There are three ways that you may obtain your free annual credit report.  

Online: You can order your free annual credit report online, at AnnualCreditReport.com.   If you want to order your credit report online, make sure you go to AnnualCreditReport.com, and not to another Web site that looks similar.  Identity thieves can set up look-alike Web sites and trick you into providing your personal financial information, including your Social Security number.  To protect yourself, use the link provided on this Web site, or on the Federal Trade Commission Web site, at www.ftc.gov.  If you order your credit report online, you will be asked to provide your Social Security number and you will be asked some questions to confirm your identity.  You should receive your credit report almost instantaneously.

By Mail: You can also order your free annual credit report by mail.  To do so, you can fill out an Annual Credit Report Request Form, (https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/requestformfinal.pdf) and mail it to the address provided on the form.  Consider shading the circle on the bottom right of the form so that the report mailed to you includes only the last four digits of your Social Security Number.  Also, be careful when you are mailing your Credit Report Request Form and make sure you mail it using a secure U.S. Postal Service mailbox or take it to your local Post Office.  DO NOT mail it using an unsecured mailbox in front of your house – anybody can pick it up and gain access to your Social Security number and date of birth. 

By Phone: Finally, you can order your free annual credit report by phone, at 1-877-322-8228.  This is an automated service, however, so you will not be able to speak to anyone.