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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 and www.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:
MORE COLLEGE CREDITChicago Sun-Times, United States - 10 hours agoDespite the current nationwide credit crunch, the State of Illinois secured $100 million for the student loans by tapping a new source -- credit unions. ... |
Boston Globe |
US travelers face credit snafuBoston Globe, United States - 5 minutes agoBy Eric Lucas All I wanted to do was buy gas, so I put my credit card in the automatic card-reader and got ready to fill the tank. ... |
Credit - Google News
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