Since you are allowed to get one credit report per year free from the three major credit reporting agencies, why not request your free credit report one at a time every four months, from the different agencies? The three main credit reporting agencies are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. To order your free report you must go through:
OR
call 1-877-332-8228
This is what I am going to start doing. I am not about to pay for this credit report monitoring. I don't know how much I will save, but what I do save goes towards my kids, and every little bit helps!
Source: http://www.consumeraction.gov/
By Robyn Fed from Hampton, TN
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There is some kind of fine print I am told that you have to check off or you will get charged. Read carefully.
Robyn Fed, this is an excellent idea and I will be doing the same thing from now on! I've been using this free service since it began but always asked for all three at the same time but not anymore. The answer to the question of how much it would cost if we didn't have this free service would currently be $45.85 combined total for one report from all three. Thumbs up! ;-)
Ann Parker, Just wanted to let you know that there is no fine print you have to check off or worry about through 'Annual Credit Report' and I just went to the Annual Credit Report site and visited "Frequently Asked Questions" and you most certainly can order the reports the way Robyn Fed suggested. Here's what it says:
Should I order all my credit reports at one time or space them out over 12 months?
You are entitled to receive one free credit report every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies through the Central Source. It is entirely your choice whether you order all three credit reports at the same time or order one now and others later. The advantage of ordering all three at the same time is that you can compare them. (However, you will not be eligible for another free credit report from the Central Source for 12 months.) On the other hand, the advantage of ordering one now and others later (for example, one credit report every four months) is that you can keep track of any changes or new information that may appear on your credit report. Remember, you are entitled to receive one free credit report through the Central Source every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, so if you order from only one company today you can still order from the other two companies at a later date.
I bookmarked the site, but I'll probably have to phone mine in like I've done in the past. The site has a visual based "captcha" device that's incompatible with my screen-reader. Thanks for the tip, though, thumbs up!
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There were comments on the Webby site about free credit reports. Dave Ramsey says you should stagger the requests; so that, once every four months, request one report per consumer reporting agency. Thus, you will be able to to keep an account of the activity on your account throughout the year. Don't request all three at once, or you have used up your annual free credit reports.
By fieednabra from Memphis, TN
I Have a question: When I want to get a "Free" Credit report. I have to sign-up for some credit "alert" before I get a "Free Report". I think this is unfair. They say" That I can after 30 days drop the service.Why should I have to do This
(b)Editor's Note:(/b) It should be free, no strings attached. Which one did you apply for and we'll check into it. (06/02/2006)
By Art, Brookings SD
