How To Get A Free Credit Report Without A Credit Card

Getting a free credit report without a credit card is not difficult. Many people seem to think that if they don't possess a credit card they will have difficulty getting any kind of a credit report, let alone a free one. This is not the case.

You are entitled to get a completely free credit report without a credit card, or indeed with one, once every year. That is the law of the nation. Credit cards are often used as a convenient method of providing identification. Most people have a credit card, so it's usually expected that you will be able to use one for identification purposes.

This can be a very annoying situation for those people who have decided that they either don't want to own a credit card, or that they should no longer own one. In our consumer society it can be easy to forget that there are many different ways to receive credit and you don't always need a card.

The Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) between them have provided all legal residents of the nation with the right to receive one free credit report per year.

The credit referencing agencies are composed of the three main credit agencies of Equifax, Experian and Trans-Union. They have a website at: www.annualcreditreport.com where anyone can obtain their annual free credit report.

Not everyone has Internet access, so they also provide a telephone number you can call for the same results: 877-322-8228. They may ask for some basic details, such as your name, age, address, date of birth and driving license number. If they ask about your credit card you should simply tell them that you choose not to have one.

The Internet is littered with websites all offering to supply you with a free credit report without a credit card. Be careful. These sites do not have a legal mandate to provide a free credit report without a credit card, or even with one. They may offer some advice, but they will most likely try to sell you some credit related service or product at best. At worst they may be involved in identity theft.

Credit reports are all about scores. Basically, the higher the score the better the report as far as you are concerned. A high score means a low credit risk. A score of between 750 and 850, for example, is a low risk. If you find yourself in this category you will have no problems finding credit. A score of 650 or less represents a high credit risk. You will likely experience difficulties getting credit with this kind of score.

Everyone has the right to a free credit report without a credit card. The fact that you don't have this item will not go against you in any way. It will not make you a greater credit risk or upset your credit score. Credit agencies may assume that you will have a card, but simply tell them that you are entitled to a free credit report without a credit card and they will be obliged to provide the report.

Credit in Minutes Tip #1

Stay on top of your credit report. Most credit reports contain errors. Make sure you check your credit report every year (you get one free credit report every twelve months) and if there are errors make sure to challenge them with the reporting credit agency. Credit agencies are required to investigate each and every challenge that gets reported.

Credit in Minutes Tip #2

Just because you qualify for all of those credit cards does not mean you should get them. A person with too many credit cards looks sketchy in the eyes of a potential creditor. Think of it this way: if a person is financially stable does he or she need ten different credit cards? Wouldn’t just one or two suffice?

Credit in Minutes Tip #3

The best way to raise your credit score is to make all of your payments on time. It sounds too simple to be true, but that’s all there really is to it. Staying out of debt and/or making all of your debt payments on time will keep your score up where it should be.