The three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — now offer free weekly credit reports through AnnualCreditReport.com, making it easier to monitor your credit for errors and signs of fraud.
If you prefer not to use the website, you can also request your credit reports by phone at 1-877-322-8228 and receive them by mail, though delivery can take up to 15 days.
Checking your credit reports regularly can help you catch identity theft, reporting errors and fraudulent accounts before they become larger financial problems. Monitoring your credit closely also gives you more time to dispute mistakes, freeze your credit and protect your finances if something looks wrong.
Why should I check my credit report weekly?
ProPublica conducted an investigation and found that two of the credit bureaus have reduced resolutions on customer complaints filed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The CFPB works to help customers correct errors on their credit histories when the person complaining isn't responsible, such as fraudulent accounts being opened in their name.
TransUnion's resolution rate declined sharply in the summer of 2025. Equifax, which had a resolution of around 20% in 2024, dropped to 1% in 2025.
This prompted four US senators, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), to send letters to these credit bureaus demanding to know why they were not fixing as many customer complaints.
To be fair to credit bureaus, they're being asked to process many more claims now. This is in part due to credit-repairing agencies, which will flood each bureau with complaints, bringing solution outcomes down and taking more time to resolve legitimate complaints.
When you have incorrect information on your credit reports, it gives an inaccurate picture of your finances to potential lenders. Having missed payments, charged-off accounts and more can make it difficult to qualify for good rates on personal loans. You might even pay more for your insurance premiums.
What happens when you find errors?
Check each report for errors or signs of fraudulent activity, such as the presence of a credit card or loan that you never opened or a collection account for a debt that you don’t owe.
The most effective way to block identity thieves from opening accounts in your name is to put a free security freeze on your report from each bureau. (You can add a freeze at www.transunion.com/freeze, www.experian.com/freeze and www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services.)
When a freeze is in place, a creditor cannot access your report in response to an application for new credit, thwarting crooks. If you want to open a credit account, you can temporarily lift the freeze.
Meanwhile, if you don't want to freeze your credit, make sure to review your reports weekly. You can also use a service like myFICO, which sends you alerts anytime you have a credit inquiry, a new account is opened, etc.
This is the most effective way to stay on top of your credit health. Why? Because if you notice a new account and you didn't open it, you can react promptly, calling the lender to shut down the account.
Also, if you notice someone opened an account in your name without your permission, you should file a dispute with the credit bureau issuing the information. Next, the CFPB recommends reaching out to the lender to file another dispute.
How to save your future self thousands
Credit mistakes are on the rise, with 44% of people checking their credit reports having at least one error. Given that your credit histories impact borrowing costs on loans, insurance premiums and more, it's vital to check your credit at least once per week.
When you notice errors on your report, freeze your credit. Then, follow the bureau's guidelines for filing a dispute. You should also file a dispute with the lender reporting the information. Doing this can help you resolve a difficult matter and get your credit back on the right track.
