Credit reporting agencies TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax have extended their programs to provide consumers with the ability to access their credit reports for free on a weekly, rather than yearly, basis.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act legally requires credit reporting agencies to provide consumers with access to their credit report for free once per year, which gives consumers the ability to access their credit report three times per year (one from each agency).

During the pandemic, the agencies extended that access weekly. Now, the agencies are providing that access for free once a week on a permanent basis.

Why is it important to check your credit report? It is an important tool to provide you with information on whether unauthorized accounts have been opened in your name or if there are signs of identity theft.

You can access your report by following the instructions provided by the FTC. Be mindful that there are fraudulent sites on the Internet offering free credit reports that try to steal your personal information, so be careful that you are on the official FTC site.