Watch out for fake credit report Websites

Consumers can now obtain a copy of their free credit report from a special Web site. When seeking a credit report online, make sure you type in the name properly, or you could end up an an identity or credit theft victim.

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The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions (FACT) act, enacted last year, offers people the chance to get copies of their credit reports without cost. Although consumers can use the telephone or mail to order free credit reports, the most frequent method used by consumers is to access a Web site set up by the three credit bureaus expressly for that purpose. A large number of people have checked out the credit report plan, which is simple to use and takes but a few minutes. Not only can a credit record be had for free, but the law entitles every Individual the opportunity to receive one report per year from each of the three credit bureaus. Several hundred companies have registered Websites that are very similar to the correct free credit report Web site, and thousands of people have gone to these Websites by accident. Going to the wrong Website through error can take you to sites that charge for the reports, or worse, sites that resemble the real site but exist only to steal financial or personal information for purposes of identity theft.
 

At last count, there were more than two hundred Websites registered with names that were nearly identical to the official site, annualcreditreport.com. Many, if not most of these ersatz sites exist to sell credit reports to people who otherwise might receive them at no charge. Since they make it understood that they are selling the reports, they aren't really committing fraud; they are just taking advantage of a situation that occurs when people make a typographical error. Web sites with names like annualcreditreportonline.com are frequent, as they are the sort of thing that a consumer might type by accident. A few scam sites ask for the Social Security number of the visitor and then fail to provide a copy of the requested report. A few Websites have been established to look exactly like the official site, and are intended to fool the person into believing that they are at the real site. Web sites that are designed to steal Social Security numbers are there so that the unscrupulous individuals behind them can make use of the numbers to practice identity theft and credit theft, all at the expense of the unsuspecting site visitor.

Individuals who don't frequently use the Web or who are not all that familiar with how domain names and URLs work should seek assistance from an informed friend or relative before typing in the name of the Website. The Federal government and concerned Internet Service Providers are removing such Web sites as quickly as possible, but these Websites are frequently operated outside the U.S., which makes enforcement tough. Failure to use precautions when going on the Web may trigger a pretty expensive crime lesson. If you are uncomfortable using the Internet, it may be a good idea to obtain a copy of the report via mail or telephone.