We are excited to debut our latest YouTube video, Annual Credit Reports: Know Your Rights. The video demonstrates the importance of regularly checking your credit report.
The 4-minute film opens with 23-year-old Jenny saying goodbye to the car she had throughout high school and college. Buying a new car will be her first big purchase as an adult. Jenny does her research and settles on the perfect car for her, a "lil' beauty." However, Jenny is devastated to discover that her credit score is too low to qualify for the advertised interest rate. Jenny can't afford the car...
What could Jenny have done differently? Is there a happy ending in store for Jenny? Watch the video to find out. If you like it, we hope you will share it with friends and family.
The video is designed to highlight the importance of monitoring your credit report. Thanks to the federal FACT Act, consumers nationwide have the right to a free copy of their credit report annually from each of the three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
AnnualCreditReport.com is the ONLY site authorized to provide the free credit report you are entitled to by law. There are three ways to order your free reports:
- Online: www.annualcreditreport.com
- Toll-Free: (877) 322-8228
- By Mail: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/order?mail
We recommend staggering your free reports over the course of a year by ordering one report every four months. This way, you are monitoring your credit reports on an ongoing basis. But, if you are an identity theft victim or are shopping for credit, it is best to order all three at one time.
Learn more about credit reports and your right by reading PRC's Fact Sheet 6: How Private is My Credit Report?. The guide explains your credit reporting rights including your right to:
- Obtain a copy of your credit report.
- Know who has received a copy of your report.
- Dispute inaccurate information.
- Explain the circumstances if negative information is included.
- "Opt-out" to prevent credit bureaus from using your information for marketing.
- Complain to the appropriate government agency or file a lawsuit.
We have additional educational guides available on our website and hope you will use them to protect your privacy!
Resources:
- PRC's Video: Annual Credit Reports: Know Your Rights - http://www.privacyrights.org/annual-credit-reports-know-your-rights-video
- AnnualCreditReport.com - http://www.annualcreditreport.com/
- PRC's Fact Sheet 6: How Private is My Credit Report? - http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs6-crdt.htm
- PRC's Credit & Credit Reports educational material - http://www.privacyrights.org/Credit-and-Credit-Reports
