Q: When I apply for a credit report, they ask for my Social Security number, which I don’t want to give them. If I apply for a credit card I assume the card people get my credit report without my Social Security number information, so why should I have to give it?

— P.I., South Kingstown

A: A credit report –– sometimes called a credit file — is the official record of your personal credit history. It includes details on your car loans, credit card accounts, mortgage loans and other items.

Lenders and others may use the information in the report to help decide whether to give you credit, and on what terms.

MoneyLine recently showed how to order a free copy of your credit report through the national clearinghouse that the big credit reporting companies have established to handle such requests based on the terms of federal law. (For more information, please see “Today’s Tip” below.)

When you request a copy, the clearinghouse asks for your Social Security number. It’s one of the ways to confirm that you are who you say you are, said Norm Magnuson, vice president of public affairs for the Consumer Data Industry Association, a trade group for credit bureaus.

Keep in mind that the big credit reporting companies already have on file your name, address, Social Security number and other information. Asking you to provide that information is for confirmation purposes.

So the overall point of asking you to provide your Social Security number is “to make sure that, from a privacy and security standpoint, that credit report, that credit file, goes to the right person,” Magnuson said.

Given identity theft and other issues, it’s understandable that you’d be reluctant to provide your number, he said.

But providing your number helps to protect the privacy of your credit report, to make sure the report doesn’t fall into the wrong hands — someone who might have a similar name or address, for example.

“It’s the only unique identifier . . . that everybody has,” Magnuson said.

What if you simply prefer not to provide your number? It’s still possible to request a copy of your report, he said.

In such a situation, the credit reporting company will probably wind up contacting you to find a way to work through the issue.

For example, you may be asked to provide other information — such as the name of your mortgage lender or other such details — to prove that you’re the person to whom the report should be sent, he said.

But this process can take time. As things stand, “The most expedient way to get it” is to provide your Social Security number and other information when requested, he said.

TODAY’S TIP: For other readers who may have missed that previous column, you may obtain a free copy of your credit report at no charge — and with no hidden fees or long-term contracts — directly by contacting the clearinghouse mentioned above.

Use any of the following methods:

•Call toll-free at 1-877-322-8228.

•Order online:

www.annualcreditreport.com

•Use the Web site above to print out a request form. After you complete it, mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

Questions about your money matters? Call us at 1-401-277-7484 and leave a message, or e-mail:

moneyline@projo.com

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