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Warning: Free Credit Report Imposter Websites Springing Up on the Web
A recent amendment to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies to provide consumers with a free copy of their credit report, upon request, once every 12 months. Access to the free credit reports has been phased in beginning last December in the West and will finally be nationwide by 1 September. This is good news to consumers. However, a new form of phishing, is manifesting itself even before access to free credit reports is available for all Americans. The new law that requires the three national credit bureaus to provide a free annual credit report to consumers, has met with the law of unintended consequences. Although the law was initially created to help thwart identity theft, the process for requesting the free credit reports may in fact contribute to further identity theft or loss of privacy. While the intent of the law was to make it easier for consumers to check for errors and possible evidence of identity theft in their credit reports, according to a new report by the World Privacy Forum, more than 200 imposter websites have sprung up trying to exploit one of the methods made available for consumers to apply for their free credit reports. One of the methods by which consumers can apply for their free credit reports is through a website that was established jointly by the three credit bureaus. The official website for applying for the free credit reports is at http://www.annualcreditreport.com But, if the identity thieves and other unscrupulous internet swindlers have their way, part of the very process sent up in an attempt to curtail identity theft, will leave consumers vulnerable to further loss of privacy. The online pilferers create websites with domain names that are very close to the official website www.annualcreditreport.com. By registering similar names or close misspellings, such as wwwannualcreditreport.com (note the missing dot), creditannualreport.com andwww.freeannualcreditreports.com they hope to entice consumers to unwittingly enter their private information into online web forms, thinking that they are on the official website. Depending upon the level of personal information detail captured from the imposter websites, the swindlers can then use the garnered information for illegal purposes, sell the information to purveyors of personal information databases, or they can simply send the unsuspecting consumer to commercial websites. While the majority of imposter websites, simply gather names, addresses, and email addresses and then send the consumer on to advertising sites, some sites attempt to gather social security numbers, birth dates, and other sensitive information. To guard against the possibility of entering personal information on an imposter site, consumers can go to the official website from a link off from the www.ftc.gov website or call the official toll free number (877-322-8228) to get the free copy of their credit report. Note: Strange as it may seem, your free annual credit report does not contain your credit score. For more information on your credit score, what it is, how it is used, and why it is important, see the resource box below. Copyright 2005 George Dodge George Dodge has been developing on the Web since 1994 and is owner of http://www.The-Credit-Repair-Center.com a source of information on personal finance management. For information on how you can also get a free copy of your credit score (which is NOT included with your annual free credit report), click here ->http://www.The-Credit-Repair-Center.com/scores/credit-scores.html Your Credit Score - Do You Know What It Is? MORE RESOURCES:
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GOOGLE SEARCH What Can Happen to You as a Victim of Identity Theft, Facts & Figure Is identity theft really that serious? Thousands of people every year are victims of this terrible crime. Thieves use your personal information to commit fraud or other crimes in your name and can cause significant credit damage. Your Credit Card May Be Costing More Than You Think! Do you know what your credit card is truly costing you? Manypeople assume that they do, but aren't familiar with thehidden fees that many credit card companies are charging. Infact, if you don't keep close tabs on your credit card, youmay end up paying hundreds of extra dollars per year-withoutever really knowing it!And if you're trying to budget your money, those hidden feescan add up!Let's take a look at some of the most common credit cardfees, and then talk about how you can avoid them. Why Does Your Credit Card Rate Keep Going Up? Have your read your credit card contract through completely? Do you know when it is okay for your creditor to raise your interest rates? If you are not sure about how and when your rates can be affected over the life of your contract you should take a few minutes to read your contract thoroughly from beginning to end.Creditors must have clauses in their contracts that give them the right to change your interest rates. How Creditors Measure Your Credit Rating Creditors will measure your credit rating based on the following three main things.CapacityCollateralCharacterThe three "C's" show creditors your:"Capacity" or income to pay the debt"Collateral" or assets to secure the obligation"Character" shows your compliance to repay the debt1. Finance - Money, Money Finance is a big word for some of us. It's a little scary. Good Credit is King, When Qualifying for Mortgage Programs If you want to purchase a new home or refinance your current mortgage, be sure to check out the wide array of loan programs available. If you have less than excellent or even poor credit, you can still qualify for a loan. Commercial Collections: Business Finance Booster Shot Commercial collections: fixture of the new B2B cultureIf you're in the business-to-business field, or even if you're a consumer products business that works through third-party distribution channels, you probably know what it's like to check your mail anxiously each day, sifting through all the bills for that payment that was supposed to have been in months ago.It wasn't supposed to be like this. What You Need to Know About Credit Reports You hear people talk about credit reports all the time but do you know what they are really all about? Well, if you have ever been turned down when applying for a credit card or a loan it is high time you learned all about your credit report and how you can get it working for you instead of against you.Let's start off by explaining what your credit report actually is. A Summary of the Fair Credit Reporting Act This summary of the Fair Credit Reporting Act will explain what you can legally do if you want to repair your own credit report. No matter what you hear, you can dispute credit information on your credit report if you understand the legal rights you have under this law. Top 5 Reasons To Check Your Credit Report Regularly #1 Make sure mistakes aren't hurting your credit.Reviewing your credit report can help you avoid costly errors. Dealing With and Repairing Bad Credit Bad credit can be a burden for otherwise good credit. It may not seem fair at times that financial mistakes in the past can haunt you in the present, but with a little bit of work and some time bad credit can be turned around and repaired. Consumer Credit Reports A consumer credit report is a factual record of an individual's credit payment history. It is provided for a purpose permitted by law: to help a credit grantor or lender quickly and objectively decide whether to grant you credit. Finding and Applying for the Right Credit Card Offer Online Anywhere you go online nowadays, you will see a multitude of ads for credit cards. Some offer low interest rate for an introductory period, or bonus frequent flyer miles while others offer real discounts on new vehicles and equipment. Finding What is on Your Credit Report A credit report is basically a file about you kept by lenders and banks. As annoying as it may be, it's still perfectly legal for them to gather all sorts of details about you. What is a Bad Credit History? A bad credit history can sometimes seem like a curse.. All About Balance Transfers What is a balance transfer?A balance transfer can be explained simply as a balance transfer! When a balance is transferred usually from a credit card, but possible from a bank account or loan to a credit card with a offer interest rate (usually 0%) for a set period. It does not have to be the entire amount. 10 Simple Steps to Manage Your Credit By far the greatest invention the banks have ever come up with came out in the 20th century. Also the new field of Credit Management was born with the invention of the credit card. Establishing Credit - What You Need To Know Part 2 In my previous article "Establishing Credit - What You Need To Know Part 1" I discussed the need for a good credit history and what lenders were looking for prior to loaning an individual money or additional funds based on their credit history. This article will go into the necessary steps someone needs to take in order to initially establish their credit history. How To Survive In A Plastic World, Qualifying For Credit Card Let's face it, having credit is no longer a choice. "Don't leave home without it" is more like "can't buy a home without it. Dealing With A Collection Agency Step I - Selecting A Collection AgencySelecting a credit collection agency is perhaps the most important and difficult task. Some factors you must consider while selecting a collection agency are:- Experience and professionals- Geographical presence- Expertise- Fees and charging model- Customer references- Collection Agency Services has covered this topic in depth through various free collections reports and articles on this site. |
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