At Nationwide Debt Reduction, we often get calls from our clients asking us if there is a way to truly get a free copy of their credit report.  The answer is yes.  That web site is www.annualcreditreport.com.  This is the only site whereby you can literally download a copy of your credit report from all three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, & Transunion) for free.  The only "catch" if you will is that you can only do this once per year. Therefore, if you would like to review your credit report, and you should each year, this is how you would go about doing it.

Another common question we get asked is about the safety of your identity.  Identity theft is on the rise at an amazing alarming rate across the globe, and many companies (including the 3 credit bureaus) are out there trying to make money offering to "protect" your identity.  You however can do this for free, or for a nominal fee, depending upon which state you reside in.

Here is how it works; You contact each of the three credit bureaus, and let them know you would like to put a "security freeze" on your credit report.  Obviously you want to get a copy of your report first, before you do this.  This way, each bureau must "lock" your credit report whereby no one has access to it except you.

There is one downside to having a security freeze on your credit report; however we believe it is well worth it.  If you need to "unlock" your credit report for any reason (a new job, buying a car, etc.) you have to call the three bureaus and "unlock" your report.  The options they will give you is either for a specific time period, such as 7 – 30 days, or you can "unlock" your credit report just for a specific company. The cost to do this varies by state as well, however is very nominal. In Arizona for example the cost if $5.00 per creditor.

Therefore, we always encourage our clients to review their respective credit reports for inaccurate reporting once per year, and then lock their report, their spouses report and their children's (if under 18) credit reports.  This in and of itself, will save you a tremendous amount of heartache, grief, and anxiety should you ever end up being the target of identity theft.

We hope these little "tidbits" help you in managing your credit and identity.

Nationwide Debt Reduction, Inc. does not copy write this information. Therefore, please feel free to forward this to family and friends. We are certain they will thank you for this information as well.