With the YouTube channel 画说美国 / America, Illustrated (opens in a new tab). Informational only.
Where to read about credit reports, scores, secured cards, and freezes. No card is recommended, and no rate or sign-up bonus is listed.
A credit report is the record of borrowing. A score is a number calculated from that record. Read the CFPB explanation of the difference before you decide which one a lender is asking for.
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Source: CFPB ·
The FTC says the free credit reports required by law are ordered at AnnualCreditReport.com. Other sites that advertise a free score can add extra conditions. How often you can order a report is stated on those official pages, not here.
If you just arrived and have little or no U.S. credit file, start with the CFPB page on how a credit history begins. It describes product types such as secured cards. No bank is named here, and no rate is quoted.
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Source: CFPB ·
A secured credit card usually requires a deposit. It is not a debit card or a prepaid card, and the issuer’s own materials say whether it is reported to the credit bureaus. The FTC compares the types. This page lists no deposit amounts or APRs.
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Source: FTC ·
The same report can produce different scores, because different models do the math. A free report is not the same thing as a free score. The CFPB explains what a score generally looks at. The number that matters is the one on the report you actually receive.
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Source: CFPB ·
If you are worried that someone else is using your identity, IdentityTheft.gov explains how to freeze a credit report and how a freeze differs from a fraud alert. You do that on the bureau sites and on IdentityTheft.gov, not on this page.
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Source: FTC / IdentityTheft.gov ·
Before you apply, read the fee table in the issuer’s application materials. It lists the annual fee, the interest rate, and other charges. This guide does not publish any card’s rate, annual fee, or sign-up bonus.
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Source: CFPB ·
IdentityTheft.gov is the FTC’s place to report identity theft and get a recovery plan. It does not replace a police report or a call to your bank. This page does not fill out the forms for you.
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Source: FTC / IdentityTheft.gov ·
Each answer starts with the useful part, then points you at the agency page. Nothing here is personal advice.
If you have little or no U.S. credit file, start with the CFPB explanation of how a credit history begins. It describes product types such as secured cards. This page does not name a bank, quote a rate, or tell you which card to open.
The Federal Trade Commission says the free credit reports required by law are ordered at AnnualCreditReport.com. Other sites that advertise a free score may attach extra conditions. How often you can order a report is stated on those official pages, not here.
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