Consumer Protection Tools

Protect Your Financial Well-Being

You Have a Right To:

1. Access financial education materials
   • www.sec.gov/investor
   • www.consumerfinance.gov
   • www.investor.gov
   • www.consumer.ftc.gov/topics/money-credit
2. Request a free copy of your credit report once a year from each nationwide credit reporting company: Experian, Transunion & Equifax at www.annualcreditreport.com
3. Review and correct inaccuracies on your credit report at www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0151-disputing-errors-credit-reports
4. Control who sees your credit information and freeze access to your credit file by contacting each of the nationwide credit reporting companies
5. Receive notice if an adverse action is taken against you based on your credit history
6. Protect your financial information
   • If a company contacts you requesting private information, call them back if you are unsure they are legitimate
   • Always exercise caution when sharing your personal information
   • Know who you are dealing with when shopping or divulging personal information online
   • If something sounds too good to be true, it most likely is
7. Make sure that all records containing your personal information are properly destroyed
8. Receive alerts if an unauthorized person accesses your personal information
9. Receive alerts if you are a potential victim of identity theft
10. Stop unsolicited credit offers for five years or permanently at www.optoutprescreen.com
11. File a complaint with the federal or state government
    
    Federal: www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint
    State: www.nmag.gov/file-a-complaint.aspx

This information on consumers’ rights and tools has been compiled and is being posted as part of a joint consumer protection effort by Visa and the New Mexico Attorney General.