc. questions, it is imperative you say where you are.

In Canada, both Transunion and Equifax will mail you a free report if you mail them first. NB - Equifax wants you to pay them to do the online stuff, so they make this a pain and leave out your actual credit score. Haven’t tried Transunion yet.

In the States, as I understand it generally, if you’ve been turned down for a loan application within the past… uh… 6mo.? you can get it free from one of the Big credit unions, otherwise generally no.