Free credit report access simplified
Beginning April 1 consumer access to a free, federally mandated annual credit report from the three major credit bureaus will be simplified. Consumers have been mandated to have free access to their credit report once each year from each of the three credit bureaus since 2003. But it can be difficult to navigate the sites and determine what information is free and what information comes with a price.
New laws will require that all advertising for paid-for access to credit scores be moved to the end of the free credit reports to help reduce confusion. Hyperlinks within the sites will also be moved or taken down. Commercial credit companies that try to encourage customers to pay for their credit score must now include a specific disclosure on every page that informs customers that they are legally entitled to a free credit report and where to access it.
