Free Credit Report

by Shannon
(Harlingen)

Using Credit - Skating on thin ice

Freecreditreport.com, I hear it 3 or 4 times a week on TV and the radio. Let’s take a closer look. Free Credit Report.com. Then why do we need to put in a credit card. After the first page the website ask you for your credit card.

“Your credit card will not be charged during the free trial period. However, valid credit card information is required to establish your account.”

Oh now, it’s switched to a free trail offer. Is this another case of “Marketing Voodoo”? We should change the definition of free. Free – The term to make you believe you are getting something for nothing long enough for you to listen to the rest of the spill.
I did an internet search for Free Credit Reports on Google. I found the following site provided by the U.S. Government: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.shtm. This website informs, that under the FACT Act, there was another website created in conjunction with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This website is used to get your truly free credit report. By law each of these companies must provide you with a free credit report every year.

It’s amazing that freecreditreport.com has the same exact form as the other site. The only difference is they don’t ask for a credit card. It would not surprise me if they have an automated program that takes your information you type on their site and it fills in the other site. So, basically they would be doing nothing except collecting after the trail period.

You decide which is the right site to use. I did not name the site, because I want you to go to the government site first for credibility.

P.S. Once I requested my credit report, I received it on the first day. I was able to dispute a charge online free of charge and it was removed. Very simple.