# Free Credit Report You Suck **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 6, 2009, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130 "2009-04-06T14:54:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![outside\_artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@outside\_artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outside_artist)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/1 "2009-04-06T14:54:08Z")
I know I can’t be the first person to write about this, but…I finally get up enough nerve to check out my credit rating and I go to the site whose clever jingles have been running through my head for years and what do I find??? It’s not free at all!!! It costs the same as any other credit report service. HOW do they get away with this, and how come no one has made them shut up as far as making this completely false claim? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/2 "2009-04-06T15:00:14Z")
What you want is [www.annualcreditreport.com](http://www.annualcreditreport.com). They provide free (as in actually free) credit reports, once per year, as mandated by federal law. Note that that’s the report only. If you want FICO scores you will have to pay for them. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/3 "2009-04-06T15:00:33Z")
Their claims aren’t false – the fine print in the ads indicate that you get the free credit report if you enroll in their service. If you want a free credit report, go to [http://www.annualcreditreport.com](http://www.annualcreditreport.com) ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/4 "2009-04-06T15:04:48Z")
The real free site is [annualcreditreport.com](http://annualcreditreport.com), I think. I’d bet the [freecreditreport.com](http://freecreditreport.com) somehow hooks into that functionality, but includes add-on functionality for which they charge you. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/5 "2009-04-06T15:11:18Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Their claims aren’t false – the fine print in the ads indicate that you get the free credit report if you enroll in their service. Which strikes me as being indistinguishable in practice from saying, “It’s free just as long as you pay for it.” I understand that the service is distinct from the credit report, and that they’re probably within the letter of the law (has the FTC or other relevant agency looked into them?), but I still find their marketing practices deceptive and distasteful. I believe one of the news programs highlighted their practices a while back–60 Minutes, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/6 "2009-04-06T15:12:22Z")
Its pretty scammish, imho. Its like sites that charge you a 10 dollar “downloading fee” to download OpenOffice or some other free software. By law you can view your credit report free once a year. These people are taking advantage of this system and put up misleading ads. Im surprised the FTC hasnt cracked down on them. You can file a complaint with the FTC here: [https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/](https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/) You’ll see similar scams that target senior citizens and English as second language speakers, especially mailings that look like checks and in the past telemarketing “deals.” ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/7 "2009-04-06T17:16:35Z")
[Freecreditreport.com](http://Freecreditreport.com) is run by, and owned by, Experian. It is their direct to consumer service, as opposed to the traditional biz-to-biz model they’ve run. They have been in trouble with the FTC over it and had to more prominently reveal how the subscription works and all that. I believe they reached a settlement. TransUnion’s similar service is [TrueCredit.com](http://TrueCredit.com). Equifax just sells their’s as Equifax…at [Equifax.com](http://Equifax.com) AnnualCreditReport is maintained by all three mentioned above and was mandated by the Feds and the FTC worked with the three reporting agencies on it. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/8 "2009-04-06T17:43:47Z")
Everytime I see that commercial I want to take the singer’s guitar and smash it over his puffy-shirted ass. Dammit, now I got that song stuck in my head. ---
**Author:** ![silk1976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@silk1976](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silk1976)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/9 "2009-04-06T19:43:25Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > Everytime I see that commercial I want to take the singer’s guitar and smash it over his puffy-shirted ass. Dammit, now I got that song stuck in my head. He should have seen that coming.. Like an atom bomb. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/10 "2009-04-06T19:49:38Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Their claims aren’t false – the fine print in the ads indicate that you get the free credit report if you enroll in their service. > [@LawMonkey](#): > > Which strikes me as being indistinguishable in practice from saying, “It’s free just as long as you pay for it.” IIRC, there is no charge for the first 12 months of service so it is free as long as the service is discontinued within those 12 months. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/11 "2009-04-06T20:04:38Z")
For a moment, I thought “You Suck” was my free credit report. I mean, I know it’s not _perfect_ but c’mon… ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/12 "2009-04-06T20:05:41Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > IIRC, there is no charge for the first 12 months of service so it is free as long as the service is discontinued within those 12 months. Who wants to bet that there will be a lot of difficulties in ‘discontinuing’ this service? Rather like AOL or Norton or similar companies. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/13 "2009-04-06T20:09:45Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > IIRC, there is no charge for the first 12 months of service so it is free as long as the service is discontinued within those 12 months. When I paid for it, it was “no charge for the first (single) month” but it was impossible to get through on the line designated for discontinuing service. You could sign up for it online, but not discontinue it online. And you couldn’t leave a message. They were “experiencing a higher-than-expected volume of calls due to our recent fantastic offer”… for weeks. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/14 "2009-04-06T20:23:19Z")
> [@emmaliminal](#): > > When I paid for it, it was “no charge for the first (single) month” but it was impossible to get through on the line designated for discontinuing service. You could sign up for it online, but not discontinue it online. And you couldn’t leave a message. They were “experiencing a higher-than-expected volume of calls due to our recent fantastic offer”… for weeks. :mad: For what it’s worth, I signed up for the free trial a few days ago, and I just cancelled it today with a minimal hold time. It allowed me to get my credit score, in addition to the report, for free. ---
**Author:** ![outside\_artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@outside\_artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outside_artist)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/15 "2009-04-06T20:46:29Z")
Well, thank you, my people. I’m still not signing up for it and they still suck. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/16 "2009-04-06T20:46:48Z")
First clue is that they can afford prime time television advertising. Who is paying for that if the reports are free? ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/17 "2009-04-06T22:57:12Z")
If you apply for credit and are denied you can also get a free copy of every report that, the company that denied you credit used to arrive at that decision. If you paid by credit card, dispute the charge when the credit card bill comes. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/18 "2009-04-06T23:18:56Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > For a moment, I thought “You Suck” was my free credit report. I mean, I know it’s not _perfect_ but c’mon… I think mine at this point is a recording of hysterical laughter. As in “You have to be kidding, you want _credit_??? BWAHAHAHAHA!!!” I’m working on it, but it’s going to be a while. ---
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/19 "2009-04-06T23:51:35Z")
They do say indirectly you have to pay at the end of the commercial. It’s real quick, but the announcer says “Free with enrollment in Triple Advantage.” ---
**Author:** ![Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kneepants_Erasmus_the_Humanist)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130/20 "2009-04-07T02:11:25Z")
If it’s just the score you are looking for, [Credit Karma](http://www.creditkarma.com/) is free. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-credit-report-you-suck/492130.md?page=2)