We’ve told you it is important to check your credit report every year, even if you don’t use credit. So why not do it now? It’s easy, and it’s free. Please note that the vast majority of teens ages 14–18 do not have a credit file. Ideally, you will receive a simple rejection message from the credit bureau. However, if there is a credit file and it is full of errors, you’ll need to work on clearing it up. Contact the three main credit bureaus and consider putting a freeze on your credit.
Be careful. There are several websites with catchy jingles that say they provide a free credit report when they actually do not.
The official site of the three credit bureaus is annualcreditreport.com. They are required by law to give you three free reports (without a number score) PER YEAR. One from each of the three credit bureaus. So you can keep an eye on your credit report for FREE three times a year. You will need to know your Social Security Number to pull your credit though. Ask your parent or guardian as there is no way to look up your number online.