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Credit reports and scores: United States.
A take-home sheet for people at the session. Other countries: United Kingdom · Canada · Australia.
Moraph for Good · Fluent
Credit reports and scores: United States
Handout · moraph.org/commons/sessions/fluent/credit-reports-and-scores
This sheet goes with the Credit reports and scores session. It is general information, not advice about your own situation.
Get your report
- Use the free, official route below, not a search result.
- You shouldn’t need a card number to see your own report.
- Bureaus can hold different information, so check each one.
Read it line by line
- Check your name, date of birth and addresses.
- Look for accounts you don’t recognize, wrong balances and late payments that weren’t late.
- Look for old debts that should have dropped off, and debts listed twice.
Dispute errors in writing
- Contact the credit bureau and the company that reported the error.
- Say what is wrong and why; send copies, never originals.
- Keep a copy of everything, with dates, and follow up.
Scores and rebuilding
- A score is calculated from your report; different bureaus give different numbers.
- Paying on time and keeping balances well below limits generally help.
- Nobody can legally remove accurate information for a fee.
In the United States
- Free reports. You can get a free copy of your credit report from each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) once a week at AnnualCreditReport.com, or by calling (877) 322-8228. Requesting your own reports will not hurt your credit score.
- After a denial. If you are denied credit, insurance or employment based on a credit report, you have a right to a free report from the company named in the notice, if you ask within 60 days of receiving it.
- Disputing errors. You have the right to dispute errors. Contact both the credit reporting company and the company that provided the information, explain in writing what is wrong and why, and include copies (not originals) of supporting documents. Companies that provided the information generally must investigate and respond within 30 days of receiving the dispute.
- How long information stays. Credit reporting companies can generally report most negative information for seven years. Bankruptcies can stay on your report for up to ten years.
- Freezes and fraud alerts. You can freeze and unfreeze your credit file for free at each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies, contacting each one. A fraud alert requires creditors to take steps to verify your identity before opening a new account. If you suspect identity theft, IdentityTheft.gov is the federal government’s resource for reporting and recovering.
Official places to check:
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-do-i-get-a-free-copy-of-my-credit-reports-en-5
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/credit-reports-and-scores
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-do-i-dispute-an-error-on-my-credit-report-en-314
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-long-does-information-stay-on-my-credit-report-en-323
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-credit-freeze-or-security-freeze-on-my-credit-report-en-1341
General information, not advice about your own situation. Checked 19 October 2026. If an official source says something different, it is right. Free to copy and adapt. moraph.org/commons/sessions/fluent/credit-reports-and-scores