San Diego consumers do not need to pay a subscription fee to review their credit reports or protect them with a credit freeze. Both are available for free.
Our recommendation: review your reports regularly, freeze your credit at all three major credit bureaus, and temporarily lift a freeze when you need to apply for credit. These steps can help you spot errors and make it harder for identity thieves to open accounts in your name.
Get your free credit reports at the official website
AnnualCreditReport.com is the official website authorized by federal law to provide free credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
Despite its name, the site now provides free weekly online credit reports from each of the three bureaus. You do not need to purchase credit monitoring or enroll in a paid subscription.
You can also request your reports by calling 877-322-8228.
Review all three reports because the information may differ. Look for accounts you do not recognize, incorrect balances, payments wrongly marked late, and unfamiliar credit inquiries.
Enter the official website address directly or use the link above. Be cautious about advertisements, look-alike websites, and unsolicited messages requesting your Social Security number or other personal information.
A credit report is different from a credit score
Your credit report contains information about your credit accounts and payment history. Your credit score is a number calculated using information in a credit report.
The free reports available through AnnualCreditReport.com generally do not include credit scores. Many credit card issuers and other lenders provide a score to existing customers at no additional charge. Check your current accounts before paying for one.
You also have more than one credit score. Different scoring models, reporting dates, and credit bureau information can produce different results. A score displayed in an app may differ from the score a mortgage or auto lender uses.
Keep your credit frozen when you do not need new credit
A security freeze, also called a credit freeze, restricts access to your credit report and helps prevent someone from opening new credit accounts in your name.
You do not have to wait until you receive a data breach notice or become an identity theft victim. San Diego consumers can take this precaution now.
Placing, temporarily lifting, and removing a freeze are free. A freeze does not lower your credit score, prevent you from reviewing your own reports, or stop you from using your existing credit cards.
You must freeze your credit separately with each bureau. Freezing one report does not freeze the other two.
| Credit bureau | Official credit freeze page |
|---|---|
| Equifax | Place or manage an Equifax security freeze |
| Experian | Freeze or unfreeze your Experian credit file |
| TransUnion | Place or manage a TransUnion credit freeze |
Follow each bureau’s instructions to create a free account or sign in. Choose the security freeze option. You do not need to purchase a monitoring plan.
Temporarily lift a freeze before applying for credit
When you are ready to apply for a credit card, car loan, mortgage, or another account requiring a credit check:
- Ask which bureau or bureaus the lender will use. Some lenders check more than one.
- Sign in to the relevant bureau accounts and temporarily lift the freeze for the dates needed.
- Allow time for the change to take effect. Online and telephone requests to lift a freeze must be processed within one hour.
- Confirm that your reports are frozen again afterward. A scheduled temporary lift lets you specify when the freeze resumes.
For example, if a lender confirms it will check only Experian, you can temporarily lift your Experian freeze while leaving Equifax and TransUnion frozen.
For rental applications, employment screening, or other background checks, ask the screening company what access it needs. A credit freeze does not block every type of consumer report or background check.
Choose a free freeze rather than paying for a credit lock
Credit bureaus also market products called credit locks, sometimes bundled with paid monitoring services. A lock and a security freeze are different products.
For the protection described here, request the free security freeze. There is no need to buy a subscription to freeze or unfreeze your credit.
Understand what a freeze cannot prevent
A freeze helps protect against new-account fraud. It does not prevent someone from making unauthorized charges on an existing account, taking over an online account, or committing every other form of identity theft.
Continue reviewing bank and credit card transactions. Use unique passwords, enable multifactor authentication where available, and investigate unfamiliar activity promptly.
Correct errors and respond to identity theft
If you find an error, dispute it with each credit bureau reporting it and with the business that supplied the information. Identify the specific mistake, provide supporting documents, and keep copies of your submissions and responses.
The FTC provides instructions and sample letters for disputing credit report errors.
If you discover accounts you did not open or other signs of identity theft, visit IdentityTheft.gov for an official recovery plan. Contact the affected businesses promptly.
For San Diego consumers, regularly reviewing credit reports and keeping all three files frozen are practical, free steps toward protecting your financial identity.
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