March 10, 2009
Despite the musical claims of some TV commercials, the only authorized source to get your free annual credit report under federal law is AnnualCreditReport.com.
To reinforce this message, the Federal Trade Commission is featuring two new videos with their own catchy tunes. Both videos are available at www.YouTube.com/FTCVideos.
The new videos highlight the differences between AnnualCreditReport.com and those other sites that claim to provide free credit reports. Other sites require users to pay hidden fees or agree to additional services.
For example, some sites provide a free credit report if you enroll in a new service. If you dont cancel the service during a short trial period, youre likely to see membership fees on your credit card statement.
Other sites may have names similar to AnnualCreditReport.com — one of the most blatant being FreeCreditReport.com, a profit-chasing subsidiary of Experian.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies — Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax — to provide a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months from AnnualCreditReport.com, a toll-free telephone number, or a mailing address.
Details are at www.ftc.gov/freereports. Reviewing your credit report regularly is an effective way to deter and detect identity theft.
