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Title: Free Credit Report - Watch Out for Scams
Author: Charles Essmeier
Article:
Many people may still not be aware of an amendment to the Fair
Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) that Congress passed last year. This
amendment allows U.S. citizens to receive a copy of their credit
report, for free, once per year. The plan is being rolled out
slowly in order to avoid swamping the system, but people living
in the West and Midwest can receive their credit reports now,
and everyone will be able to obtain a free credit report by
September of this year. Those seeking a copy of their credit
report should watch out, however, as not everyone who promises a
"free" credit report is actually delivering one.
These
free credit reports may be obtained through the official
Website: http://www.annualcreditreport.com. Additional
information is available at the Federal Trade Commission Website
at http://www.ftc.gov/credit . Obtaining a copy of your credit
report through this site is easy, and only requires your name,
Social Security number, date of birth, and address. That would
seem fairly straightforward, but there are many companies, some
legitimate and some not, that are interested in attracting the
business of those who seek copies of their credit report, and
scams are flourishing.
Some companies have established
Websites with addresses that are very similar to the address of
the official site. These sites promise a free credit report, but
they are actually only interested in harvesting your personal
information. In addition to stealing your name, Social Security
number and address, these sites may also tell you that a credit
card number is necessary to "verify" your identification. With
this information, the people operating these sites can steal
your identity! There are many other Websites that promise "free"
credit reports, but few that actually provide them for free. One
such site is currently under investigation for credit report
fraud. The site promised a "free" report, but required a credit
card for "identification" purposes. Customers filled out the
form and received a copy of the credit report but also received
a charge on their credit card for $79. Other unscrupulous
companies take a more direct approach by sending spam e-mail
that promises to provide free credit reports. These spam
messages are almost always "phishing" expeditions that are
designed only to obtain your personal information. If you are
interested in obtaining a copy of your credit report, you should
avoid responding to e-mail solicitations.
It is a rare
occasion when you can obtain something for nothing. You can,
however, receive a copy of your credit report, for free, once a
year. Be aware, however, that not everyone who is promising you
a free credit report intends to provide you with one.
About the author:
©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the
owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational
Websites, including End-Your-Debt.com, a site devoted to <a
href="http://www.end-your-debt.com/">debt consolidation</a> and
credit counseling, and StructuredSettlementHelp.com, a site
devoted to information regarding <a
href="http://www.structuredsettlementhelp.com/">structured
settlements.</a>
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