A credit report contains information on where you work and live, how you pay your bills, and whether you've been sued, arrested, or filed for bankruptcy. Consumer Reporting Agencies (CRAs) gather this information and sell it to creditors, employers, insurers, and others. The most common type of CRA is the credit bureau. The three major national credit bureaus are:

* Equifax: 1-800-685-1111 or www.equifax.com
* Experian: 1-888-397-3742 or www.experian.com
* TransUnion: 1-800-916-8800 or www.transunion.com

As of September 1, 2005, all consumers are eligible to receive a free annual credit report from each of the three major CRAs.

To order your report, you must go through www.annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228. The information in your credit report is used to calculate your FICO credit score