It is possible to get a annual free credit card report

My office got a call from a constituent this week with a credit-card issue. He had gotten something in the mail about from a credit card company about a card which he does not hold. This could be a number of things: a mail scam, a card taken out in his name of which he is unaware, or a card he had in the past that he thought had long ago been canceled.

We suggested that he contact the bank through a phone number from their corporate Web site (rather than the mail piece – as a precautionary measure). We also suggested that he may want to get a copy of his credit report to make sure that this card is not there.

That got me to thinking that I should put out another column about how to get a truly free credit report!

I’m sure you’ve the commercial ... “free credit report.com, tell your friends, tell your dad, tell you mom!” Well, as you can guess, it isn’t really free. They require you to sign up for some kind of monthly service

And now it appears that they are in trouble with the Federal Trade Commission, a federal agency that helps individuals obtain truly free copies of their credit reports (as required under federal law). That is probably why their Web site now includes notice that “Free credit reports are available under Federal law at: AnnualCreditReport.com.”

Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, consumers across the nation are able to get a free – completely free – copy of their own credit reports.

Credit reports, as you may know, contain all kinds of information about you – about where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you’ve been sued, arrested, or have filed for bankruptcy. There are three nationwide credit reporting companies that compile this information: Equifax, Experian and Trans Union.

Businesses use the information included in credit reports to evaluate applications for things like credit cards, insurance, employment or renting a house or apartment. They make their decisions about your application based on what they find in your credit report.

So, if incorrect or out of date information is included in your credit report, you may be turned down for credit or insurance or a job based on this inaccurate information. Even worse is the problem of identity theft. Keeping an eye on your credit report is a good way of guarding against identity theft.

With these concerns in mind, Congress amended the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act to require that free credit reports be available to consumers once a year. In order to implement the new federal law, the three nationwide credit reporting companies have joined in unison to establishment one central Web site, one toll-free number and one mailing address through which consumers can order their free credit reports.

To request your free credit report you can go to www.annual credit report.com, you can call (877) 322- 8228 or you mail an Annual Credit Request Form to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. The form can be obtained from the Federal Trade Commission Web site: www.ftc.gov/credit.

When you order your free credit report, you may request your credit report from each of the three companies at once or you can stagger your request by ordering your credit report from one of the companies now and reports from the others later in the year. The law allows you to order one from each company every 12 months.

In order to obtain your report you will need to provide your name, address, Social Security number and date of birth. And, if you have moved in the last two years, you may need to provide them with your previous address. Finally, in order to maintain file security, you may also be asked for some additional information that only you would know … such as the amount of your monthly mortgage payment.

It is important to note that www.annualcreditreport.com is the only authorized source for your free credit report and they will not send you an e-mail asking for personal information. If you get such an e-mail or see a pop-up ad on your computer, do not reply or click on any link in the message – it’s probably a scam.

If you request your report on-line, you should be able to access it immediately. If you order by phone, your report will be processed and mailed to you within 15 days. And if you mail in your request, the reports will be processed and mailed within 15 days of the receipt of the request. Excessive request volume (especially as the new law is being implemented) or the need for additional information may delay your request.

Finally, if you find errors in your credit report, take action to correct it by writing to that specific consumer credit reporting company outlining which information is incorrect. The company must investigate the items in question (usually within 30 days) unless they consider the dispute frivolous. If the information provider finds that the disputed information is inaccurate, they must inform all three consumer credit reporting companies so they can correct the information in your file.

Additional information about the Fair Credit Reporting Act can be found on the Federal Trade Commission Web site: www.ftc.gov.

Contact Me: If you would like to contact me regarding this or any other issue, you may call my office at (888) 529-0026 or you can e-mail me at Rep.VanAkkeren@legis.state. wi.us. And, of course, if you want to send me a letter, you can send that to: Rep. Terry Van Akkeren, P.O. Box 8953, Madison, WI 53708-8953.