Your Free Credit Report: What's in It?

Know what your free credit report is showing you – and what it's not

The Fair Credit Reporting Act granted all consumers the right to request a free credit report once a year from each of the three major credit agencies – Equifax^®, Experian^® and TransUnion^SM.

However, it didn't guarantee that the credit report would be complete.

Consumers may think the free credit report will give them insight into how lenders rate their creditworthiness. However, most free reports do not include the most important detail of all – your credit score. And without knowing your credit score, you won't fully understand how lenders view you and what terms you'll be offered on credit you apply for.

Sure, the free report allows you to check your credit report file – see if the information contained in it is accurate and up to date. But unless you are a credit expert, you won't be able to evaluate how lenders will interpret your credit history – and what your credit score will be.

If you're interested in understanding and protecting your credit, you need substance – and assistance.

A free report may deliver the illusion that you are maximizing and protecting your credit. But what if you really want to understand your credit status? What if you want to see your complete credit report?

IDENTITY GUARD^® - the leader in credit management services - is committed to helping consumers understand and protect their credit ratings. Our Total Protection service monitors all three major credit reporting agencies - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion - to keep you apprised of your credit score and alert you promptly to potentially suspicious changes to your credit file - minimizing the risk of real damages occuring. It's a 3-3-3 credit profile - 3 credit reports, 3 credit scores, 3-bureau monitoring.

Plus, with Total Protection, you get daily surveillance of the Internet's "financial black markets", "back alley" chat rooms and news groups. Patented scanning technology helps ensure that your important financial information is not being compromised or "swapped" in sites frequented by identity thieves.

IDENTITY GUARD also offers Credit Analyzer, an interactive, online tool that helps predict how certain actions - for example, applying for a mortgage - might affect your score.

Want even more help? IDENTITY GUARD also has Credit Education Specialists to answer questions regarding your credit report and credit score.