# Free Credit Report - Bullshit! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 6, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-bullshit/527929 "2010-02-06T16:41:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-bullshit/527929/61 "2010-02-09T19:59:33Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > To clarify, I was talking about the sort of conservatives who hate ANY government legislation, and regard it as Taking Away Our Freedoms. I, on the other hand, am a goddamn pinko liberal, and I regard laws that require ads to use “free” to mean “no obligation, no pressure, we WILL give you this product without requiring you to sign up with us”, and to similarly block such companies from getting a credit card number upon sign-up of a free service. > [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Umm, **Lynn**? I’m on your side, and everything, but could you revisit that post and try it again, as a _sentence_ this time? OK, I regard any such laws to be good for the consumer, and any business that relies on such deceptive practices to stay in business deserves to go under. Does that make more sense? I’m on a wonky connection, and also on powerful painkillers, so I’m wonky myself, and probably I should just go to bed and not even attempt to post. ---
**Author:** ![LunarPlexus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@LunarPlexus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LunarPlexus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-bullshit/527929/62 "2010-02-09T21:47:00Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > I looked briefly at their website and it looks like a pretty good deal. I will note that it also appears that they only provide the credit score from Transunion and not from the other credit reporting agencies. Also, It appears not to be a FICO score, but rather some other one that I never heard of and that I don’t think anybody uses to evaluate you. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-bullshit/527929/63 "2010-02-10T08:59:28Z")
Incidentally, do NOT visit the website that NYT columnist, actor and game show host Ben Stein shills for: [it is one of the scam sites](http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2009/07/16/ben-stein-predatory-bait-and-switch-merchant/) that baits you into a $30/month fee. The CARD act, signed by President Obama in May 2009 [at least requires that these slimy ads include a disclaimer](http://consumerist.com/2009/05/card-act-includes-limits-on-not-so-free-credit-report-ads.html) and a mention of the legitimate website, [AnnualCreditReport.com](http://AnnualCreditReport.com) . ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-bullshit/527929/64 "2010-02-10T17:34:12Z")
> [@LunarPlexus](#): > > Also, It appears not to be a FICO score, but rather some other one that I never heard of and that I don’t think anybody uses to evaluate you. How can you tell where they are getting the score and that it’s Non-FICO? ---
**Author:** ![LunarPlexus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@LunarPlexus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LunarPlexus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-bullshit/527929/65 "2010-02-10T19:28:29Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#): > > How can you tell where they are getting the score and that it’s Non-FICO? I reckon I googled it. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-bullshit/527929/66 "2010-02-10T21:23:18Z")
I reckon you’re mistaken…at least according to my google results. Mine says they get your score from TransUnion. ---
**Author:** ![LunarPlexus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@LunarPlexus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LunarPlexus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-bullshit/527929/67 "2010-02-10T21:45:32Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#): > > I reckon you’re mistaken…at least according to my google results. Mine says they get your score from TransUnion. “The other two major credit reporting agencies – TransUnion, and Experian – each sell a consumer score based on credit risk formulas they developed internally. (They all partnered with Fair Isaac to develop risk assesment scores for business clients, however.) Depending on the mood of the marketing copywriters, you may find the scores being given various names. Not only that, but the grading scale is different from agency to agency. Oh, and that non-FICO credit score? It’s not the same score your lender uses to make his or her business decisions, although it’s a fair indicator of how you’ll be judged.” [Per some Fool](http://www.fool.com/personal-finance/credit/2005/04/29/whys-my-fico-score-wacky.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-bullshit/527929/68 "2010-02-11T15:08:35Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I take it you arent a fan of the “Its my money, I need it now!”, the JK Harris, or Bender and Bender ads either 🙂 > > There truelly is no accounting for taste is there? JG Wentworth…FOOL! [/mister t] ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-bullshit/527929/69 "2010-02-11T20:21:47Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I take it you arent a fan of the “Its my money, I need it now!”, the JK Harris, or Bender and Bender ads either 🙂 Bender and Bender? Are those the guys who promise they’ll get your Social Security Disability application approved faster, so you can tell the SSA to bite your shiny metal ass? ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-bullshit/527929/70 "2010-02-11T22:10:47Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Bender and Bender? Are those the guys who promise they’ll get your Social Security Disability application approved faster, so you can tell the SSA to bite your shiny metal ass? Speaking as a former SSA employee (although not one who processed Disability Claims) I have to say that this is one of the funniest things I’ve read here in a while. ---
**Author:** ![Jorge\_Burrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Jorge\_Burrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorge_Burrito)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-bullshit/527929/71 "2010-02-12T20:46:27Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#): > > How can you tell where they are getting the score and that it’s Non-FICO? In reality the only place you can get your true FICO score (unless you manage to get a banker to run it for you and tell you) is [myfico.com](http://myfico.com). Just about everywhere else you will get what’s known as a FACO score and is designed to simulate what your FICO might be, to varying degrees of success. CreditKarmas scores seem to be about 20 points to high, but of course ymmv. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-bullshit/527929/72 "2010-02-13T04:21:32Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > The conservatives won’t be happy with this suggestion, but I’d love to see a law that anything that has “free” as part of the advertising must provide that good or service for free. . Count me among those asking why politics has to be part of every discussion here on the straight dope. Because someone is a republican, they clearly support deceptive business practices? :rolleyes: But I will say, once you type in your credit card number, it isn’t free. That isn’t rocket surgery. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-bullshit/527929/73 "2010-02-13T13:44:38Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Bender and Bender? Are those the guys who promise they’ll get your Social Security Disability application approved faster, so you can tell the SSA to bite your shiny metal ass? Good one 🙂 Maybe someone who works on futurama will read that and have a good idea for an episode. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-bullshit/527929.md?page=3)