Ask the bureau in writing for a complete file disclosure under 15 U.S.C. § 1681g. It must disclose all information in your file, its sources, and who obtained your report in the past year (two years for employment purposes).
The consumer report a lender sees and the information a bureau keeps about you are not always presented the same way. The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you the right to see your file.
What § 1681g requires the bureau to disclose
On request and with proper identification, a consumer reporting agency must clearly and accurately disclose:
- All information in your file at the time of the request (§ 1681g(a)(1)). If you ask, it must truncate the first five digits of your Social Security number on the disclosure.
- The sources of the information (§ 1681g(a)(2)).
- Who obtained your report: each person that procured a report for employment purposes in the prior 2 years, or for any other purpose in the prior 1 year, by name or trade name, with address and phone number on request (§ 1681g(a)(3)).
- A summary of your rights under the FCRA (§ 1681g(c)).
The bureau is not required to include credit scores in the file disclosure, though it must tell you that you can request one.
How to request it
- Write to each bureau (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) and ask for “a complete copy of my consumer file, as provided by 15 U.S.C. § 1681g.”
- Include your full name, any former names, Social Security number, date of birth, current and prior addresses for two years, and copies of a government ID and proof of address.
- Send it by certified mail and keep a copy.
Cost
Your annual free report through AnnualCreditReport.com is itself a § 1681g disclosure. Other free disclosures are available after adverse action, with a fraud alert, or in other situations listed in § 1681j. Otherwise a bureau may charge a reasonable fee capped by statute and adjusted for inflation, and must tell you the fee first.
Why a full file helps
A complete file can reveal name variations, old addresses, Social Security number variations, or inquiries that point to a mixed credit file or identity theft, which a summary or app view may not show.
Related
- How to Dispute Credit Report Errors With Equifax, Experian and TransUnion
- Mixed file cases
- Companies we sue
Sources
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681g — Disclosures to consumers (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681j — Charges for certain disclosures (Cornell LII)
- FTC — Free Credit Reports
Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.