Meadows Credit Union - Avoid credit report scams.

Check Your Credit Report – Carefully
One of the most effective things you can do each year is to check your credit report and watch for false use and identity theft. While you are there, you can also use the opportunity to clean up your credit. Close unused lines and cut up the cards to avoid any accidental misuse of your credit.

The FACT Act in 2005 made it possible for you to receive a free credit report each year. The official Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website for this is www.annualcreditreport.com.

Watch Out When Internet Searching
However if you were to do an Internet search for a free credit report, you will come up with a number of options that are anything but free. Many have smart-sounding website addresses such as www.freecreditreport.com, www.freecreditreportinstantly.com, www.creditcheck.com, and www.creditreport.com. However, these web sites are not the same as the official government-approved site.

Additionally, some web sites lure in searchers with promises of free credit reports, but when they submit their information, they are signed up for credit-monitoring services costing $79.95. The FTC has sent letters to 130 imposter web sites warning them that attempts to mislead consumers are illegal.

Researchers for the World Policy Forum, a consumer education organization, recently found 112 web sites that were using some combination or similar spelling of "annual credit report." Some of these sites asked for sensitive information such as your social security number and birth date. Others directed you to products they were selling or even to pornographic websites.

Steps to Protecting Yourself

Go to the FTC's official website (http://www.ftc.gov/) and starting from there, click the button to get to the official free credit report site.

Since you are applying for a free credit report, be wary of any website that asks you to input your credit card number as part of the process.

Don’t respond to emails or pop-up/Internet advertising promoting free credit reports. These may be scams or phishing attempts.

Keep your identity safe: check your credit report at least once a year, clean up your credit while you are there, and use the sure route to get to the site you intend every time you visit.