[WOBBLY BOB]

I'd like to know my actual score before refinancing. (none of the free ones you're entitled to once a year tell me an actual score)

[Onelifetogive]

annualcreditreport.com is the legit one.

The others are not free.

annualcreditreport.com does not give a credit score unless you pay one of the 3 credit companies for it.

[grellis]

Are you on pretty good terms with your insurance agent? They can tell you your score for free.

[wolfman23601]

It is “free” for a month then they hit you with recurring charges (somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 per month). There is no way to cancel online so you have to call, wait about 30 minutes to speak with someone, then argue with them as they try to talk you out of cancelling. Keep in mind they are only open during work hours so if you have a demanding job and can’t find an hour to deal with the crapola during the day, you are stuck with the recurring charge. Just depends if going through that is worth it to you. The only reson I did it was to make sure I had anything negative on my security clearance application.

[txroadkill]

yes and no. They give you one reporting agency free but they want you to sign up for credit monitoring and then make it difficult to cancel when the free trial is over.

[Company Man]

Consumer advocate Clark Howard (clarkhoward.com) has a good roundup on this. Check under ‘Clark’s Greatest Hits’.

[nuconvert]

Don’t do it

[OrangeHoof]

I got my credit score when I visited a car dealership. You’ll probably need to tell them your SSN.

By law, you are entitled to one free credit report each year but that is *not* the same as the credit score. The credit report will tell you what is on your credit record going back a long time. The credit score is not on there. The credit score (used to help determine loan rates) is something supplied to people looking to set you up with financing on a major purchase (home, car, etc.).

Both pieces of information are useful but they are also fluid, meaning they are subject to change whenever new data comes in.

[VF-51vnv]

would not do not do it Bob. yes you need them to get your credit card to see all of your scores. Real hard to remove yourself from their account once you establish one. Every time you access your account,points are deducted from your credit score because THEY are providing you a Service.The more you use it the more points are deducted. You can receive a YEARLY free report,but you have to request it from the credit reporting companies directly.

[Steely Tom]

You’re allowed to get a copy of your credit report free of charge from each of the credit reporting agencies once a year. I’ve done it a couple of times. Equifax is one, I don’t remember the names of the others, but its easy to find out. It takes some time; you have to jump through hoops to verify your identity, etc.

As far as your score being hurt by checking, I don’t know, but it seems a bit counterintuitive. Maybe if you checked it dozens of times over a few weeks.

[oh8eleven]

I'd like to know my actual score before refinancing.
Screw the credit score. First of all, whomever you refinance with will check it - make them tell you.
Second, it's become some mythological god we all have to bow down to before making decisions. The great, omniscient Gatekeeper in the Sky. Eff that.
If you've paid your bills on time you should be fine.

[ErnBatavia]

We bought a new car last year, for cash. The dealer's finance guy still ran our credit report for the hell of it, and gave us the number.

If you know anybody in that business, give 'em a call....the only info required is your name, address and Drivers License number IIRC.

[Lancey Howard]

anyone used 'free credit report.com' or similar?

LOL!
If you click into one of those sites, do it from somebody else's computer. Somebody you hate.

[TexasCajun]

You have to read the mico-print really, really fast at the bottom of those FreeCreditReport.com ads at the end of the ad.

[ctdonath2]

https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp is where you really want to go. The Big Three credit agencies are required by law to give you one free credit report per year per company, no strings attached; this site is their portal for doing so.

[Blood of Tyrants]

You are allowed one free credit report per year from each of the three credit rating agencies. Why go through some website where they will hard sell you some service you don’t want?