Your credit reports include information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you’ve been sued, arrested, or filed for bankruptcy. The consumer reporting agencies sell this information to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, and even for renting a home.

Review your credit report to:

• make sure the information is accurate, and up-to-date before you apply for a loan, lease a car, get a credit card, buy insurance, or apply for a job.
• help guard against identity theft. If identity thieves use your information to open new account in your name, those unpaid accounts get reported on your credit.

To order your reports:

• On the internet, go to www.annualcreditreport.com.
• By phone, call 1-877-322-8228.
• To order your report by mail, complete an Annual Credit Report Request Form (you can find it at www.ftc.gov/credit) and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.