There are a number of reasons why you might need to contact the major credit bureaus. Perhaps you want to dispute a negative item or request a freeze on your credit report.
Even if you have good credit and don’t need to review or dispute any negative items, it’s a good idea to monitor and keep copies of your annual credit reports.
As a consumer, this helps to ensure fair credit pricing while also protecting you against identity theft.
Reviewing your free credit report also lets you know where you stand credit-wise and allows you to check for any potential problems you might not be aware of. Mistakes happen and the sooner you can catch them, the better off your credit will be.
Where to Go for Your Free Annual Credit Report
If you’re looking for your free credit report from each of the big 3 credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — you can get free copies at AnnualCreditReport.com.
The website is operated by the three credit bureaus and is authorized by federal law. You can access each of your credit reports once every 12 months for free. So if you order a copy of your credit report on September 30, you can’t get another one until October 1 of the following year.
After that, you can pay to receive more frequent copies, which usually cost around $15 each, or you can typically order all three together for a discounted price. You might find this helpful if you’ve requested changes to your credit reports or filed a dispute and want to confirm that the information has been updated.
Benefits of Paying for Your Credit Report
It may be wise to pay for your credit report if you need a faster dispute process. Normally, credit bureaus have 30 days to investigate a dispute. But if you get your credit report for free from AnnualCreditReport.com, they have 45 days to respond.
Sometimes you need to contact the individual credit bureaus concerning specific issues. This may involve various kinds of misreported information or negative items you want to clear up.
Additionally, you can contact each credit bureau to place a fraud alert or security freeze on your credit report. Fraud alerts stops anyone from accessing your credit reports for a new inquiry, which can cause fraudulent applications to be denied instantaneously. This service is now free from the credit bureaus.
No matter what your concern may be, it can be hard to get a real person on the phone. But if you’re persistent, you can always find a way. If the main numbers you find online won’t allow you to connect with someone, look up the company’s local corporate headquarters and call them directly. Ask to speak with a customer service agent to quickly get someone on the line.
With that said, we find that the best way to contact them is usually by mail.
Credit Bureau Addresses
The following information for contacting Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion is accurate as of the publishing of this article. However, this information may be updated as these mailing addresses are known to change often.
When it comes to mailing addresses, corporate headquarters aren’t the right addresses to write to concerning questions about individual accounts. Before sending the credit bureaus a letter, you may want to verify the information to make sure you’re addressing your letter to the correct department.
You can always refer to each credit bureau’s website to get up-to-date contact information or to find online forms. It’s useful to note that the credit bureaus prefer that you contact them by phone first.
When you speak with an agent, they’ll give you the best address to use for your particular issue. You may also wish to read each credit bureau’s website to find specific numbers other than the general numbers provided below. Either way, this is a great starting point to get connected to the right place.
Equifax
Mailing address:
Equifax Information Services, LLC
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30374-0256
Phone numbers: (888) 298-0045 (for customer care) or (800) 349-9960 (for security freezes)
Website: www.equifax.com
Experian
Mailing address:
Experian
P.O. Box 4500
Allen, TX 75013
Phone number: (888) 397-3742 (for disputes)
Website: www.experian.com
TransUnion
Mailing address:
TransUnion LLC
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016-2000
Phone number: (800) 916-8800
Website: www.transunion.com
Other Credit Reporting Agencies
While Innovis is not one of the three major credit bureaus, consumers have increasingly found it important to keep tabs on Innovis credit report, especially given their relationship with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
This company primarily serves to sell lists to creditors (including mortgage lenders) of creditworthy and non-creditworthy individuals.
You can access reports and request changes just as you would with any of the three major credit bureaus. However, you’ll have to call the national opt-out number (1-888-567-8688) to have your name and number removed from their lists.
For free reports, contact:
Innovis
Mailing address:
Attn: Consumer Assistance
P.O. Box 1640
Pittsburgh, PA 15230-1640
Phone number: (800) 540-2505
Website: www.innovis.com
For Innovis corporate headquarters, contact:
Innovis
250 E. Town St.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
PRBC Inc. (Payment Reporting Builds Credit)
A fifth credit reporting agency is PRBC Inc., which performs the same functions as the other CRCs. However, it also allows consumers to build reports and a positive credit history using alternative data, such as utility bills and insurance payments.
PRBC Inc. uses information not always reported to the other credit bureaus, allowing consumers to rebuild a positive credit history. The company is owned by MicroBilt Corporation.
MicroBilt Corporation
Mailing address:
1640 Airport Rd, Suite 115
Kennesaw, GA 30144
Phone number: (800) 884-4747
Website: www.microbilt.com
When contacting the credit bureaus by phone, you should have some things ready. You will need to give them your full name, date of birth, address, phone number, and social security number.
Additionally, they will probably ask you some security questions about your credit history to verify that it’s you.
When contacting the credit bureaus by mail, you will need to include the same information as stated above, plus a copy of a government-issued identification card, such as a driver’s license, passport, or state ID card. You will also need to include a copy of a utility bill, bank statement, or insurance statement.