FreeCreditReport.com Now Has To Tell You It Isn’t Free
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If you are still wondering what the Credit Card Act of 2009 actually did FOR YOU (besides make your credit card minimum payments go up), then this month you should see a little bit of difference in the advertising of FreeCreditReport.com (link disabled on purpose).
Almost everyone (meaning anyone with a television) has heard the catchy little jingles from FreeCreditReport.com. And if you even went so far as to visit the site, you found out that your credit report, while free, was tied to your signing up for a credit monitoring program ($14.95/month).
Thankfully, the Credit Card Act of 2009 also introduced legislation regarding the false or misleading advertising associated with several "free credit report" companies. The companies now have to make it very clear in their advertising that the programs require you to purchase some other product (in effect making the "free credit report" not free). I should make clear that the Credit Card Act of 2009 doesn't just pick on the FreeCreditReport.com people. There are many, many companies that were in the business of doing the same thing that the catchy jingle people were doing, but the only one everyone remembers are those particular commercials.
If you really want a free credit report, you should use AnnualCreditReport.com. This website is promoted by the government as the place to go for a free credit report. It's also sponsored directly by the big 3 credit report companies: EquiFax, TransUnion, and Experian. Of course, once the site redirects you to one of those 3, you may have to to say not to credit monitoring programs, but in the end, you will definitely get a free credit report.
Just remember: if you are trying to get something for free, then your credit card, debit card, cash, or checkbook should NEVER leave your pocket during the entire transaction. If you find yourself reaching for a card to receive your free credit report, then it's no longer free, and you need to back out of that site!
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B. Daniels is the lead review expert with Find Cheap Bargains. B. was more than likely the person responsible for the hands-on review of every product on the site. He also spends time searching for sale bargains when not conducting and writing the reviews.
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