| Free Credit Reports; Soon you'll be able to | | | | Everyone in the Midwestern states Illinois, |
| get your credit report for free. Many | | | | Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, |
| financial advisors suggest that you | | | | Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South |
| periodically review your credit report for | | | | Dakota, and Wisconsin can order their free |
| inaccuracies or omissions. This could be | | | | reports beginning March 1, 2005. |
| especially important if you're considering | | | | |
| making a major purchase, such as buying a | | | | Everyone in the Southern states Alabama, |
| home. | | | | Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, |
| | | | Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South |
| Checking in advance on the accuracy of | | | | Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas can order |
| information in your credit file could speed | | | | their free reports beginning June 1, 2005. |
| the credit-granting process, clean credit is | | | | |
| a must. A recent amendment to the federal | | | | Consumers in the Eastern states Connecticut, |
| Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires | | | | Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New |
| each of the credit bureau`s to provide you | | | | Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North |
| with free credit reports, at your request, | | | | Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, |
| once every 12 months. | | | | Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia the |
| | | | District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and all |
| Free Credit Reports, contain information on | | | | U.S. territories can order their free credit |
| where you live, how you pay your bills, and | | | | report beginning September 1, 2005. |
| whether you've been sued, arrested, or filed | | | | |
| for bankruptcy. Nationwide credit bureau`s | | | | Q: How do I order my free credit report from |
| sell the information in your credit report to | | | | the 3 major credit bureau`s? |
| creditors, insurers, employers, and other | | | | |
| businesses that use it to evaluate your | | | | A: You may order your free credit reports |
| applications for credit, insurance, | | | | from each of the three nationwide credit |
| employment, or renting a home. There are | | | | bureau`s at the same time, or you can order |
| three nationwide credit reporting companies | | | | from only one or two. The law allows you to |
| Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union. | | | | order one free copy from each of the |
| | | | nationwide credit reporting companies every |
| Free Credit Reports Now! | | | | 12 months. |
| | | | |
| Everyone in the Western states will first be | | | | Q: What information do I have to provide to |
| able to order their free credit reports under | | | | get my free credit reports? |
| the federal law beginning December 1, 2004. | | | | |
| Consumers in other states will be able to | | | | A: You need to provide your name, address, |
| order their copies according to a regional | | | | Social Security number, and date of birth. |
| roll-out detailed below. | | | | |
| | | | If you have moved in the last two years, you |
| In recent months, consumers have asked the | | | | may have to provide your previous address. |
| FTC for more details about their rights under | | | | |
| the federal FCRA and the Fair and Accurate | | | | To maintain the security of your file, each |
| Credit Transactions (FACT) Act, which | | | | nationwide credit bureau`s may ask you for |
| established the free credit reports program. | | | | some information that only you would know, |
| They've also asked about credit reports in | | | | like the amount of your monthly mortgage |
| general. Here are the most frequently asked | | | | payment. |
| questions and the answers. | | | | |
| | | | Each company may ask you for different |
| Q: How do I know when I'm eligible to get a | | | | information because the information each has |
| free credit report? | | | | in your file may come from different sources. |
| | | | The nationwide credit reporting companies |
| A: Soon free credit reports will be phased in | | | | will not send you an email asking for your |
| during a nine- month period, rolling from the | | | | personal information. If you get an email or |
| West Coast to the East beginning December 1, | | | | see a pop-up ad claiming it's from any of the |
| 2004. Beginning September 1, 2005, free | | | | three nationwide consumer reporting |
| credit reports will be accessible to all | | | | companies, do not reply or click on any link |
| Americans, regardless of where they live. | | | | in the message it's probably a scam. |
| | | | |
| Everyone in the Western states Alaska, | | | | Forward any email that claims to be from any |
| Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, | | | | of three credit bureau`s to the FTC's |
| Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, | | | | database of deceptive spam at . Any of three |
| Washington, and Wyoming can order their free | | | | credit bureau`s also will not call you to ask |
| credit reports beginning December 1, 2004. | | | | for your personal information. |
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