"Free" Credit Reports

[+ Lucky]

Most of us have heard that we are entitled to one free credit report a year from each of the three credit reporting agencies. There are many tv ads with cute jingles directing you to freecreditreport.com.

 

But, those who use that site do so at their peril. They have to sign up for monthly credit reporting at a cost of about $15 a month. It's a gimmick, and many people get caught up in it.

 

The site go to is annualcreditreport.com. You can read more about this in today's NY Times:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/business/media/04adco.html?ref=business

[Guest zipperzone]

In these days of rampant identity theft I think it is only prudent to have a service that will notify you if an application for credit is made in your name. Nipping the theft in the bud is preferable to the lengthy and costly process it takes to straighten out the mess and restore your good credit rating.

 

That said however, I think it is outrageous that a company can get away with the tatics outlined in the NYT article.

 

And I think $15 per month ($180 per year) is excessive. One of the companys proudly announced they spend 70 million a year in advertising. And company who has an advertising budget that large must be making a shit-load of profit.

 

I think an annual fee of $59 would be more in line and at that rate, probably many millions more people would sign up for it.

 

It would be interesting to know how many of our members have ever expeienced identity theft and their thoughts on the trouble they had clearing their good name.

[jasoncarter_dfw]

It's also interesting to note that, due to lobbying by the industry when the free annual credit reports were passed, you loose some FDCPA (Federal Debt Collection Practices Act) protections when disputing items from a "free" annual report as opposed to one obtained directly from the credit reporting agencies.

 

One example is that if someone disputes a negative entry found in a free annual credit report, the creditor has 45 days to respond, as opposed to the 30 days that is statutory in the FDCPA.

 

I've found that creditboards.com has tons and tons of info about this stuff.

 

- Jason Carter - Dallas, TX

- jasoncarter53@hotmail.com

- (972) 365-0120

 

 

>Most of us have heard that we are entitled to one free credit

>report a year from each of the three credit reporting

>agencies. There are many tv ads with cute jingles directing

>you to freecreditreport.com.

>

>But, those who use that site do so at their peril. They have

>to sign up for monthly credit reporting at a cost of about $15

>a month. It's a gimmick, and many people get caught up in it.

>

>The site go to is annualcreditreport.com. You can read more

>about this in today's NY Times:

>

>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/business/media/04adco.html?ref=business

[JamesK840]

Yep, freecreditreport.com should be shut down and annualcreditreport.com is good, but you get what you pay for...

 

I usually go to myfico.com when I want to check up on my credit. You always have to pay, but it's the only place you're going to get your real fico score. They also try to help you despute things. Often there are discount codes available, try googling for them.

[+ glutes]

Well the first turn-off for me is that lip-synching swine that appears in FreeCreditReport.com commercials. He even sports a wedding band!

 

http://www.coloribus.com/files/paedia/reel/part_50/508964/preview_320_260_1.jpg

[Guest ReturnOfS]

I have a service that I pay $6.95/monh for and I'm happy with it.

 

Though I don't use freecreditreport,.com, I actually think that the guy in the commercial is kind of cute :+

[+ glutes]

I can't believe people find this swine attractive...

 

http://s0.2mdn.net/viewad/1150992/drt_300x250_LandingBand_bloo_fs_29k.jpg

[Guest ChgoBoy]

I can't believe people find this swine attractive...

 

 

That's because of your over sized ego and ideas about what is good-looking and attractive to others. LOL

[Guest Spanky]

My fico

 

I use the MyFICO monitoring and identify theft protection service from MyFico for which I pay 4.95 a month. I get weekly updates on my credit score and any activity reported and a couple of times I've gotten alerts about suspicious activity, which are normally just an addition of a new address.

 

I see on MyFico's website that rates are higher than what I currently pay and the services seem to be combined differently from what I have. So I must have gotten a promo and retained that rate (I seem to recall googling for a discount code when I signed up a few years ago) and they must be selling their products differently now.

 

I also believe that as part of the Credit Card Act of 2009 (or maybe another piece of similar legislation) that all of these "free" credit score wesbites will have to state on their homepage that the only place to get a truly free copy of your score with no obligation to buy an ongoing service is from annualcreditreport.com. Not sure when that becomes effective.

 

As for the freecreditreport.com nimwits, I don't care whether the guys are attractive or not. I have to mute the tv every time there's a commercial because the music is so offensive.

[ShaunRoss]

I use the follwing site to monitor not only my credit reports but my FICO score which is an important one:

 

http://www.myfico.com/Default.aspx

 

 

HUGS

 

~Shaun

[Romann]

An alternative.

 

If anyone is a Bank of America customer, they have a great service called Privacy Assist which is only $12 a month and provides 24 hour continual credit report monitoring and legal representation in the event of fraud. I have been using this service for 2 years now and ANYTIME there is ANY activity on my credit report, I'm immediately notified via email and log into the system to review the inquiry and I'm offered the ability to immediately suspend the action on my file and open an immediate investigation from the bank. You're also able to view your credit report every month from the big three with your posted credit score for each and an average between all three.

 

I would highly recommend this service to any Bank of America customer but if you're not, most major banks offer a very similar if not the same service.

[+ deej]

I can't believe people find this swine attractive...

 

http://s0.2mdn.net/viewad/1150992/drt_300x250_LandingBand_bloo_fs_29k.jpg

 

And I can't believe it took you a year and a half to come up with such a witty addition to this long-dormant thread.

[Guest greatness]

hmm

 

I only use real "free" credit reports once a year from this site.. I don't have to know my exact fico score so this site is enough. This site only provides you with a range for your fico score.

 

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre34.shtm

[instudiocity]

Well the first turn-off for me is that lip-synching swine that appears in FreeCreditReport.com commercials. He even sports a wedding band!

 

Awww, I think he's cute. I'd do him in a minute!

[Guest PWIT]

I only use real "free" credit reports once a year from this site..

 

I also do this but space them out. Each January I get the report from Experian, each May I get the report from Equifax, and each September I get the report from TransUnion. I have calendar reminders that pop up with the link to remind me to order the reports.

[+ Lucky]

glutes, my post was from 2008. What brought this to your attention now, only to post that you don't see how someone could find the tv guy attractive? Enquiring minds want to know! I concede that you are the master of the archives, but this one takes the cake.

[+ glutes]

Well Lucky, I keep trying to 'top' myself.

Your Resident Archivist, Brother Glutes.

[gp0560]

More about the AnnualCreditReport site

 

I'm another one who uses AnnualCreditReport.com. You can arrange to get reports from all three agencies at the same time each year, or space them out so that you get an annual report from a different agency once every four months. Reminders come from the site, so you don't have to keep track yourself. Works for me, but an annual report may not be enough for some people's needs.

 

Here's a quote from the NYTimes article cited above:

 

"Consumer groups have long objected to sites like FreeCreditReport.com. Consumers may obtain a free credit report each year from the three major agencies, as mandated by an act that Congress passed in 2003. The only authorized site for that is AnnualCreditReport.com.

 

The three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, are required to offer reports through the authorized AnnualCreditReport.com, but the bureaus also make money from their own credit reports."