Anyone who has watched TV lately has probably seen the commercials. FreeCreditReport.com, a division of Experian, has long been a leader in advertising credit report products. The most recent add starts with "I’m thinking of a number" and ends with that catchy jingle. But all this advertising has led FreeCreditReport.com to get some unwanted attention from MSNBC.
If you visit MSNBC.com this morning, the first thing you see is a huge photo of the FreeCreditReport.com site and a headline that blares "Don’t be fooled. Despite its name, FreeCreditReport.com will cost you." Pretty dramatic stuff! The subsequent article is part of the Red Tape Chronicle series with Bob Sullivan. He’s written great articles before on topics such as identity theft, credit card fees and other consumer issues.
So what is the deal with these free offers? Every credit bureau has a similar "free credit report" offer that they promote. Most of these offers include a credit report, credit score and 30-day trial of credit monitoring. If you cancel before the trial ends, you aren’t charged and you get to keep the credit report. If you don’t cancel, you are signed up for a year of credit monitoring.
Experian’s offer is different in that it only includes a credit report and monitoring trial (no score) and that they are spending millions advertising the program. Plus, the terms and fees are a bit more hidden on their site than on other retailers.
Should you go for one of these free offers? Maybe.
Free offers that include a credit score are a great way to get a quick snapshot of your credit standing. You just need to remember to cancel the free trial right away which can usually be done by phone or email. If you are not good about remembering these sorts of things, don’t sign up for a free trial. Also, avoid free trial offers that don’t include a credit score.
You should also remember to get your three free credit reports every 12 months from AnnualCreditReport.com. This free offer mandated by law doesn’t include a score but you can add it on for about $6 per report.
In the end, the important thing is just to check all three of your credit reports and all three of your credit scores every year. If you order through AnnualCreditReport.com it will cost you around $18. If you buy a 3-in-1 credit report with all three scores it will cost you about $30. If you order free trial offers, it could potentially be free or could end up costing you about $360 if you don’t cancel. You can compare features and prices online here.
How do you check your credit? Do you use the free annual disclosures? Subscribe to a monitoring program? Share your feedback in the comments section below.
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