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Are you worried about credit fraud, identity theft, or how to stay in control of your financial data? We’ll show you how to contact the three major credit bureaus — including by phone — to get all the credit information you need. Then, get an advanced privacy app like Avast One to help protect your sensitive personal information online.
Before applying for a loan or credit, you may need to contact one of the main credit reporting agencies to find out what information is in your credit reports. Or, you might need to contact credit bureaus to dispute errors in your credit report, request a security freeze, or set up a fraud alert.
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In the US, there are three main credit reporting agencies that collect your credit information and compile it into credit reports that are used to calculate your credit score. Before you apply for a loan or other financing, you’ll want to be sure all the credit information the bureaus have on you is accurate — before lenders decide whether to offer you a loan or credit terms.
In the following sections, we’ll guide you through how to contact each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
Go to the official Equifax website to contact the credit bureau about credit-related issues — such as accessing your Equifax credit report and credit score, disputing errors on your credit report, requesting a security freeze , and managing fraud alerts. Equifax also offers phone support and mail-in options.
Federal law gives you the right to get a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each of the three main credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Here’s how to get yours from Equifax directly:
Online: Get access to your credit report through the Equifax website.
Phone: Call the Equifax credit bureau phone number at 1-888-378-4329. Their hours are Monday — Friday from 9am to 9pm (ET), and Saturday — Sunday from 9am to 6pm (ET).
Mail: Download, print, and fill in the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
PO Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
To get your current credit score from Equifax, sign up on their website for the Equifax Core Credit plan. This is a free service offering monthly access to your credit score and credit report. After signing up, you’ll find your Equifax VantageScore 3.0 credit score in your myEquifax account.
Your credit score is a three-digit number, usually between 300 and 850. The higher the number, the better indication to lenders that you have good credit and will repay your debt or bills on time. Credit scores are based on credit reports provided by the three main credit bureaus.
A credit report includes a summary of previous loans, payment history, credit limits, and current credit balances. It also includes bankruptcies, accounts in collections, and a list of the lenders that have previously viewed your credit report. Check your credit score on a regular basis to see how it changes over time.
For general inquiries and other services, we recommend contacting Equifax online or calling 1-888-EQUIFAX (1-888-378-4329). The most updated contact information for the Equifax credit bureau can be found on their website.
After getting your Equifax credit report, you may want to dispute inaccurate information or clarify incomplete information. This could be wrong account numbers, incorrect credit limits or loan balances, unknown accounts, or incorrect personal information. Follow up on any errors so that potential fraud can be reported .
There are three ways you can dispute information contained in your Equifax credit report:
Online: Sign in to your Equifax account and file a dispute. You may need to upload documents to support your report.
Phone: Call Equifax at 1-888-EQUIFAX (1-888-378-4329). Their hours are Monday – Friday from 9am to 9pm (ET), and Saturday – Sunday from 9am to 6pm (ET).
Mail: Fill in and print the Equifax Dispute Request Form available on the Equifax website. Then mail it along with any supporting documents to the following address:
Equifax Information Services LLC
PO Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374
A security freeze (also known as a credit freeze) stops prospective lenders from accessing your credit report. If you think you might be the victim of identity theft, this prevents you or others from opening new credit accounts in your name and subsequently committing real estate identity theft or other credit-related identity fraud. Contact the credit bureaus and request a security freeze if you suspect identity theft.
Here’s how to contact Equifax to request a security freeze:
Online: Sign in to your Equifax account and place a freeze on your Equifax credit report.
Phone: Call Equifax at 1-888-EQUIFAX (1-888-378-4329). Their hours are Monday – Friday from 9am to 9pm (ET), and Saturday – Sunday from 9am to 6pm (ET).
Mail: Fill in and print the Security Freeze Request Form available on the Equifax website. Then mail it along with any supporting documents to the following address:
Equifax Information Services LLC
PO Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788
You’ll most likely also want to place a security freeze on your other credit reports, so don’t forget to contact the other two main credit bureaus — Experian and TransUnion.
If you know or suspect you’re a victim of identity theft, put a fraud alert on your credit reports and file an identity theft report with the relevant government authority. A fraud alert tells lenders that you may be the victim of fraud or identity theft, making it harder for someone to open unauthorized accounts in your name.
Here’s how to contact Equifax to put a fraud alert on your credit report:
Online: Sign in to your Equifax account and place an alert on your Equifax credit report.
Phone: Call the Equifax dedicated fraud alert service line at 1-800-525-6285 at any time.
Mail: Fill in and print the Fraud Alert Request Form or Extended Fraud Alert Form available on the Equifax website. Then mail it along with any supporting documents to the following address:
Equifax Information Services LLC
PO Box 105069
Atlanta, GA 30348-5069
Once you’ve placed a fraud alert on your credit report with one of the bureaus, that credit bureau will send a request to the other two main credit bureaus to do the same, so you don’t have to contact all three credit bureaus.
You can opt out of marketing emails from Equifax by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the emails. Alternatively, sign in to your Equifax account and go to My Account > Privacy > Settings. After unsubscribing, it takes 7 to 10 business days for Equifax to update their mailing lists.
Contact Experian via their official website or by phone at: 1-888-EXPERIAN (1-888-397-3742). From there, you can request a copy of your credit report, get your credit score, or report credit-related issues.
Using the Experian membership portal you can get a free credit report every 30 days. After you sign up with Experian, you'll also get access to credit monitoring, which alerts you whenever there's new activity on your Experian credit report. If you prefer to request a copy of your credit report by phone, contact the credit bureau directly at: 1-888-EXPERIAN (1-888-397-3742).
Through the Experian membership portal you also get free access to your credit score. Experian uses the FICO Score 8 model for their credit scores, which are based on your Experian credit report data. Each score comes with a list of score risk factors, specific to your credit history, that can help explain why you received the score you did and how you might improve your score over time.
To get your Experian credit score, contact the credit bureau through one of the following ways:
Online: Create an account on the Experian membership portal and request your free credit score.
Phone: Call the Experian phone number 1-888-EXPERIAN (1-888-397-3742).
For general inquiries or other Experian services, use the Experian website. For questions about your Experian membership, call 1-866-617-1894, reach out to the Experian Facebook page, Twitter, or call Experian's National Consumer Assistance Center at 1-888-397-3742.
Disputing errors may be necessary if there’s inaccurate or missing data on your credit report. You can quickly start a new dispute on the Experian website or check the status of an existing dispute by signing into your membership account.
To dispute errors on your credit report, use one of the following options:
Online: Sign in to your Experian account and submit a dispute online. Scan and upload any required supporting documents.
Phone: After obtaining a copy of your Experian credit report, you can call the number listed on your credit report or call Experian directly at 1-888-397-3742 to file a dispute.
Mail: Fill in and print the Experian Dispute Form, then mail it along with any necessary supporting documentation to:
Experian
PO Box 4500
Allen, TX 75013
Requesting a security freeze through the Experian Freeze Center on the official website restricts access to your Experian credit report to prevent someone from fraudulently applying for credit in your name. It is a good preventative measure if you believe your personal information has been stolen or compromised.
You can also contact the Experian credit bureau by phone at 1-888-397-3742. Or write to:
Experian Security Freeze
PO Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
Written requests take up to three days to process and should include the following information:
First, middle, and last name
Current address and all addresses from the past two years
Social Security number
Date of birth
Phone number
Signature
A copy of a government-issued identification card, such as a driver's license
A copy of a utility bill or bank statement that displays your name, current mailing address, and issue date.
A fraud alert is different from a security freeze, because rather than limiting access to your credit report, adding a fraud alert ensures lenders verify your identity before approving a credit or loan application in your name. Adding a fraud alert to your credit report can help you prevent scams involving your personal information.
To add a fraud alert to your Experian credit report, use one of the following options:
Online: Visit the Fraud alert section of the Experian website and select the kind of fraud alert you want to request.
Phone: Contact Experian by calling 1-888-397-3742.
If you place a fraud alert on your credit report at one credit bureau, it will automatically be applied at all three credit reporting agencies.
After creating an account on the Experian website you may find you’re receiving unwanted communication from Experian, or other parties who got your information from data brokers. To opt out of emails, telecommunications, and direct mail, contact Experian through one of the following ways:
Online: Send an email to optout@experian.com.
Phone: Call the Experian phone number at 1-402-458-5247.
Mail: Write to the Experian mailing address:
Experian Marketing Services
Attn: Opt-out Services
PO Box 80128
Lincoln, NE 68521
TransUnion is one of the three main credit reporting agencies, offering services to help consumers manage their credit report and protect their credit data. The best way to contact TransUnion is to create a free account on their official website. Or, use the TransUnion credit bureau phone number: 1-800-888-4213.
You can request a free copy of your TransUnion credit report online, by phone, or through the mail.On the online TransUnion Service Center you can access your credit report on a daily basis.
Here’s how to request a copy of your TransUnion credit report:
Online: To get your free TransUnion credit report on a daily basis, create a free account on the TransUnion website.
Phone: Call the phone number for TransUnion at 1-800-888-4213.
Mail: Send a letter to the TransUnion mailing address:
TransUnion LLC
Consumer Disclosure Center
PO Box 1000
Chester, PA 19016
In your letter, state that you’re requesting your credit report and include the following information:
First, middle, and last name
Current address and all addresses from the past two years
Social Security number
Date of birth
Current employer
Phone number
Signature
TransUnion does not offer free access to credit scores. When you contact the credit bureau for your free credit report you get the one-off option to purchase your credit score information. Alternatively, TransUnion offers a trusted credit monitoring subscription service that provides access to your credit score.
TransUnion offers other credit-related services, such as credit monitoring and TrueIdentity. You can learn more about these services on the TransUnion website or by phone at: 1-855-681-3196. You can also contact TransUnion via their Facebook page or Twitter.
Disputing an error on your TransUnion credit report is fast, free, and easy through the online TransUnion Service Center. TransUnion also offers the possibility to file a dispute by phone or mail.
Here’s how to dispute an error on your TransUnion credit report:
Online: Sign in to your account on the TransUnion website and select the Dispute option.
Phone: Talk to a TransUnion dispute expert by calling 1-800-916-8800 Monday – Friday from 8am to 11pm (ET).
Mail: Write to the TransUnion mailing address:
TransUnion Consumer Solutions
PO Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016-2000
Ensure you include the following information in your letter:
Your full name and address
Social Security number
Date of birth
Name of the company that reported the item you’re disputing and the partial account number (from your credit report)
Reason for your dispute
Any corrections to your personal information (address, phone number, etc.)
Similar to other credit bureaus, freezing or unfreezing your TransUnion credit report is free and easy to do online. It’s a great way to protect yourself from identity theft, and it won’t affect your credit score. You can even temporarily lift the freeze for a set amount of time when you’re making a new credit application to give lenders access to your credit report when needed.
Here’s how to place a security freeze on your TransUnion credit report:
Online: Sign into your account on the TransUnion website and select the Credit freeze option.
Phone: Call TransUnion customer service at 1-800-916-8800. The opening hours are Monday – Friday from 8am to 11pm (ET) and Saturday – Sunday from 8am to 5pm (ET).
Mail: Send your request to the TransUnion mailing address:
TransUnion
PO Box 160
Woodlyn, PA 19094
A fraud alert is a notification on your credit reports informing lenders that you might have been a victim of fraud or identity theft, and that they should verify your identity on credit applications made in your name. When you request a fraud alert from one credit bureau they will automatically alert the other major credit reporting agencies.
To add an initial fraud alert or active duty military alert to your TransUnion credit report, sign into your account on the TransUnion Service Center and select the Fraud Alert option. Or, call the TransUnion Fraud Victim Assistance Department at 1-800-680-7289.
To request an extended fraud alert, send the following information to TransUnion:
Your full name
Current address and all previous addresses from the last two years
Social Security number
Date of birth
Phone number
A copy of an official document that proves your identity and address (a list of acceptable documents is available on the TransUnion website)
Your identity theft report
The mailing address for TransUnion is:
TransUnion
PO Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016
The easiest way to exclude your name from TransUnion and other credit bureau mailing lists is to visit OptOutPrescreen.com or call 1-888-567-8688. Or, to opt out of TransUnion direct mailing lists, write to:
TransUnion Opt Out Request
PO Box 505
Woodlyn, PA 19094
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Your best chance of talking to a live person at one of the three credit bureaus is by calling their phone numbers, but keep in mind you may have to answer some security questions or navigate recordings first.
Here are the phone numbers of the main credit bureaus:
Equifax: 1-888-EQUIFAX (1-888-378-4329)
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (1-888-397-3742)
TransUnion: 1-800-916-8800
You can contact the three main credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — by visiting their websites, calling their customer service phone numbers, or sending a letter to the correct mailing address according to your request.
Equifax
Website: equifax.com
Phone: 1-888-EQUIFAX (1-888-378-4329)
Mail: Check the Equifax section of this article to find the correct mailing address for your request.
Experian
Website: experian.com
Phone: 1-888-EXPERIAN (1-888-397-3742)
Mail: Check the Experian section of this article to find the correct mailing address for your request.
TransUnion
Website: transunion.com
Phone: 1-800-916-8800
Mail: Check the TransUnion section of this article to find the correct mailing address for your request.