03-04-2005, 05:03 PM
In case you did not know, if you live in the United States, you are now allowed a free credit report from each of the big three agencies each year.
The catch is that not all states are eligible yet but by September, 2005, all Americans will be able to use this service.
Here is the breakdown of dates this is available from the FTC
Free reports will be phased in during a nine-month period, rolling from the West Coast to the East beginning December 1, 2004. Beginning September 1, 2005, free reports will be accessible to all Americans, regardless of where they live.
Consumers in the Western states — Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming — can order their free reports beginning December 1, 2004.
Consumers in the Midwestern states — Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin — can order their free reports beginning March 1, 2005.
Consumers in the Southern states — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas — can order their free reports beginning June 1, 2005.
Consumers in the Eastern states — Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia — the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and all U.S. territories can order their free reports beginning September 1, 2005.
I got all three of mine the other night, online, and printed them all off within about half an hour.
It is about time this was implemented so well done FTC for finally bowing to a lot of pressure from us, the consumers, who have been asking for our own information for years. It was probably the identification theft that is a growing problem which led to this releasing of the death-grip by the credit agencies.
This saves you about $30 - $40 a year, on the cost of combined reports from the agencies, by the way.
Here is the link for more info and to get your reports
http//www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.htm
The catch is that not all states are eligible yet but by September, 2005, all Americans will be able to use this service.
Here is the breakdown of dates this is available from the FTC
Free reports will be phased in during a nine-month period, rolling from the West Coast to the East beginning December 1, 2004. Beginning September 1, 2005, free reports will be accessible to all Americans, regardless of where they live.
Consumers in the Western states — Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming — can order their free reports beginning December 1, 2004.
Consumers in the Midwestern states — Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin — can order their free reports beginning March 1, 2005.
Consumers in the Southern states — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas — can order their free reports beginning June 1, 2005.
Consumers in the Eastern states — Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia — the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and all U.S. territories can order their free reports beginning September 1, 2005.
I got all three of mine the other night, online, and printed them all off within about half an hour.
It is about time this was implemented so well done FTC for finally bowing to a lot of pressure from us, the consumers, who have been asking for our own information for years. It was probably the identification theft that is a growing problem which led to this releasing of the death-grip by the credit agencies.
This saves you about $30 - $40 a year, on the cost of combined reports from the agencies, by the way.
Here is the link for more info and to get your reports
http//www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.htm