Check your credit

AnnualCreditReport.com
Pull your official credit reports from Experian, Equifax and TransUnion for free. Check for collections, late payments, balances, unfamiliar accounts and incorrect information.

Experian.com
View and monitor your Experian credit file and access credit-score tools.

CreditKarma.com
Free monitoring for TransUnion and Equifax information. Useful for tracking changes, but the scores shown may differ from the FICO scores lenders use.

myFICO.com
Useful for understanding and checking FICO scores—the scoring system commonly used by lenders.

Experian.com/boost
Experian Boost is free and can add eligible phone, utility, internet, streaming, insurance, and some rent payments to your Experian credit file. Results vary, and not every lender uses scores affected by Boost.

Experian.com/credit/experian-go
Experian Go is designed for people with little or no credit history and includes tools to establish a credit profile and add eligible bills through Boost.

Self.inc/rent-reporting
Use rent-reporting services to potentially add qualifying rent payments to your credit history.

Esusu.com
Rent-reporting service used by participating landlords and property managers to help report on-time rent payments.

Discover.com/credit-cards/secured-credit-card
Discover it® Secured reports to all three major credit bureaus, has no annual fee, and can graduate to an unsecured card with responsible use. 

CapitalOne.com/credit-cards/platinum-secured
Capital One Platinum Secured has no annual fee, refundable deposits starting at $49, $99 or $200 depending on eligibility, and can be upgraded later with responsible use.

Chime.com/credit/credit-builder
Chime Card is a secured credit-building card with no annual fee, no interest, no credit check to apply, and reports to Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.

Self.inc
Self offers a Credit Builder Account that reports your payments while helping you build savings over time, minus interest and fees.

Kikoff.com
Credit-building plans starting at $5/month that report a tradeline to all three major credit bureaus. Higher plans also include bill reporting and additional credit tools.

NavyFederal.org/loans-cards/credit-cards/cash-rewards-secured
For eligible Navy Federal members. The cashRewards Secured card starts with a $200 deposit, earns 1% cash back, and is reviewed for possible credit-line increases and an unsecured upgrade.

NavyFederal.org/loans-cards/credit-cards/compare
Check whether you prequalify for a Navy Federal card without impacting your credit score before submitting a full application.

Experian.com/disputes
Dispute incorrect accounts, balances, late payments, personal information, or other errors on your Experian report.

Equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-dispute
File disputes for inaccurate information showing on your Equifax credit report.

TransUnion.com/credit-disputes
Dispute incorrect information on your TransUnion report.

ConsumerFinance.gov
Use the CFPB for official credit dispute guidance, debt collection rights, and complaints against financial companies when an issue is not being resolved.

AnnualCreditReport.com
Pull all three reports before disputing anything so you can compare what each bureau is actually reporting.

NFCC.org
Nonprofit credit counseling if debt, missed payments, or collections are the bigger problem instead of reporting errors.

ConsumerFinance.gov/consumer-tools/credit-reports-and-scores/sample-letters-dispute-credit-report-information
Free official CFPB dispute letter templates for challenging inaccurate information with both the credit bureau and the company that reported it.

ConsumerFinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-do-i-dispute-an-error-on-my-credit-report-en-314
Step-by-step dispute instructions, what documents to include, and where to send disputes.

ConsumerFinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-should-i-do-when-a-debt-collector-contacts-me-en-1695
Free sample letters for debt collectors, including: I don’t owe this debt, I need more information, stop contacting me, contact my lawyer, and contact me only in specific ways.

Experian.com/disputes
File an Experian dispute online.

Equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-dispute
File an Equifax dispute online.

TransUnion.com/credit-disputes
File a TransUnion dispute online.

ConsumerFinance.gov/complaint
Submit a CFPB complaint if a credit bureau, lender, collector, or other financial company does not properly resolve an issue.

NFCC.org
Connect with nonprofit credit counselors who can review your debt, budget, and repayment options. They can also help determine whether a Debt Management Plan makes sense.

NFCC.org/debt-navigator
Free tool that helps you compare possible debt solutions without affecting your credit.

GreenPath.com
Nonprofit financial counseling for credit cards, budgeting, and debt-management help.

ConsumerFinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-credit-counseling-en-1451
Official guide explaining credit counseling and how nonprofit counselors can help with budgeting and debt repayment.

ConsumerFinance.gov/consumer-tools/debt-collection
Official resource for handling collections, verifying debts, negotiating, and understanding your rights. 

Avoid debt-settlement companies that tell you to stop paying your creditors. Nonprofit credit counseling and debt management are different from debt settlement.

ConsumerFinance.gov/consumer-tools/debt-collection
Official guide for dealing with collection accounts, understanding your rights, and figuring out what to do before paying anything.

ConsumerFinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-should-i-do-when-a-debt-collector-contacts-me-en-1695
Includes free sample letters for asking for more information, disputing a debt, stopping contact, or requiring communication through an attorney.

ConsumerFinance.gov/compliance/compliance-resources/other-applicable-requirements/debt-collection/forms-and-samples
Free CFPB debt-collection forms, including the official model validation notice.

AnnualCreditReport.com
Check whether a collection is reporting to Experian, Equifax, TransUnion, or multiple bureaus before taking action.

FTC.gov
Federal consumer-protection information for spotting fake or abusive debt collectors and reporting scams.

ConsumerFinance.gov/complaint
File a complaint if a collector, creditor, or credit bureau is not properly handling a legitimate issue.

Before paying a collection: verify the collector, confirm the debt is yours, check the balance and original creditor, and get any settlement terms in writing. If you dispute a debt within the applicable 30-day validation period, additional protections can apply while the collector verifies it.