Credit scores play a big role in today’s economy. Your credit rating determines the interest rate your will pay on loans and it can even determine whether you can buy a house or a car. It’s a very good idea to closely monitor your credit rating and to promptly deal with any credit-related issues. However, many unscrupulous companies lure people to their website by offering “free” credit reports, when, in fact, the companies charge consumers a monthly fee. Credit reports that come with a monthly fee are not “free”. The companies that falsely advertise “free” credit reports usually force consumers to unwittingly agree to arbitration clauses. These arbitration clauses can limit a consumers’ rights to take legal action. The arbitration clauses are usually hidden in website fine print and many people don’t know what they are signing., so be very careful before you sign up to receive your credit report. Don’t be fooled by these scams. If you truly want a free credit report, go to: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/requestformfinal.pdf and download the request form.
Print and complete the form, then mail the completed form to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. Alternatively, you can call 1-877-322-8228 to request a free credit report. Truly free credit reports take two to three weeks for delivery.