Crook Alert!! Costly "Free" Credit Reports.com
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NYTimes 11-18-09 Costly Free Credit Reports
- "Free" Credit Report.com has tricked many people
Costly Free Credit Reports Federal law guarantees free credit reports each year, but many consumers who got theirs from FreeCreditReport.com unintentionally paid for an expensive credit monitoring service.
Free Credit Report.com Scam
I wondered who was paying for Experian's annoying Free Credit Report.com TV commercials. Now I know. Many people who request the "free" credit reports fail to read the fine print and unknowingly sign up for an expensive ($179.40/year) and, for most people, unnecessary credit monitoring service. An article and video from the 11-18-09 NY Times is linked below. There is only one absolutely free source of free credit reports. It is--
annualcreditreport.com
Read the fine print before signing up for "free" services and allowing monthly charges to your credit card or debits to your checking account! Ancestry.com has also experienced many complaints from unhappy customers who have had difficulty stopping the credit card charges or bank account debits.
A credit card company tried time after time to sign me up for a similar credit monitoring service using scare tactics about all the dire possibilities that their service would prevent. However, they acknowledged in the spiel what the monthly charges would be after the "free trial period."
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Thanks for the warning! - I wondered about this too!
Yeah, I hate these things.
You have to be careful on everything you look at today. Especially if it says free. I think the meaning of free has been changed to, sign up for our services.
Keep on hubbing!
I think you're right.
Very Good Research Mr. Ralph Deeds!
Ralph, I worked for two large credit card companies and both offered it to customers. Only after they got their bill did they realize it wasn't free. BAC would sometimes reverse the charges, while Capital One did not. It's a scam al right. Good job!
Good to get confirmation from an insider! Thanks, jib.
Great info I was wondering what they meant when they said "free with enrollment in triple advantage." Didn't sound free to me.
Thanks!!
"Free" with "triple advantage"!
Its' good that you are making people aware of this Scam. Experian Ads are all over the internet and have been for a while - I just ignore them.
Cheers
thanks, ralph, for this info. everywhere one looks there's another hook.
Good hub Ralph,...That fine print is a *ss biter thats for sure. My theory,..nothins free - if it is - watch out. Hopefully this hub will prevent anyone else being scammed.
You are providing an invaluable service with your investigative reporting Ralph. Keep up the excellent work.
Ralph,
I accessed consumerreports.org and looked this up. The ONLY way to get an absolutely free credit report (once yearly) is to log onto:
https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp
This site will allow you to get a credit report from all 3 agencies once yearly at no cost. For a few bucks more, you can get your credit score, but you don't have to.
I know this works because I used it. It's easy!!
Thanks, AJ and CWB.
breakfastpop Level 8 Commenter 2 years ago
Dear Ralph,
Important hub. Thanks so much for the info.