As a result of ACB's structured negotiations efforts, credit reports are currently available in accessible formats from all three credit reporting companies in the United States. Everyone is entitled to one free report from each company every 12 months, for a total of three free reports per 12-month period.
You can order your credit report in braille, large print, or audio CD formats by calling toll-free 1-877-322-8228. This is an automated system. You will need to speak or use your telephone keypad to provide your name, mailing address, Social Security number and date of birth. If you call from your home telephone number, they will already have some of this information and ask you to confirm their records.
After providing the identifying information, you will be asked "if you require your free annual credit report in a format accessible to the visually impaired, press or say 1." You will then hear the following: "To certify that you are a person who is blind or visually impaired within the meaning of the Americans with Disabilities Act, press or say 1."
Everyone who certifies that they are blind or visually impaired will next hear "Please chose the format you would like to receive your credit report in. For large print, press or say 1. For braille, press or say 2. For audio, press or say 3." Then, after choosing the company you want to get your first report from, you will be finished. You may order all three reports at the same time, or you may spread your requests over the 12 months.
You can also get your free credit report on-line by going to the official credit report web site at www.annualcreditreport.com. On-line reports available through this web site have been designed to meet the standards set forth in Priorities 1 and 2 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
By ordering your free accessible credit report, you are telling the credit reporting companies that the blind community cares about accessibility and will use accessible services and information if provided. You help ACB monitor the agreement and make sure all systems are working properly.
Lainey Feingold and Linda Dardarian continue to monitor the accessible credit report settlement agreement for ACB and CCB. If you encounter any problems obtaining an accessible credit report, or want to let Lainey and Linda know about your experience, please contact them by e-mail at [email protected], or through the toll-free telephone number at Linda's office, 1-800-822-5000. You can read more about ACB's accessible credit report agreement on Lainey's web site at www.lflegal.com/2008/12/credit-announce/.