Print Version

TALLAHASSEE - Attorney General Bill McCollum today issued a consumer alert warning Floridians that many of the “free” credit report offers available online are often far from being free of charge. Because identity theft is a significant problem threatening Florida, many citizens seek credit reports to monitor their personal information. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Florida ranked fifth in the nation in 2006 for identity theft, with more than 17,000 victims.

“The majority of the time, identity theft occurs long before victims are aware of the crime and often by then their finances, their credit scores and their reputations are seriously impacted,” said McCollum. "With reports of data thefts on the rise, I encourage all Floridians to regularly review their credit reports and bank and credit card statements carefully to detect fraudulent charges or accounts.”

Numerous websites offer “free” reports or credit scores that are tied to offers of credit monitoring and/or other services. These offers often require payment and the consumer is usually unaware that he or she is paying for a service. Additionally, many websites offer trial memberships that require consumers to cancel within 30 days or they will be charged a monthly fee. Should consumers choose to enroll in a credit monitoring service, the Attorney General recommends documenting telephone calls when canceling subscriptions and follow up in writing when they choose to cancel.

Consumers are able to request a free credit report once a year at http://www.annualcreditreport.com. This site works in conjunction with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, the three national credit reporting companies, and is only official source for free annual reports. Reports are also available by phone at 1-877-322-8228. Consumers have the option of ordering just one report or one report from each company, although authorities recommend spacing the reports out every four months.

Consumers with complaints about a credit reporting service may call the Attorney General's Fraud Hotline at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM (1-866-966-7226). They may also visit the Attorney General's website at http://myfloridalegal.com, where information is available on obtaining free credit reports and combating identity theft.