How you can get a free credit report

A large number of consumers do not want you to know about free credit reports, and they are either selling something that can be obtained for free or they are trying to acquire private information from consumers in order to practice identity theft. Credit reports are available at no charge, if consumers recognize where to obtain them. You should be careful when you see ads that promises to provide credit reports for free.
 

Unknown to most Americans is the creation of an amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) that Congress passed into law in 2004. Those who are seeking out a copy of their free credit report should be cautious. Some Websites purport to offer credit reports for no charge but consumers who visit those Websites may notice that what is promised is not what is delivered. The recent change in legislation now allows every U.S. citizen the right to acquire one free copy of their credit report from each of the three chief reporting agencies once every year. There exists an official Website for receiving the credit reports.

Sites with similar names to the official credit report site give out what is claimed to be free of charge, but they are really only interested in stealing your name, date of birth and Social Security number. Many companies obtain business using e-mail, claiming to offer free information, but these are mostly examples of phishing, where the senders only want to have you reply with your sensitive personal identity secrets. The net result of engaging in business with the wrong credit report company can be a stolen identity. A lot of companies have put up Websites that seem very similar to the real site and might even have nearly identical Web addresses. By illegally obtaining your personal information, ruthless organizations can make off with your identity and can amass gargantuan amounts of debt while posing as you.

Free credit report scams can easily be avoided. It is an unusual occasion when you receive something for nothing, but you can obtain one cost free copy of your credit report each year from Experian, Trans Union, or Equifax simply (and only) by visiting the official Website.

Violations can result in being investigated by the FTC for credit report fraud. Not too long ago a Web site offered a "free" report, but required a credit card number for purposes of "verification." Customers of one disreputable company were astonished to receive credit card bills for as much as $100 for receiving their "free" product!

A change in the Federal bankruptcy legislation that was enacted in October 2005 will hold anybody responsible for their debt, even if it is amassed by someone else. At the official site, filling out the form is a quite simple process, but there are many firms, some legitimate and many somewhat less than honest, who might like to acquire the personal information of persons for their own uses. Applicants for these products need only provide their name, address, Social Security number and birthdate. Obtaining a copy of your financial history through the official Website is effortless, and takes only a few minutes. Scams are flourishing all over the Internet as persons flock to Web sites to obtain their no-cost financial records.