There are three nationwide credit reporting bureaus in the U.S. –Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. They collect information from banks, credit card companies and other financial companies that show how reliably you pay your bills. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) imposes strict rules on consumer reporting companies like credit bureaus about what data they keep, how long they can keep it and who they can share it with.

Lenders use credit reports to decide whether to loan you money and how much to charge you in interest. Other businesses might use your credit reports to decide whether to insure you, rent to you, and provide you with internet, utility, or cell service.

Visit annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228 to request your report from Experian, TransUnion or Equifax.

If you prefer, you can print out the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

Do not contact the three nationwide credit reporting companies individually. They provide free annual credit reports only through the shared annualcreditreport.com service.

If you know you're going to be taking out loan, you may want to make your request a few months ahead so you have plenty of time to clean up errors.

You'll want to make sure all the information about you is correct. Occasionally, someone else's information can get stuck in your credit report. If you were sent to debt collection, you want to make sure the debt is only reported once. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has a checklist of common errors found in credit reports.

If you find errors, contact the credit reporting company who sent you the report, and the creditor or company –called the "furnisher" – that provided the information to the bureau. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has instructions for disputing credit reporting errors, including sample dispute letters.

If you have trouble, contact the CFPB or submit a complaint to the CFPB by phone at (855) 411-2372.

There are many companies in addition to credit bureaus that amass and sell data about consumers. These specialty consumer reporting bureaus compile information about banking history, suspected shoplifting incidents, rental history, subprime and payday loans, and betting histories.

Like credit reporting bureaus, they may be required to share your "consumer report" with you if you ask. Find out more about consumer reporting companies from the CFPB.