With so many services promising "free" credit reports, it can be hard to differentiate between a misleading service and the real thing. The one place to go for a free copy of your report is a website, AnnualCreditReport.com, which is the only authorized source under federal law.
Joint Service
AnnualCreditReport.com is a service jointly set up by the three major credit-reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. To get your free report, just go to https://www.annualcreditreport.com and follow the instructions.
Your Rights
You are entitled to a free copy of your credit report from each of the three credit agencies once every 12 months, according to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. You can request all three reports from AnnualCreditReport.com.
Benefits
Inspecting your credit report at least once every 12 months will let you find out about any fraudulent activity on your credit cards and can help you prevent identity theft. It can also help you determine if there are any inaccurate items on your report.
Imposter Sites
There are plenty of impostor sites and scams that offer "free" credit reports, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). These sites usually come with strings attached, such as signing up for a paid membership plan.
FTC Fights Back
In 2009, the FTC countered popular commercials promising "free" credit reports with a commercial of its own. While the commercial does not specifically mention the sites by name, it parodies their approaches.
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