Credit Report

[Craig D Peltier]

I wanted to check my credit. So I went to experian , an in big advertising, $1 check your report. I started to sign an realized that its a $1 plus if you dont cancel some membership you signed up for its like $ 15 a month. So its snake oil.
Anyways back in the day I thought you could get free credit report every year?
I went onto experian, then equifax and they seem to charge too.
I dont mind paying a few bucks for the report and the report only but without the must cancel or we are going to run your CC up.

Anyone here done this lately and what did they do?

[Rick Davidson]

I have always been able to get mine for free once per year but have to pay to see credit score..

Try
www.annualcreditreport.com

[David G Baker]

I checked my credit using one that advertises on TV. I did not read the fine print and my next credit card bill had a charge on it for $75. I called the company and they tried to give me some problems but I threatened them with my contacting the State Attorney General's office and reporting the scam. They pulled the $75.

[Glenn Clabo]

Each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies are required, by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, to provide you with a free copy of your credit report once every 12 months. In the past, you had to contact each company separately, but there's now central contact information for all three.


You can obtain your credit report in one of three ways:


Call

You can call a toll-free number, (877) 322-8228, give them the necessary information, and they'll mail the report out to you.

Mail

You can complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service P.O. Box 105281 Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

On-line

You can go to the central web site www.annualcreditreport.com (http://www.annualcreditreport.com/), fill out an on-line request form, and get your report immediately. If you call or mail in a request, it will take about 15 days for you to receive your credit report.

[Dave Lehnert]

Each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies are required, by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, to provide you with a free copy of your credit report once every 12 months. In the past, you had to contact each company separately, but there's now central contact information for all three.


You can obtain your credit report in one of three ways:


Call

You can call a toll-free number, (877) 322-8228, give them the necessary information, and they'll mail the report out to you.

Mail

You can complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service P.O. Box 105281 Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

On-line

You can go to the central web site www.annualcreditreport.com (http://www.annualcreditreport.com/), fill out an on-line request form, and get your report immediately. If you call or mail in a request, it will take about 15 days for you to receive your credit report.


What he said. It has been some time but was able to get my credit score at the same time for $1. Did not have problems with extra charges etc....

[Jim Becker]

Just be aware that as you navigate the annualcreditreport.com site to get your free reports there will be many "opportunities" to purchase additional services. Be careful where you click. If you are just checking your reports, there isn't any need for anything else. If you are planning on applying for a mortgage or something soon, getting your credit score isn't a horrible idea, although the lenders don't necessarily use the same formula as the credit score available direct to consumers.

[Jim Rimmer]

I don't remember how I did it (my daughter helped me) but I got my credit report free. You can actually get 3 per year - 1 from each of the credit reporting companies. Request 1 from a different company every 4 months. I haven't done it, though, after the first report.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Just avoid the freecreditreport.com people - that's the scam David mentioned. Unfortunately people confuse it with annualcreditreport.com, which is the legitimate one (it was actually confused in recorded congressional testimony, once...)

[Anthony Scira]

"Just avoid the freecreditreport.com people - that's the scam David mentioned. Unfortunately people confuse it with annualcreditreport.com, which is the legitimate one (it was actually confused in recorded congressional testimony, once...)"

Well depends on if you consider scam not reading what you are buying. It is free for the 30 days or so but if you do not cancel you are enrolled into a credit monitoring service.

I find the credit monitoring service worth the fee even though it is kind of expensive. I have had a couple times where people tried to open accounts in my name and I was notified immediately. As in text messages sent to my phone and emails to the inbox. Was able to shut it down in under 24 hours or the account trying to be opened.

So its expensive but after someone gets done opening an account and sticking you with the large bill, well you may be able to get out of it but its worth the small fee for me to nip it in the bud.

YMMV

[Craig D Peltier]

Each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies are required, by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, to provide you with a free copy of your credit report once every 12 months. In the past, you had to contact each company separately, but there's now central contact information for all three.


You can obtain your credit report in one of three ways:


Call
You can call a toll-free number, (877) 322-8228, give them the necessary information, and they'll mail the report out to you.

Mail
You can complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service P.O. Box 105281 Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

On-line
You can go to the central web site www.annualcreditreport.com (http://www.annualcreditreport.com/), fill out an on-line request form, and get your report immediately. If you call or mail in a request, it will take about 15 days for you to receive your credit report.


Thanks Glen and everyone else for your help.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Well depends on if you consider scam not reading what you are buying. It is free for the 30 days or so but if you do not cancel you are enrolled into a credit monitoring service.


"Buying" something that has no value is a scam, if you ask me.

Many of these "credit monitoring" services simply place a "fraud alert" on all your credit accounts. This is a misuse of the alert, and a practice which several states have taken considerable exception to, even considering criminal action against the companies.

You may disagree, but I don't think anyone needs "credit monitoring".

[Anthony Scira]

As stated I do find it valuable cause there were 2 incidents where people were trying to open accounts in my name. I was notified by SMS text message and immediately was able to dispute the inquiry to my credit report and contact the company issuing the credit. All in 24 hours of it happening.

For that I find value. You are quite free to disagree and not use such services.

[Mike McCann]

I use credit karma dot com. It is free

[Dan Friedrichs]

As stated I do find it valuable cause there were 2 incidents where people were trying to open accounts in my name. I was notified by SMS text message and immediately was able to dispute the inquiry to my credit report and contact the company issuing the credit. All in 24 hours of it happening.

For that I find value. You are quite free to disagree and not use such services.

Perhaps. I take more exception to the business practices of these companies than I do their actual "product". What they do is exactly like selling a "car protection" service that involves calling the police, telling them to be on the lookout for your car because it might be stolen, then have you frequently get pulled over by the police and have to prove you own the car. I don't think that's the appropriate way to deal with the concern (for either automobiles or credit accounts).

Also, I'd point out that a reasonable price for a product/service usually has some correlation to the cost of providing it to you. It costs darn near nothing for them to provide "credit monitoring". Even if you really needed a product, would you be willing to pay 10000% retail markup on it?

Finally, companies like "freecreditreport.com" should be avoided on principle, because their business model includes advertising that is inherently deceptive (it's not "free" - they're intentionally trying to confuse people looking for annualcreditreport.com). Legitimate businesses don't rely on deceiving the consumer to make a profit.

[Anthony Scira]

"Finally, companies like "freecreditreport.com" should be avoided on principle, because their business model includes advertising that is inherently deceptive (it's not "free" - they're intentionally trying to confuse people looking for annualcreditreport.com). Legitimate businesses don't rely on deceiving the consumer to make a profit. "

Ok just go to the homepage and tell me they are trying to trick you ?

They have a DIRECT link to annualcreditreport.com

They tell you on the front page if you do not cancel your account in 7 days you will be enrolled in the Triple Advantage program

Does not look hidden to me, if people are "tricked" by that they should not be allowed to use the internet.

http://freecreditreport.com

I forgot to add if you can show me a company that will monitor my credit, send me text alerts on activity, gives me a way to replace all my cards withou having to make all those calls and have new ones sent out for 1/10000 the price I would love to switch !

[Dan Friedrichs]

Ok just go to the homepage and tell me they are trying to trick you ?

They have a DIRECT link to annualcreditreport.com


Only because the FTC legally required them to do so. Experian (owners of the site) was sued for their deceptive practices relating to that site, recently.

[Myk Rian]

After reading this thread today, I went to www.annualcreditreport.com (http://www.annualcreditreport.com) and went through the process to Experion. There was one point where they asked for $7.50 but if you click Not interested, or whatever it was, it takes you to the free page and lets you finish up. No strings.

[Dave Lehnert]

I have not looked into it too deep yet but you are able to place a freeze on your credit report.
Anyone do this?

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/FinancialPrivacy/LockAwayYourCreditFromIDThieves.aspx

Take it for what it's worth but saw a show on TV that said anything that a credit service offers to do you can do yourself for free. Kinda like changing your own oil in the car. You can do it but sometimes you just want to have others do it for $$$.