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Credit reports more accessible for consumers

As of June 1, consumers throughout the Southeast are entitled to received a free copy of their credit report, once a year, from each of the three major credit reporting companies. Under Georgia law, Georgians were already entitled to two free copies from each bureau but the new law makes the process a little easier.

Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion have announced a single Web address, toll-free number, and postal address consumers can use to request free annual credit reports. Consumers can request their reports online at www.annualcreditreport.com, by calling (877) 322-8228, or by mailing a request form to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

Annualcreditreport.com is the ONLY authorized single source for consumers to access their credit reports online for free. In order to access your reports, you will need to provide your name, social security number, date of birth, and information only you would know, such as the amount of a monthly mortgage or car payment.

"Knowing what is in your credit reports is the responsibility of every consumer," said Suzanne Boas, president of Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Atlanta. "Now it is easier for consumers to request and review their credit histories and ensure that the information is accurate."

Why request copies of your credit reports? They provide a summary of your credit history, including debts, payment history, bankruptcies, tax liens, and the like. This information dictates the interest rates you pay on credit cards, mortgages and car loans, the amounts loaned to you, and even if you get approved. An employer may also pull a credit report when you apply for a job, and an insurance company may do it when you apply for a policy, so it is important to know the information is accurate. And, reviewing your credit reports is a great way to guard against identity theft. Identity thieves may use your information to open a new credit card account or take out a loan in your name. When they fail to pay the bills, the delinquent account is reported on your credit report.

Requesting copies of your credit reports also gives you an opportunity to respond to or correct any misinformation, ensuring that when a lender, potential employer, or insurance company pulls a report, they are getting the most accurate information. It is important that you check your reports from all three bureaus as each compiles data slightly differently and one may have an error while another may not.

For 40 years, families have turned to Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Atlanta for help with money problems. CCCS is a nonprofit, community service agency dedicated to empowering consumers to achieve a lifetime of economic freedom. A United Way partner, CCCS provides free, confidential budget counseling, community and personal money management education, debt management programs, and comprehensive housing counseling.

CCCS is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children and is a member of the Better Business Bureau and the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC). Governed by a community-based board of directors, CCCS is funded by creditors, clients, contributors and grants from foundations, business and government agencies. Service is available at offices throughout metro-Atlanta and north Georgia in English, Spanish and American Sign Language. CCCS offers around the-clock help by phone at 1-800-251-CCCS or at its Web site, www.cccsinc.org.

CCCS Atlanta is the headquarters for the CredAbility Network, a family of agencies serving consumers in north Georgia, south Florida, middle Mississippi and east Tennessee. Georgia branches of CCCS are in downtown Atlanta, Cobb County, Decatur, Douglasville, Fayetteville, Gainesville, Gwinnett County and Rome. Please contact us any time -- our virtual office is always open at www.cccsinc.org or 1-800-251-CCCS.

For 50 years, the NFCC, through its member agencies, has played the key role in providing financial counseling and education to consumers. Each year, more than one million people are served through the NFCC agencies receiving advice, training and education on comprehensive money management based on their individual needs. The NFCC, the nation's largest and longest- serving nonprofit credit counseling organization, is the national voice for its 120 member agencies with 1,000 offices throughout the United States. All NFCC member agencies are independently accredited nonprofit entities and are held to the highest quality standards. Contact the national foundation at 301-589-5600, 800-388-CCCS or www.nfcc.org.