I have been following your advice and columns via Internet and tried to access your link to Annualcreditreport.com. Because I am stationed overseas, I got an error message telling me that the link would only work for Internet Service Providers located in the United States. How can I get my free credit reports from here?
I get that question frequently from Americans who are living abroad and still want to access their free credit report. Annualcreditreport.com generally blocks access from foreign Internet service providers for security purposes. However, it does provide access at some American military bases, says David Rubinger of credit bureau Equifax.
You can, however, request your free credit report through the mail. Download the request form from AnnualCreditReport.com then mail it to the Annual Credit Report Request Service at P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, Ga. 30348-5281 (see the download page for more information). If you can't download the request form, then send a letter to that address requesting your report and include your name, Social Security number, date of birth, current address, previous address, when you moved and which credit bureau's free report you'd like to receive (Experian, Equifax and/or TransUnion).
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Maxine Sweet of credit bureau Experian recommends providing proof of your ID and temporary address, such as a copy of your driver's license and a utility bill, when you submit the form. Otherwise, the credit bureaus will generally ask for that information for security purposes after they receive your request, which can delay the delivery.
If you'd like to receive your credit report immediately, then you can visit the credit bureau Web sites separately -- but you may need to pay for the report. Experian.com, for example, will provide a copy of your report through its Web site, even if you're stationed abroad, if you can answer its authentication questions. But you'll generally have to pay about $10.50 for the report (the price varies by state). TransUnion charges $19.95 for military members who order their three-bureau credit report through TrueCredit's military Web site (a 30% discount). This report also includes your TransUnion credit score, which is different from the FICO score that most lenders use. AnnualCreditReport.com, however, generally charges about $7.95 extra just for a credit score.
For more information about your credit report and credit score, see Demystifying Your Credit Score and our Credit and Money Management page.
-
I'm want to give my 3 grandkids $5K each for Christmas.You're comfortably retired and want to give your grandkids a big Christmas check, but their parents are worried they might spend it all. We ask the pros for help.
-
If You're Not Doing Roth Conversions, You Need to Read ThisRoth conversions and other Roth strategies can be complex, but don't dismiss these tax planning tools outright. They could really work for you and your heirs.
-
Could Traditional Retirement Expectations Be Killing Us?A retirement psychologist makes the case: A fulfilling retirement begins with a blueprint for living, rather than simply the accumulation of a large nest egg.
-
TransUnion Fined $23M For Tenant Screening, Credit FreezesGovernment charges TransUnion over illegal rental background checks and security freezes on consumer credit reports.
-
Credit Cards vs Charge Cards: What Are the Differences?All you need to know about credit cards vs charge cards — differences, pros and cons.
-
How Many Credit Cards Should I Have?How many credit cards should you have? The answer isn’t as straightforward as you might think — it all depends on your financial situation.
-
Credit card delinquency expected to increase in 2023Credit card and personal loan delinquency rates are expected to increase this year.
-
What Is a Good Credit Score?Having a good credit score can save you hundreds, even thousands of dollars on credit cards, mortgages and other loans.
-
Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit 2023If used wisely, these credit cards can help you dig out of bad credit; you may even earn 2% cash back.
-
How to Freeze Your Credit in Three Stepscredit & debt Freezing your accounts at the three major credit bureaus is the best way to prevent thieves from opening new credit accounts in your name.
-
Did Equifax Botch Your Credit Score?credit score Equifax is in the news–yet again–this time for sending lenders the wrong credit score. Here’s how to find out if you were affected and what to do next.
