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A popular free credit report company is not really free

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by BOB HANSEN / NBC San Diego

Posted on November 9, 2009 at 2:51 PM

Updated Monday, Nov 9 at 3:15 PM

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A popular TV commercial, with a song and a name most people don't forget, urges consumers to check their credit report for free.

The idea is simple, if you want to avoid the pain of bad credit, you'll got to their Website and order your free credit report. The problem, however, is freecreditreport.com isn't free.

"Checking your credit report is probably the number one consumer tip that we give," says privacy expert Beth Givens, of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.

Givens says everyone should check their credit report every year, but she says freecreditreport.com is not the way to do it.

"Given the name, Free Credit Report, wouldn't you think that it's free. That's their website name, that's what they advertise on TV incessantly. It's extraordinarily deceptive," Givens said.

Phil Higgins found out the hard way when he ordered his credit card report through freecreditreport.com and immediately started getting charged $15.95  on his credit card for a monitoring service.

"Well, I didn't think I'd get charged by the commercials but I ended up getting that monthly service fee," Higgins said. "You get your free credit report and then the next thing you know you see the charge on your bank statement and you have to call them and go through the whole ordeal of canceling the membership."

There is a Website where you can get a free credit report, it's not freecreditreport.com, it's annualcreditreport.com.

"Congress passed a law a few years ago giving people the right to do one free credit report a year," Givens said.

Annualcreditreport.com gives you one free credit report from each of the three credit bureaus with no monthly fees.

That's something Phil wishes he'd known about.

"I think I ended up paying for a couple of months."

The Federal Trade Commission is apparently not happy with the folks at free credit report, The government has even gone so far as to make its own ads making fun of the other ones.

The company told the New York Times that you do get a free credit report and score and they feel they've been upfront and fair; giving consumers the opportunity to become aware and comfortable with the credit reporting concept.
 

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blankingout said on November 9, 2009 at 3:47 PM

They took my money too after 7 days..

flake4840 said on November 9, 2009 at 5:48 PM

Umm, then you folks got taken because you didnt read and this article is wrong. Maybe the reporters should have tried the site before they posted this wrongful information. You have the chance to choose to get the monitoring service or not. you must have opted into it. Dont print mis-information.

flake4840 said on November 9, 2009 at 5:50 PM

They took your money because you did not read that big "important message" on the front of the website. And you all removed my last message even though it was respectful. This story is incorrect and slanderish and should be retracted.

flake4840 said on November 9, 2009 at 5:54 PM

It tells you on the front of the site that they will enroll you in triple advantage when you sign up. In fact when i signed up when it first came out you had a chance to opt out. Not sure if it still does that. The site also tells you that if you want the "government based one" to use the following link. I am not sure you can hold them responsible when they have provided all information upfront. I do think that this article should be reviewed for its accuracy. I also beleive you should stop removing my comments when they are respectful and pointing out the truth, i thought that was the point in providing news

flake4840 said on November 9, 2009 at 5:55 PM

Arg, this new site has issues, now all messages show up when they kept getting removed minutes later. I give

ncwlocal said on November 9, 2009 at 7:15 PM

Sure, the ad is moderately deceptive but have you ever noticed it says (in the ad) "Offer applies with enrollment in triple advantage"? Not to mention the fact the terms are posted. And furthurmore...how would you NOT have suspicion when something that is "free" asks you to enter a credit card number? Come on now. I know its unclear but at the same time...people need to take personal accountability. When YOU dont read what you are agreeing to...and YOU enter your credit card # for something you think is free...then YOU need to admit you screwed up and weren't paying attention. There's no scam here. Just people not reading for themselves and then whining when they dont wanna pay for it.

shelly2koi said on November 10, 2009 at 9:12 AM

Hi, I emailed King5 years ago,and they didn't contact me back, regarding this story. I went to the site years ago, opted out of service, called to opt out for sure. Failed to check visa for charges. 9 months later, saw charges with different names, all were associated with fcr.com Called them, got a person who was quitting, and she told me all their sudo names. There was about 7. I called BECU, and they red flagged them, and went after my money, and got it back. I also went to Consumer Fraud.com or something simular, and that site provided me with a Form Letter that looks very legal, and I signed it, and sent Register Mail, and got all my money back with a letter of apology. If I hadn't found out, they would have taken my money illegally for years. Look on the net, to see all the people's stories, and complaints. Many states are investigating them. Annual Free Credit Report is the only one to use.