At NW Preferred, we believe it’s important for members to be aware of their credit score and to check it at least once a year. It is now easier than ever to get this information, thanks to an amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The three nationwide consumer reporting companies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion are now required to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months.

The three companies have set up one central website, a toll-free telephone number and a mailing address through which you can order your free credit report. If you want to order your free annual credit report online, there is only one authorized website: annualcreditreport.com

Many other websites claim to offer “free credit reports”, “free credit scores” or “free credit monitoring.” These sites are not part of the official annual free credit report program. In some cases, the “free” product comes with strings attached. For example, some sites sign you up for a supposedly “free” service that converts to one you have to pay for after a trial period ends. If you don’t cancel during the trial period, you may be agreeing to let the company start charging fees to your credit card.

You also can order your free report by calling toll-free, 1-877-322-8228, or by mailing a completed Annual Credit Report Request Form to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.