Before you write
Two things worth knowing, because they save people time and occasionally save them from a worse outcome.
We are an education nonprofit. We do not dispute anything on your behalf, contact creditors or bureaus for you, negotiate debts, or represent you to anyone. Everything we know is written down and free on this site, and the process is one you carry out yourself — which is also the only way it is free. If you want the steps, start with the credit library.
Do not email your Social Security number, account numbers, dates of birth, or copies of your credit reports. We do not need them to answer a question, we do not want them on our mail server, and email is not a secure channel for that kind of information. Describe the situation in general terms and we can still help.
If you need something we cannot provide
Some things need a person with authority we do not have. These are the free, official places to go — none of them pay us and none of them know you came from here.
- Free credit reports: AnnualCreditReport.com — the only federally authorized source, or 1-877-322-8228 by phone
- A complaint about a bureau, lender, or collector: CFPB complaint database
- Identity theft: IdentityTheft.gov (FTC) — where the official report that triggers your legal rights is filed
- One-on-one housing counseling: HUD-approved housing counseling agencies — HUD-approved agencies, free or low cost