A good credit rating is very important. Businesses inspect your credit history when they evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, and even leases. They can use it when they choose to give or deny you credit or insurance, provided you receive fair and equal treatment. Sometimes, things happen that can cause credit problems: a temporary loss of income, an illness, even a computer error. Solving credit problems may take time and patience, but it doesn’t have to be an ordeal.

For more information about your rights related to credit, please visit the Federal Trade Commission's website here: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0347-your-equal-credit-opportunity-rights. 

The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – to provide you with a copy of your credit report once every 12 months. The three companies have set up one central website, toll-free telephone number, and mailing address through which you can order your free credit report. For more information, please visit the Federal Trade Commission's website here: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/free-credit-reports?topic_id=1040200. 

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, wants you to know that there is only one authorized website: annualcreditreport.com. 

For information in Spanish/Espanol regarding accessing your credit report, please read the attached guide. La Ley de Informe Justo de Crédito (Fair Credit Reporting Act, FCRA) requiere que, a su pedido, cada una de las compañías de informes de los consumidores a nivel nacional — Equifax, Experian y TransUnion — le provea cada 12 meses una copia de su informe de crédito. La ley FCRA promueve la exactitud y privacidad de la información contenida en los registros de las compañías de informes de los consumidores del país. La Comisión Federal de Comercio (Federal Trade Commission, FTC), la agencia nacional de protección del consumidor, es la encargada de dar cumplimiento a la ley FCRA en lo que se refiere a las compañías de informes de los consumidores.

Your credit report contains information about where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you’ve been sued or arrested, or have filed for bankruptcy. Consumer reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) promotes the accuracy and privacy of information in the files of the nation’s consumer reporting companies.

Ageing Safely has developed the following three forms to help with consumer law issues or issues dealing with money and debt: 

• Letter to a creditor to request debt forgiveness when a bill is owed
• Letter to a creditor to dispute a charge from a bank or company
• Letter to a credit bureau to dispute an item on a credit report

Please visit Ageing Safely's website for links to these interactive forms: https://agingsafely.us/free-forms/.

For more information regarding the truth about credit reports and credit repair agencies in English, please see our guide in English below.

Para informacion en Espanol, ha clic "La Verdad Sobre el Informe de Crédito Y Las CompañÍas de Reparación de Crédito."

If you've ever applied for a credit card, a personal loan, or insurance, there's a file about you. This file is known as your credit report. It includes information on where you live, how you pay your bills, whether you've been sued or arrested, or have filed for bankruptcy. Consumer reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses with a legitimate need for it. They use the information to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or a lease.

For more information about credit reports, please visit the Federal Trade Commission's Website here: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/free-credit-reports. 

The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) promotes the accuracy, fairness, and privacy of information in the files of consumer reporting agencies. There are many types of consumer reporting agencies, including credit bureaus and specialty agencies (such as agencies that sell information about check writing histories, medical records, and rental history records). For example, you must be told if information in your file has been used against you and you have the right to ask for a credit score. 

See the attached document for a summary of your major rights under the FCRA.

For more information, including information about additional rights, go to www.ftc.gov/credit or write to: Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580...