The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a fairly up to date law that was approved by the government that allows every person to get a free credit report once a year. This law came about due to the worrying increase in I. D. theft. Your free credit reports are typically available by ordering them online, through a toll free number, or by mail and you can request your credit reports from all three of the credit reporting companies - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
The Single Official Website for Ordering Your credit Report
You shouldn't have to worry about free credit report cons as the three credit reporting agencies have set-up an official web site, annualcreditreport.com, where you can order your free credit report once each year. They also have a toll free number, 1-877-322-8228, and a mail address, 1-877-322-8228. You can print out the form from the FTC's web site at ftc.gov / credit.
Free Credit Report Scams
With this up to date law and the simplicity at which you can safely order your credit reports, there should be no free credit report tricks. Unfortunately, most of the people don't know about their rights and so they look on the internet for free credit reports. The ID thieves and tricksters have taken advantage of ignorant folks by building their own credit report internet sites to scam you.
These free credit report trick web sites normally charge you a little fee to get your credit reports when in fact they are in fact free. There are other fake credit report websites that will offer you free credit reports but they may ask you for private information like your SSID number or your credit card information.
Some of these scam sites will use this information to rob your identity and leave you with debts and other legal issues. Others, while not really illegal, will trick you into a free trial and then charge your credit card for a once per month charge after the free trial has finished. Please don't fall for these trick sites; use the official contact data above.
What to Keep an Eye Open For so You Don't Get Conned
Some of the con sites will try and trick you by trying a corresponding name to the official free credit report site; put simply they may register a site name terribly close to the official annualcreditreport.com site. They do this in the hope that someone will make a typo while typing in the domain. Other trick sites will use the name "free credit scores", "free credit reports", or "free credit monitoring" in their domain names - they're possibly scams.
Other tricks involve the employment of e-mail or telephone. The tricksters will say that they are from either the annualcreditreport.com site or from one of the 3 credit reporting companies. They are going to ask you for private info or they will direct you thru a link in the email to a bogus credit report site. Do not give out any personal information over the telephone unless you were the one who instituted the call, and don't click on any links in email from these type of free credit report offers. Also, be conscious of pop ups, when browsing the web, that offer you free credit reports.
Request Your Free Credit Reports
Do not forget to always request your credit reports by employing the official contact information above. The internet is a fabulous source of information but it is also home to some good for nothing con artists looking to make a fast buck. One reason to request your credit reports each year is to keep an eye peeled for any unusual activity that might mean you are a victim of ID theft. One more reason is to test your reports for any information that's wrong that would affect your credit history - you can and should try and increase your credit score. - 32534
The Single Official Website for Ordering Your credit Report
You shouldn't have to worry about free credit report cons as the three credit reporting agencies have set-up an official web site, annualcreditreport.com, where you can order your free credit report once each year. They also have a toll free number, 1-877-322-8228, and a mail address, 1-877-322-8228. You can print out the form from the FTC's web site at ftc.gov / credit.
Free Credit Report Scams
With this up to date law and the simplicity at which you can safely order your credit reports, there should be no free credit report tricks. Unfortunately, most of the people don't know about their rights and so they look on the internet for free credit reports. The ID thieves and tricksters have taken advantage of ignorant folks by building their own credit report internet sites to scam you.
These free credit report trick web sites normally charge you a little fee to get your credit reports when in fact they are in fact free. There are other fake credit report websites that will offer you free credit reports but they may ask you for private information like your SSID number or your credit card information.
Some of these scam sites will use this information to rob your identity and leave you with debts and other legal issues. Others, while not really illegal, will trick you into a free trial and then charge your credit card for a once per month charge after the free trial has finished. Please don't fall for these trick sites; use the official contact data above.
What to Keep an Eye Open For so You Don't Get Conned
Some of the con sites will try and trick you by trying a corresponding name to the official free credit report site; put simply they may register a site name terribly close to the official annualcreditreport.com site. They do this in the hope that someone will make a typo while typing in the domain. Other trick sites will use the name "free credit scores", "free credit reports", or "free credit monitoring" in their domain names - they're possibly scams.
Other tricks involve the employment of e-mail or telephone. The tricksters will say that they are from either the annualcreditreport.com site or from one of the 3 credit reporting companies. They are going to ask you for private info or they will direct you thru a link in the email to a bogus credit report site. Do not give out any personal information over the telephone unless you were the one who instituted the call, and don't click on any links in email from these type of free credit report offers. Also, be conscious of pop ups, when browsing the web, that offer you free credit reports.
Request Your Free Credit Reports
Do not forget to always request your credit reports by employing the official contact information above. The internet is a fabulous source of information but it is also home to some good for nothing con artists looking to make a fast buck. One reason to request your credit reports each year is to keep an eye peeled for any unusual activity that might mean you are a victim of ID theft. One more reason is to test your reports for any information that's wrong that would affect your credit history - you can and should try and increase your credit score. - 32534
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Now that you know how to order your credit reports safely, your next step could be to Repair Your Credit by doing it yourself or read William's review of a quick and easy method to Raise Your Credit Score by 135 points or more without using credit repair companies or services.
