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Free Credit Reports For All - But Watch Your Step

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The Northeast, the last region of the country to be entitled to yearly free credit reports, became eligible on September 1. Effective that date, under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act) everyone in the country is finally entitled to access their credit information once a year from each of the three major credit reporting companies (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). This right has been rolled out on a regional basis since January, 2005.

Since we have been bugging you since very early this year about the importance of obtaining at least one if not all three reports each year, it is our responsibility to now issue some warnings about the practice.


So far as we know, there is absolutely no problem with ordering a credit report through the channels set up by the Federal Trade Commission in compliance with the Congressional mandate to receive these reports. Feel free and safe when you click on www.ftc.gov (which provides a link to the official site) or www.annualcreditreport.com to order your free credit report. To order by phone call 877-322-8228 or by mail print out the form available on anualcreditreport.com and mail to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. Although we still agree with experts that you should order one report every four months; first from either Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion, and then from the remaining companies at four month intervals even obtaining one or two reports a year will enable you to monitor and prevent occasions of identity theft or to detect and eliminate errors on your credit report.

However, like everything on the Internet, there are potential risks. First, the Internet carries hundreds if not thousands of free credit report offers from mortgage officers, credit counselors, and from people whose real occupation you do not want to know. Some of these websites provide some valuable services to you such as quick quotes on mortgages or assistance in obtaining one, but the risk of supplying information about your Social Security numbers, bank account, or other sensitive information is simply too risky to describe. Do not request a free credit report from any of these sites!

Sandra Block, writing in USA TODAY a few weeks ago reported on problems even within the approved free report universe. Experian, one of the three major credit reporting agencies recently agreed to pay close to $1 million to settle charges levied by the FTC that it had lured consumers through the offer of free credit reports into paying $80 billed automatically on the consumer's credit card; apparently an undisclosed fee for subscribing to the company's credit monitoring service.

The many web sites that offer free credit reports are probably mostly benign. But do you need to have your personal information and especially your Social Security number floating out there among so many unknown parties? Hardly seems necessary where there is a relatively secure (well yes, there is that Experian thing) government sponsored web site.

Then, according to Ms. Block, there is what she calls "imposter sites" that strive to "hijack" consumers looking for those free credit report. These sites tend to use domain names that are close approximations of the legitimate web site names to hook people using search engines or who key in typos while accessing the real site. Researchers for the World Privacy Forum found 112 sites in June that were using close derivatives of the "annualcreditreport" name. These sites were the scary ones, phishing for private information to create mailing lists or to provide the basis for identity theft. A number of them were linked to porn sites.

To reiterate our previous multiple nags. You must order and review your credit report regularly and the fact you can do it free up to three times a year makes this easy. But you must be careful. Use the official website, watch your typing fingers, do not agree to pay anything to anybody and never, ever respond to a request for a credit card. Report any suspected problems or violations to the FTC at www.FTC.gov.

We have received many comments, questions and complaints about not being able to get a free credit report without a credit card. Please read the following article addressing these issues.



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I was able to obtain all 3 of my credit reports without having to provide a credit card number. I found the website easy to use and understand. Thanks for providing this information.

Above Posted By: melanie | Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:06:24 EST

How can you state in your piece and advise everyone NOT to USE THIER CREDIT CARDS if asked, when the very companies who are supposed to issue our reports will not even issue one without a credit card? I'm just not understanding what all the confusion is about. If by law something is required of a corporation, then damn it why are they not held accountable for doing just that! Certainly small less unimportant individuals such as myself are ALWAYS HELD ACCOUNTABLE for our actions. Actions often times a result of wanting to feed our families! If I had a credit card and cash, I would not be looking to take advantage of something that has been mandated by law to provide the public!

Above Posted By: sharon | Thu, 7 Feb 2008 15:40:54 EST

I just tried to pull up my free credit reports from the suggested site www.annualcreditreport.com and I was unable to get a report from either of the three credit reporting agencies. WHY? My wonder is this. If you go directly to any of these 3 sites, you will see they show a fee $. So I'm in suspect that because I am requesting a freebie, I must do the long drawn out paper-work process and use the Poni Express aka US Post Office to make my request and hopefully get it back sometime this year! OR I could "PAY" for my "FREE" report and get it right away! Hum?....Can someone please tell me whose telling the real truth here about all this B.S.? Is it possible to get a free credit report without a long drawn out time consuming process of using and waiting for your reply in the mail? If they will not do this very simple process on-line, why should we think we are going to get a reply anytime within a reasonable amount of time?

Above Posted By: sharon | Thu, 7 Feb 2008 15:20:41 EST

For those of you who want a credit check with scores, and don't have a credit card, I just purchased a prepaid green dot credit card. It works perfect for me, try it! I personally check my score every 4 months. And Always! read the fine print!!

Above Posted By: Bev | Wed, 15 Aug 2007 09:48:44 EST

Try www.annualcreditreport.com. It is truly free with no credit card. However you can only get one free copy per year. Ive done this 2 years in a row. But since I already did it this year, I cant get it again...now when I actually need it.

Above Posted By: CJ | Tue, 31 Jul 2007 07:14:26 EST

Why is it that if someone like me who wants to clean up and fix their credit you have to pay for your own credit report. If i had the money to pay for my credit report then i would not be trying to clean it up . there has to be some place you can log on to to get a FREE credit report without paying for something that is yours

Above Posted By: lorita | Sun, 29 Jul 2007 13:17:21 EST

I haven't found ONE website where you can get a FREE credit report without a credit card!They really AREN'T FREE AT ALL!

Above Posted By: Abrhea | Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:46:24 EST

how can you get a free credit report when you dont have a credit card and you dont have a credit card because someone stole your identity and gave you bad credit, then you cant fix it because the credit reports are really NOT FREE!!!

Above Posted By: brittney | Mon, 16 Jul 2007 19:00:52 EST

I am very upset with the FREE report site! You cannot even get your score without paying, and the reports are not very good. Very non- friendly site. It really is not free.

Above Posted By: Anonymous | Fri, 4 May 2007 19:19:25 EST

I used the toll free number and all is working well. I did all 3 companies so i can look for inconsistancies. Thanks MND

Above Posted By: CJ | Tue, 28 Nov 2006 12:38:56 EST

In response to R. Rutherford... Thanks god someone else finally spotted this. :-)

Above Posted By: B. Garner | Fri, 3 Nov 2006 18:31:33 EST

How do I get a credit report without a credit card when I can't get a credit card cause I dont know whats on my credit report to fix the problem?

Above Posted By: will | Sun, 16 Jul 2006 02:37:07 EST

Where can I go to get a FREE credit report WITHOUT using ANY credit card to get it? Can anyone answer that?

Above Posted By: R. Rutherford | Wed, 14 Jun 2006 19:01:01 EST

I don't have a credit card or a bank account and I wanted to know how can I get a cree copy of my credit report. I am trying to open an account and I was wondering what was on my credit report that was preventing me from aquiring an account.

Above Posted By: Mari | Wed, 24 May 2006 10:26:57 EST

Why can't I get the website for the free report to pull up, I keep getting an error message that the page in not avaiable.

Above Posted By: Sherry Gaylor | Mon, 10 Apr 2006 07:42:32 EST

How can I get information on a company that can help you restablish your credit because I want to get back on track?

Above Posted By: luis alicea | Thu, 23 Mar 2006 19:05:15 EST

Free credit reports, that is very misleading. It certainly isn't free, and who wants to give personal info. This was certainly a waste of my time to bother looking up all the "free" credit reports listed. I believe one listed a free credit check once a year. Why would "free"credit reports ask you for your social security number. I don't want a free credit report every week or every month for that matter. This was a waste of my valuable time, I am disappointed to be misled this way.!

Above Posted By: Anonymous | Thu, 9 Feb 2006 14:12:06 EST

There are to many "free" sights that you have to have a credit card for!!!

Above Posted By: Tyrone | Tue, 3 Jan 2006 21:19:36 EST

The current law guarantees everyone a free credit report annually from each of the credit reporting agencies. However, the agencies have made it impossible for individuals who do not carry credit cards to get a report. On the face of it, this is unlawful. But abrogating the law is not new to the credit reporting agencies all three have paid huge fines over the years for their actions. It's obvious that they look on individuals without credit cards as being useless to them.

Above Posted By: Kent Smith | Tue, 13 Dec 2005 13:45:20 EST

I would like to get my credit report but i dont have a credit card. However, I do have a bank account. Could I use my bank account number instead?

Above Posted By: Aline | Mon, 31 Oct 2005 08:57:04 EST

this is like other required gov site, you have rights but can't get reports unless you pay for it or leave credit card number on file with company. if you leave number you get report right away ,if not you don't get it.

Above Posted By: bob | Mon, 17 Oct 2005 08:33:32 EST

ive got bad credit and i want to try and make it better.please could i have a free credit report?

Above Posted By: kelly | Sat, 1 Oct 2005 11:05:25 EST

I went into Equifax gave info, having a problem getting my report ???

Above Posted By: gloria daugherty | Mon, 26 Sep 2005 15:19:37 EST

i would like a copy of my credit report but i dont have an email address

Above Posted By: julie | Sun, 25 Sep 2005 11:17:18 EST

I need to get credit report but I don't have credit card.

Above Posted By: jessie browning | Sun, 18 Sep 2005 23:15:20 EST

I do not feel comfortable about giving all this info like my credit card accout numbers so I logged off.

Above Posted By: rose holson | Sun, 18 Sep 2005 20:09:37 EST

Thanks for the info on getting a credit report the right, safe way. This is truly a SERVICE you are providing.

I'm going to use the phone to try to get. I had a problem finding the printed order to send by mail.

Above Posted By: Lynne McHarry | Sun, 11 Sep 2005 10:26:30 EST

Do NOT "Feel free and safe when you click on ftc.com" because it does NOT provide "a link to the official site".

Federal Trade Commission site is www.ftc.gov

Editors Note: Thank you for letting us know about this error. It has been corrected.

Above Posted By: Toney | Thu, 8 Sep 2005 09:15:30 EST

Every time I try to get a free copy of my credit report online it asks me for my credit card. Where can I get a free credit report without a credit card?

Above Posted By: Anon | Wed, 7 Sep 2005 16:44:45 EST


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