We have all seen the ads on the
Internet or perhaps received an e-mail touting "free" credit reports.
The Better Business Bureau warns consumers to be careful when
responding to such offers. Some of these online operators do not
actually provide credit reports, but may be using their sites as a way
to capture a consumer’s personal information. Once your information has
been obtained, they may sell your information to others who may use it
to commit fraud, including identity theft.
The BBB, along with the Federal Trade Commission, urge consumers to
take the following precautions when visiting sites or responding to
e-mails that offer credit reports:
- If you receive an e-mail offering a credit report, do not
reply or click on the link in the e-mail. Instead, contact the company
cited in the e-mail using a telephone number or Web site address you
know to be genuine.
- Be
skeptical of unsolicited e-mail offering credit reports. Be cautious of
e-mail from an atypical address, like ABC123@website.net, or an e-mail
address ending in a top level domain other than .com, like .ru or .de.
- Check
for grammatical and spelling errors. Silly mistakes and sloppy copy –
for example, an area code that does not match an address – often are
red flags that the site may be a scam.
- Check to see if
the e-mail address matches the Web address. When you enter the
company’s Web address in the browser, does it go to the sender’s site
or re-direct you to a different Web address? If it re-directs you,
cease the transaction.
- Exit from a Web site that asks for
unnecessary personal information, like a Personal Identification Number
(PIN) for your bank account, the three-digit code on the back of your
credit card, or your passport number and issuing country. Legitimate
sites do not ask for this information.
- Use only secure
Web sites. Look for the “lock” icon on the browser’s status bar, and
phrase “https” in the URL address on a Web site, to be sure your
information is secure during transmission.
- Watch your
credit card statements: If you have responded to a bogus site, you may
never receive the credit report they offered for free. But, watch for
other charges you did not authorize. Contact your credit card issuer
immediately in this case.
To obtain a copy of your credit report from the three major credit bureaus, contact:
Beginning December 2004, consumers in certain states will
be able to request a free credit report according to the Fair and
Accurate Credit Transaction Act. For more information on this rule,
visit www.ftc.gov/opa/2004/06/freeannual.htm.
