Reach for a Lime

We’ve all see those commercials with the three guys jamming out in mom’s basement, in the Geo Metro, at the pirate restaurant, and at the renaissance fair. Freecreditreport.com is the name of the site. That’s exactly what we’re looking for right? A credit report that costs us nothing. Too good to be true= fine print. Those dudes with their catchy songs about credit scores and their funny outfits and atmospheres were all smoke screens! “Monitoring with Experian begins within 48 hours of enrollment in your free trial. Monitoring with Equifax and TransUnion takes approximately 4 days to begin, though in some cases cannot be initiated during your trial period. You may cancel your trial membership any time within 9 days of enrollment without charge.” Whoa! The sites called freecreditreport.com. Capitalism at its best.

There are three main nationwide consumer credit reporting companies:

· Equifax: 1-877-576-5734; www.alerts.equifax.com

· Experian: 1-888-397-3742; www.experian.com/fraud

· TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com

You are entitled to one free report from each every 12 months under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. They can be requested all at once or spread out over the year. You can request your free report online, by phone or by mail. Visit AnnualCreditReport.com, call 1-877-322-8228, or fill out the Annual Credit Report Request form and mail it to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. It just goes to show, consumers are only as smart as advertisers allow us to be. There are organizations in this country that make millions off a service consumers can get for free. God bless America. Why? Well, it’s because research is too complicated and tedious and advertising is too expensive for the government to indulge in. Or maybe it’s because these companies generate money that the government then get a chunk of on the back end in taxes.

Hope this has been informative and will save a couple blue and white collars out there some change.