Money Blue Book

Updated List Of FICO Discounts and Free FICO Score Offers Below!

Welcome to my FICO coupon deals, promotional discounts, and exclusive myFICO.com web bargains page. Here you will find a regularly updated list of myFICO coupons and promo codes to help you save money on genuine FICO score products. To ensure that you get credit for the myFICO promotion offer that you seek, make sure to visit the desired link below and follow the appropriate coupon redemption instructions. Also, it would be of great help to myself and fellow readers if you’d post a comment below about any new myFICO.com coupon codes or special discount offers not already listed, as well as bring to our attention any myFICO promo codes mentioned below that may have already expired.

As we all know, credit scores are numerical representations of credit worthiness, and are one of the most determinative factors that mortgage lenders and major banks base their approval decisions on. While there are several credit score variations out there, the most popular and widely used is the FICO. As American consumers, we each have a total of 3 FICO credit scores – one from each of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion). While the three FICO scores are derived from the same proprietary formula, differences in credit reporting data often cause the individual scores to differ somewhat from each other. Routinely checking one’s credit score (whether via a credit monitoring program or via manual credit score pulls) is a recommended activity in this modern day and age. Regularly monitoring my FICO credit score is one of the ways I keep a close pulse on this very integral part of my personal financial life. Knowing where you stand in the eyes of potential lenders is particularly crucial when you are in the process of applying for credit-based products like home mortgages, car loans, or even balance transfer credit cards. It’s also a very effective and pro-active way to prevent identity theft and be informed of any unauthorized or fraudulent access to one’s credit accounts.

Save Money On MyFICO Credit Scores With FICO Promo Codes and Coupons

Current federal laws give all American consumers annual access to their free credit reports from each one of the 3 major credit bureaus of Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. However, while personal credit reports are available free of charge, FICO credit scores derived from the credit data found on these reports are not. If you want your FICO score, you generally have to pay extra for it. Fortunately, there are currently a variety of ways for savvy consumers to enjoy up to 20-30% discount savings off of their FICO score purchases with the use of FICO promo codes. There are even a few arbitrage ways for resourceful consumers to snag free FICO scores by taking advantage of special trial offers.

Presently, authentic Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion FICO scores can only be obtained from the official myFICO.com website or via an authorized partner. While Equifax and TransUnion FICO’s are freely available for purchase, those looking to obtain their Experian FICO scores will note that they are no longer readily provided to consumers. Due to a major contractual dispute between myFICO and the Experian credit reporting agency, myFICO authorities have discontinued the sale of Experian FICO’s to consumers. For now at least, consumers will have to make do with what’s available. Most of us should be able to reasonably compensate by requesting the other two FICO’s via Equifax and TransUnion. Knowing your scores based on Equifax and TransUnion data ought to give you a fairly accurate approximation of where you likely stand with Experian as well, barring any significant credit report discrepancies or errors.

Special limited time discounts and exclusive FICO promo codes are frequently released by myFICO.com. A list of verified and updated codes and discount coupons have been provided in the table below. Please visit the desired coupon links to make your credit score product purchase. The myFICO promotional codes should appear automatically in your online shopping cart during the check out process. In the event the coupon has expired or has not been automatically inserted into your checkout page, please manually insert a working myFICO promo code into the correct box to ensure that you get credit for it.

List Of The Best myFICO Promotional Discount Deals (Expiration Varies)

In case you are are not entirely familiar with the different myFICO credit score packages mentioned above, here is a quick summary overview:

1. myFICO Score Watch – There is a free 30 day trial with the FICO Score Watch program. Simply sign up and cancel within 30 days, and you’ll walk away with a free FICO credit score. This is the online tool I use to continuously monitor my FICO credit score changes. I like how it charts my FICO profile changes over time and gives me continuous and unlimited access to my FICO on demand. With this offer, you also get 2 free credit reports a year from Equifax. For more information, check out myFICO review.
2. myFICO Score Standard – You get your choice of a single official FICO credit score and credit report from Equifax or TransUnion. This is probably the most popular option for those looking for a home or car loan right now and just need to know their FICO credit rating as it currently stands. Price is $15.95 – but can be easily reduced with one of the discount codes above.
3. Suze Orman’s FICO Kit Platinum – This is basically the former myFICO Credit Complete package but with extra commentary by popular financial guru Suze Orman. With the Suze Orman FICO kit, you get your FICO scores and credit reports from Equifax and TransUnion, along with extra media material to help you better plan out your credit-based life, with particular attention given towards home and car buying decisions, and extras on how to get out of credit card debt. Price is $49.95. Don’t forget to use one of the 10% to 30% codes to reduce the price.
4. myFICO Quarterly Monitoring – With the FICO Quarterly Monitoring package, myFICO will track your TransUnion FICO score and credit report for you (a useful anti-identity theft feature). You’ll also receive 4 FICO scores and 4 reports every year through TransUnion. Currently, the price is: $4.95 per month or $49.95 per year. Remember to use myFICO promo codes to maximize your discount savings.

As always, please let me know if there are any more myFICO savings deals or exclusive FICO promo codes out there!

Special Bonus Offer: Citi Forward Credit Card’s Free $100 Sign Up Bonus

As part of my ongoing hobby of applying for free credit card rewards and pocketing introductory bonuses that make themselves available, I recently applied for Citibank’s new Citi Forward Card. Simply for signing up, I earned sufficient credit card bonus points to swap for a free $100 gift reward card to the retailer of my choice (I picked Best Buy). Although I have not yet tried, I would imagine that if one were a college or graduate student, one could also simultaneously apply for the nearly identical Citi Forward Student card as well, and receive another free $100 gift card upon sign up – for a total windfall jackpot of $200.

The Citi Forward – Marketed As A Reward Credit Card That Promotes Responsible Credit Use

This new Citi Forward Visa credit card that Citibank is introducing is marketed as an enlightened approach to the promotion of responsible credit card use. Along with its offerings of a 0% balance transfer rate and credit card reward earning potential, the card also touts a litany of lower interest rate opportunities for card members who can demonstrate mature credit use with timely payments.

However, as always when it comes to new credit card offers, I urge interested individuals to tread carefully. Credit card companies aren’t being naturally generous or altruistic when they offer lucrative cash back credit card reward opportunities such as this. Just because they offer a card that features great cash back reward opportunities and no annual fees that highly favors savvy card users doesn’t mean the card issuers aren’t still motivated by ulterior motives. Remember, their driven purpose in the market is to profit from the credit card interest charges and late payment fees that they hope you will rack up. If you’re a shopaholic, compulsive addict, or an irresponsible credit abuser, my advice is to stay away from credit cards altogether. However, if you’re a responsible credit user with a high FICO credit score, you can most definitely beat them at their game and profit greatly from the generous sign up bonuses, introductory 0% APR periods, and free money opportunities that they dangle in front of you. If you can handle the card usage responsibilities and not succumb to late payments or maxed out balances, good credit score consumers will benefit greatly from the Citi Forward’s extra bonus features that reward smart credit use.

Citi Forward Credit Card’s $100 Sign Up Bonus

For credit card sign up reward seekers, the new Citi Forward card offers the equivalent of a free $100 store gift card just for signing up, with extra points to spare.

Upon card registration, new cardmembers receive 6,000 Citi ThankYou bonus points after making at least $50 in card purchases within three months of receiving the account. Agreeing to forgo paper monthly statements in favor of electronic credit card billing statements within 3 months of account opening will net you another cool 5,000 ThankYou bonus points. The 11,000 instant Citi ThankYou points you reap simply by signing up for the Citi Forward card can be exchanged promptly for a $100 gift card or swapped for a much more versatile $75 prepaid Visa Card (as good as cash).

Get 5% Rewards On Credit Card Purchases Via ThankYou Points

The Citi Forward card is a very high earning reward card with a 5x reward earning rate at special category vendors. With the Citi Forward, you earn 5% back (5 points per $1 spent) on restaurant purchases, books, movies, music, and 1% back (1 point per $1 spent) on everything else. Big cashback reward card fans will notice that the reward structure is remarkably similar to the highly touted Citi mtvU, one of the best student credit cards out there. However, unlike the Citi mtvU card, the Citi Forward is available to all applicants, and not just college students. However, like the popular Citi mtvU student card, the Citi Forward, with its high 5% reward rate for restaurant visits, dining out, and coffee shop purchases – the card is one of the best card offers out there at the present time for those who eat out often (as I frequently do).

Another very important aspect of the Citi Forward’s reward program is that the 5% reward rate on books also includes popular online retailer Amazon.com (interestingly treated as a bookstore for Citi credit card reward purposes). Want to buy a simple personal finance book or even purchase something more expensive like a desktop computer via Amazon.com? You can earn 5% cash back by utilizing your Citi Forward Card. Frequent Amazon.com users like myself will benefit greatly from this high reward earning loophole.

Citi credit cards run their card rewards off of the Citi ThankYou network. Those of you who want to know more about the steps that I take to maximize my ThankYou network points to get the best point to cash, and point to gift card redemption rate should read my Citi ThankYou point article. While it’s not easy to get a perfect 1:1 conversion rate for reward redemption when it comes to gift cards and pre-paid debit offers, it is possible to get incredibly close to the mark via higher denominational value retail store gift certificates.

Get Extra Low Interest Rates For Paying Your Credit Card Bills On Time

One of the novel features of the Citi Forward card is its promotion of special bonuses for those who adopt good card usage behaviors. Designed to encourage good credit usage among consumers, the card offers a unique reduction of your purchase interest rate whenever you pay out your bills on time and responsibly stay within your maximum account spending limit. According to the specifics of the Citi Forward program for good credit behavior, you get an extra 100 bonus ThankYou points every billing period and a 0.25% interest rate reduction every time you manage to stay under your credit line and pay on time for 3 months in a row (for a maximum limit of 8 times, for a total 2% APR reduction). While it’s something that you ought be doing anyway regardless of reward incentives, it’s always nice to get a little something extra for your efforts.

Along with the responsible credit usage incentives, there is also an intro 0% APR offer on purchases and a 0% balance transfer deal for 6 months – features that may interest the zero percent fee card seekers out there. As some have noted, while there is no annual fee for the card, there is a 3% charge for balance transfers however.

Updated Review Of Ways To Get Your Experian FICO Credit Score Now

For credit report and FICO credit score junkies like myself, I was completed stunned and floored when I heard the official announcement that the Experian credit reporting agency would no longer be making its Experian FICO credit score available to consumers from hereon, effective February 14, 2009 (Valentine’s Day no less). However, in an odd marketing twist, the Experian FICO scores would continue to be made available to lenders and businesses – just not to the hapless consumers who are actually concerned about their own personal finances.

For those who work hard at monitoring their credit reports and credit scores, and take diligent steps to ensure the maintenance of perpetually high FICO’s, this news release exploded into our midst like a cruel bomb shell. So am I overreacting or is this move by Experian as significant as I’m seemingly making it out to be?

Lack Of Access To Experian FICO Credit Scores Ultimately Favors Lenders and Hurts Consumers

At a time when banks have grown extra stingy when it comes to lending money and it’s becoming even more important for consumers like you and I to monitor our credit reports and credit scores regularly, we are now losing yet another option of doing so. Experian is one of the three major credit reporting agencies that maintain massive historical databases of how individuals and businesses handle credit usage responsibilities. Fair Isaac Corporation is the company that developed the popular and widely used FICO credit score, which uses a complex formula to convert credit report data into three numerical digits representing credit worthiness. As one of the 3 major credit reporting bureaus, Experian’s decision to stop offering FICO scores derived from its credit reporting data to consumers is a major blow to credit transparency and the further advancement of fair lending practices.

Fortunately, the other two big credit bureaus, Equifax and TransUnion, remain solidly under contract to allow FICO credit scores, so they shouldn’t be disappearing anytime soon. However, by Experian unilaterally cutting off consumer access to Experian FICO credit scores, it essentially means that we now have access to 33 percent less important information than we did before in the past.

The inane aspect of this all is that while Experian has ended its agreement with Fair Isaac and MyFICO to sell Experian FICO credit scores to ordinary consumers, it has chosen to extend its contract to allow Experian FICO’s to be sold to lenders. So while lenders, banks, and businesses will continue to have access to FICO credit scores based on Experian credit report data, consumers will now be partially blind to the precise information that lenders have during lending negotiations. This definitely stacks the lending odds against consumers, who are now going to be in the dark about a key metric component of their financial portfolio.

Frankly, the move by Experian to sever its 6 year partnership with MyFICO, while surprising given the current state of the economy and financial markets, isn’t totally unexpected given the turbulent nature of the ongoing lawsuit between the two companies and the millions of dollars worth of FICO credit score revenue that Fair Isaac reaps each year from its monopolistic stranglehold over Experian. Unfortunately, consumers are still caught in the middle and will likely suffer by not having equal access to the entire array of credit scores and FICO data that Experian continues to offer the big lending banks.

Experian Credit Score Seekers Still Have Alternatives and Options (But Not Great Ones)

While access to our Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion credit reports remain unchanged, and we can still obtain our free credit reports annually courtesy of the federal government and various free online trial offers, Experian will no longer permit the developer of the FICO credit score to sell FICO products to consumers via the MyFICO website that utilize credit data from Experian credit reports. Unfortunately, current federal law under the Fair Credit Reporting Act only requires that the three major credit reporting agencies make our credit files available to us once a year, but there is no legal mandate that guarantees us access to our credit scores, FICO or otherwise, prior to applying for a loan.

However, while Experian will no longer make its credit data available to consumers for FICO credit score generation purposes, borrowers and consumers who desire to gain insight into their own Experian scores still have options. All indicators show that Experian is likely to continue peddling its own custom Experian PLUS Score and VantageScore variations to consumers. Unfortunately, while having them is better than nothing at all, these two credit score varieties are no where even close to the high adoption rates of FICO credit scores in terms of utilization by major lenders and banking institutions, and few lenders even acknowledge the use of the PLUS or Vantage Scores at this time. They are not even scored on the same numerical range or take into consideration the same proportional credit history factors – causing their current usefulness to be extremely suspect at best. Because these third party credit scores are not true FICO scores and are seldom used by the majority of lenders, they are frequently referred to as FAKO scores – mere distant seconds to the real thing.

Experian FICO Credit Scores Are Still Available, But In Very Limited Ways

So I guess the question remains – can you survive without the ability to get your official MyFICO credit score based on your Experian credit report information? Well, sure you can, but it may be somewhat more difficult to manage and improve your credit score over the long term. You can certainly still access your Experian Plus Fako score using Experian credit report data and get a general feel on where you stand in terms of your Experian credit data. The Experian Plus credit score, while not nearly the same as the FICO, uses a vaguely comparable (but not identical) scoring scale, similar to the FICO’s 300-850 point scale for credit scoring.

You can also still purchase your FICO credit scores from Equifax or TransUnion via MyFICO’s official website directly or through the credit agencies. While your Equifax and TransUnion produced FICO scores may be slightly different from your actual Experian FICO credit scores (due to data retention differences between the different credit reporting agencies), knowing these two other scores may give you a pretty accurate prediction of where you stand credit score-wise. Remember, you can still freely access your 3 annual credit reports and compare your Experian credit report data to that contained in your Equifax and TransUnion credit reports for rough comparison purposes.

Another way to project your Experian FICO score or your credit score in general is to utilize a free FICO credit score estimator such as the one being offered by MyFICO. The scoring accuracy of these simulators is debatable, but once again, it’s better than nothing. Until Experian one day returns to the FICO fold (hey – it could happen), we’ll simply have to make do and get by until a better alternative comes along. Aside from somehow being able to fake your identity and pose as a lender to get your hands on your actual Experian FICO credit score (I’ve tried), currently only lenders will continue to get direct access to Experian FICO credit scores.

However, another definitive way to get your genuine Experian FICO credit score is to simply apply for a major loan such as a mortgage for a home, and let the authorized lenders pull your scores for you. Consumers who apply for loans or mortgages can still get all 3 of their FICO credit scores through legitimate lenders. While many lenders usually only utilize the services of one credit reporting agency at a time, home mortgage lenders generally utilize all 3 for greater accuracy sake. When you apply for a home mortgage loan, more likely than not, your lending agent will submit a request for all 3 of your credit reports and all 3 of your FICO credit scores from the three credit agencies of Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, when evaluating your claim request. Of course, while this is one sure fire way to get your Experian FICO credit score, it is important to realize that by authorizing the lender to pull your credit report and credit scores for lending purposes, you are consenting to a hard credit check that acts as an official credit score dinging inquiry. While personal look ups of one’s own credit report through sites like FreeCreditReport.com or AnnualCreditReport.com result in no impact against your credit score, when banks or lending institutions do it for you pursuant to a loan application, this triggers a hard credit pull that does harm your credit score, albeit usually just for the short term.

Other than taking the hard credit check hit on your FICO to get a peak at your actual Experian FICO credit score, certain consumers may still be eligible to get continued access to their Experian generated FICO scores. The current list of institutions is small, but the list may ultimately expand depending on what type of special future agreements Experian decides to sign.

Currently, customers of the Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union (PSECU) continue to have access to their Experian FICO scores through the PSECU Free FICO Score Service, thanks to a deal the credit union previously inked with Experian. While other lenders such as HSBC via its Sears Solution MasterCard, and the bank formerly known as Washington Mutual via its WaMu credit cards, offer(ed) similar free FICO credit score programs with Equifax and TransUnion, none except PSECU currently has an active deal with Experian.

I have looked into the matter and it is my current understanding that the PSECU credit union continues to pull free credit reports and free FICO scores via Experian, posting new scores online each month via its online banking site. There is no charge for the generous perk, but to participate in the FICO score service, you must have a checking account with PSECU or an active PSECU Loan.

While I am not currently a Pennsylvania state resident, nor am I related to anyone living in the state, I still made an effort to swindle (I can’t help it, I’m an arbitrage seeker) my way into getting an account at PSECU bank – for the sake of satisfying my FICO mania and getting my hands on one of those monthly free Experian FICO scores. Unfortunately, not everyone is eligible to participate and join the credit union as their qualifications are rather strict, and as such I was quickly denied. Here are the basic eligibility qualifications. Sadly, other than moving there and becoming domiciled in Pennsylvania, that seems to be the only legitimate way to join. However, if you are a Pennsylvania resident, are currently a Pennsylvania state employee, or attended a participating small private college in Pennsylvania, you may be able to qualify for a bank account with the credit union.

Hopefully this cooperation agreement between Experian and the Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union signifies the beginning of a trend to offer authentic FICO’s and free credit scores for consumers of other banks and credit unions as well. Has anyone out there successfully signed up for a new account with PSECU and successfully gotten access to their free monthly Experian FICO credit scores? Please share your experience!

Updated List Of Free Credit Report Promotional Deals Below

You see the commercials on TV, and those supposed know-it-all financial commentators are always jabbering about them on blog commentaries and financial websites. But behind the media hype, much of the message is true – credit reports and credit scores are important indicators of financial health, and taking appropriate steps to ensure credit reporting accuracy is not something you ought to brush off as trivial or not essential. Pay too little attention, and a stray error or unauthorized credit transaction on your credit report can easily come back to bite you in the butt when you least expect it.

Even those who are not actively seeking a personal loan or on the verge of applying for a home mortgage loan ought to pay regular close attention to what’s continuously being added to or subtracted from their official credit reports. That’s because the financial data on your credit report is necessary for a huge variety of events in your life, much of it happening behind the scenes and without your active knowledge. Your credit report information is used to evaluate your applications for credit cards, real estate loans, personal loans, 0% balance transfers, cell phone wireless services, apartment rentals, car insurance, and even employment. Maintaining a good and clean credit report can have a dramatic impact on your financial stability. Likewise, ignoring what’s on your credit report may limit your financial options and close the door to lucrative low interest offers, cheaper mortgage rates, and improved housing rental possibilities.

Your credit report is so highly regarded and widely used by lenders because it is a definitive compilation of your entire history of active credit based accounts with archived information like when the accounts were opened, balance amounts, and whether payments have been made on time. Credit reports are maintained by the credit reporting agencies, frequently called credit bureaus. Currently, there are three major credit reporting agencies in the United States – Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. As such, each individual generally has 3 credit reports to his or her name, based on the historically updated credit report data retained by each of the 3 credit bureaus.

Along with the three credit reports for every individual, creditors and lenders also evaluate potential borrowers for risk factors based on their credit score, which is a numerical snapshot of data gleaned from the credit reports from a single moment in time. Presuming you are utilizing the popular FICO credit score developed by the Fair Isaac Corporation, credit scores range from 300 to 850, where higher credit scores are better. Because, the information and data recorded in each credit report directly influences your FICO credit score on a real time basis, checking your credit reports and monitoring your credit scores habitually can help you spot and correct reporting errors and inaccuracies when they crop up, saving you a lot of money in interest rate payments and identity theft related hassles in the long time.

Prevent Identity Theft By Checking Your Free Credit Report Regularly

I think most of us are well aware that it’s important to check our credit card statements every month for unauthorized charges that we haven’t made, but realistically, that only catches identity thieves who steal and use an account that you already know you have. Oftentimes, the most damaging of identity theft cases arise from unauthorized activity on accounts you never knew you even had – credit accounts opened with your Social Security Number and name without your authorization whatsoever.

Your credit report contains valuable information about your personal identity such your name, your Social Security Number, where you live, how often you pay your bills, whether you have have ever filed for bankruptcy, and whether there are any legal judgments against you. The credit reporting agencies of Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union can guard against unauthorized hacking of their data servers, but without the aid of an extra credit monitoring service or routine credit report checking on your part, they can’t protect you from identity theft. Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal identifying information like your name, your Social Security number, or your credit card number to commit fraud. A typical identity theft ploy is to use stolen confidential information to open a new credit card account in someone else’s name and run up large unpaid balances, stiffing the victim with the charges. Then when the identity thieves don’t pay the bills, the delinquent credit card account is reported on the victim’s credit report as a late payment – potentially ruining the hapless victim’s credit rating in the process if left unchecked.

I’ve been a victim of identity theft before so I know first hand that it can happen to anyone at anytime. Ever since that time some stranger swiped my identity and obtained an unauthorized credit card number in my name, I’ve been hyper vigilant ever since. So far, since I started checking my 3 credit reports and credit scores regularly with the aid of credit tracking programs, I’ve been identity theft and credit reporting-error free. Like a cancer, identity theft activity is something that you can generally detect early on. New accounts opened with your identity will appear on your credit report in a matter of days, revealing new transactions to you as they happen. Because your credit report information is updated frequently, checking your credit reports routinely is one of the best and easiest ways to not only spot clerical recording mistakes (which do happen on occasion), but to also raise the alarm on identity theft and halt unauthorized credit activity before they have the opportunity to hurt you in any substantial way.

Getting Your Free Credit Report From AnnualCreditReport.com

In 2003, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA) added several important changes to the existing Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) – most importantly, it gave all American consumers the right to view their credit reports from each one of the 3 major credit bureaus for free. In response to the growing prevalence of identity theft cases, the federal government now requires the three major credit reporting agencies to offer consumers free access to their credit reports to give them a better fighting chance at combating fraudulent occurrences.

At the present time, the only federal government-authorized site offering truly free credit reports is Annual Credit Report. AnnualCreditReport.com is the only official source for obtaining your free annual credit reports under federal law. However, the Fair Credit Reporting Act only guarantees access to a free credit report from each of the big 3 nationwide credit reporting agencies – every 12 months. Every year, consumers have the option of requesting all 3 free credit reports at once, or staggering them out throughout the year in 4 month intervals. While there is no catch whatsoever in terms of hidden fees or charges, please be mindful that you are only entitled to one credit report from each of the three participating credit reporting agencies, once a year. Once you have exceeded your quota for the year, you will have to wait 12 months more before qualifying for your next round of free government sponsored credit reports again. In addition, credit scores, FICO or otherwise, are extra and not included in the federal government program.

Here are the ways to request your free official credit report, courtesy of Uncle Sam:

1. Get Your Official Credit Report Online – The easiest way to view and print your free annual credit report quickly is to go online. Just visit the government’s official AnnualCreditReport.com website and follow the directions. The website’s designed to be user friendly and accessible.
2. Get Your Official Free Credit Report By Phone – Call 1-877-322-8228 to request your free credit reports by telephone. You will need to undergo a simple verification process over the phone and your reports will be mailed to you via postal service snail mail.
3. Get Your Official Free Credit Report By Mail – If you are truly in no rush and old fashioned, you can request your free credit reports via postal service by filling out the following online request form and mailing it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

For those who have not requested or obtained their free credit reports for the year, AnnualCreditReport.com ought to be your first stop. However, those who have already used up their free annual credit report quota for the year through the government’s recommended channels still have free credit report options at their disposal. Read on!

Are Free Credit Report and Free Credit Score Trial Offers – Scams Or Legitimate Promotions?

Ever since the free annual credit report legal mandate was passed by the U.S. government, a variety of “free credit report” websites and credit offers have popped up all over the Internet to do business. While some indeed provide valid credit reporting services and feature an outlet for consumers to get a credit report for free after having already exhausted all free government provided free credit reports for the year, many of these supposedly “free offers” come with strings attached. For example, your “free credit report” may come with an automatic enrollment in a credit monitoring service that starts out as a free trial but quickly escalates into an automatic monthly charge on your credit card if you don’t cancel within the free trial period.

So how do you wade through the gunky, confusing morass of free credit report offers without getting ripped off or falling for a shady free credit report scam? Well, the worst thing you can do for starters is start clicking on one of those free credit report solicitations that sometimes lands in our email boxes – oftentimes they are nothing more than phishing scams, so definitely beware of those. The vast majority of people probably type in – “Free Credit Report” into Google or their preferred search engine hoping to strike gold. Unfortunately, the majority of the websites that populate the top search results, other than the one for the government’s Annual Credit Report website, only offer free credit reports with automatic enrollment into some type of free trial for a paid service. While these credit report and credit score monitoring services definitely have their positives and benefits in helping you maintain healthy credit scores and avoid identity theft, many consumers might regard the majority of these trial offers as bait and switch scams at first blush.

The most popular and the most heavily marketed one of these free credit report trial offers is FreeCreditReport.com, the one with the ubiquitous television commercials featuring the catchy jingle that “monitors your credit and sends you email alerts, so you don’t wind up selling fish to tourists in T-shirts.” Run by Experian, one of the big three credit reporting agencies, FreeCreditReport.com is the site that most people probably come across when blindly searching for their free credit reports online. TV Commercials for FreeCreditReport.com featuring the charming host with his guitar and rag tag band playing at seafood restaurants or in the back of some beat up car, have reached such an incredible saturation point in the mainstream media that it’s the number 1 site that first comes to mind when any one thinks of free credit report offers these days.

However, free credit reports via this particular site are only free via automatic enrollment into a trial program for a paid credit monitoring service. Cancel promptly or within the 7 day trial period, and you’ll walk away without paying a single cent, but fail to do so and you’ll wide up with monthly charges that you’ll have to jump through hoops to cancel. Some critics say it’s fundamentally dishonest and a shady business tactic, because an applicant who registers with the site only gets a free credit report after enrolling into a trial offer for a $14.95 per month credit tracking program. Others say the company is surreptitiously and even unfairly taking advantage of the public’s concerns over their credit worthiness during tough economic times. Even the Federal Trade Commission has deemed it necessary to take counter steps to help clear up the ongoing media confusion caused by the success of the FreeCreditReport.com commercials – releasing its own free credit report videos to the public that spoof the popular FreeCreditReport.com trademark gimmicks, while promoting the official AnnualCreditReport.com website.

On various message boards and anti-scam blogs across the web, you’ll probably come across consumers complaining about the recurring credit card charges after having ordered what they initially thought was a free credit report. Unfortunately, the vast majority of consumers who succumb to the free credit report trial offer traps fail to read the disclaimers and fine print before clicking the “I accept” or “submit” buttons.

The truth is that these so-called free credit report sites do indeed provide consumers legitimately issued free credit reports, but only after they have agreed to trial membership enrollment into a paid credit monitoring service (after having been offered the opportunity to examine the terms and conditions). The free trial offers may last as short as a week or even as long as a month, but in either case, if the consumer fails to cancel the trial membership in time, they get charged. Some call these free credit report sites scams or impostors, but at the end of the day, it’s just clever (albeit somewhat sneaky) marketing strategy. Perhaps consumers like you and I ought to exercise a bit more responsibility in reading everything carefully before we dive head first into anything.

The reality in this world is that nothing is ever truly free – there is always catch. Companies are willing to promote their products for free by dangling carrot-like trial periods to get you in the door, but yes, there is always a catch. However, in almost every single legitimate case, the catches can be beat with the aid of some common sense, careful due diligence, and adherence to the fine print. In the case of these free credit report trial period offers that exist out there, simply by canceling on time within the promotional time constraints allotted, you can indeed walk away with free credit reports and free credit services.

Review Of Free Credit Report and Credit Score Offers From Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion

AnnualCreditReport.com remains the only authorized source to get your free annual credit report under federal law today, however it’s usefulness only goes so far. The following free credit report offers are meant for those who have used up their free credit reports for the year from each of the 3 credit reporting agencies, courtesy of the federal government’s program. All of the free credit report trial offers below offer essentially the same service, merely repackaged by different credit reporting agencies. In exchange for your free credit reports or free credit scores from Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion, you agree to be automatically enrolled into a trial offer for a 24 hour credit report monitoring service. However, simply sign up for one of the free trials and cancel immediately or before the trial period ends, and pay nothing for the free credit report you get at the time of sign up. The free credit report offers listed below are indeed legitimately free, but you must cancel promptly within the trial period to avoid the extra credit monitoring service charges. Some of you may ultimately enjoy the benefits afforded by a paid credit report tracking service (I kept mine), but I’m assuming most people reading this are motivated primarily by credit report freebie offers and nothing else.

My Recommended Ways To Get Your Credit Reports For Free (Just Cancel During Free Trial Offer):

1) Free Credit Report.com – Free 7 Day Trial Period (Experian) – The most important catch to this offer is that you must cancel within the 7 day trial period to truly walk away with a free credit report from Experian. With FreeCreditReport.com, you can indeed get your free Experian credit report and Experian credit score upon sign up. Simply cancel immediately or within the 1 week trial period and you pay nothing. Trial enrollment into Experian’s credit monitoring service offers unlimited Experian credit reports and credit scores on demand. The complete credit watch program monitors all 3 major credit rating agencies and provides continuous updates and instant alerts to you regarding any notable changes to any one of your triple credit reports. This free trial offer is probably the most popular option for free credit report seekers.

2) Credit Check Total - Free 7 Day Trial Period (Experian) - Cancel within the promotional 7 day trial period after sign up, and your 3 credit reports and 3 credit scores from all three credit reporting agencies are completely free. The important catch is that you must remember to cancel immediately after sign up or within the one week trial period to avoid all charges. Those who stay on to take advantage of the credit monitoring service will receive free unlimited access to their 3 national credit reports from Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, along with unlimited access to their regularly updated PLUS credit scores and credit reports, for $19.95 a month.

3) Privacy Matters 1-2-3 – Free 7 Day Trial Period (TransUnion) – With the Privacy Matters 123 offer, powered by TransUnion, consumers can get 3 free credit reports and 3 free credit scores from all three credit bureaus. As always the case with these types of offers, there is a mandatory 7 day trial membership enrollment into Privacy Matter’s credit monitoring service, which offers unlimited access to all of your 3 credit reports and credit scores from the agencies using TransUnion’s scoring system. Simply cancel immediately after sign up or within the one week trial period and get all of your three credit reports and scores for free. Else, it’s $19.95 per month. Don’t forget to cancel if you’re just interested in the free credit report and free credit score promotion.

4)  MyFICO Credit Score Watch – Free 30 Day Trial Period (Equifax) - Take advantage of the My FICO credit score watch 30 day trial period to get a free Equifax credit report and genuine FICO credit score from Equifax. Simply cancel immediately upon sign up or within the 30 day trial period and you’ll pay nothing. If you forget to cancel within the trial period, there is an annual charge of $89.95 for the continuous FICO credit score monitoring program. For those interested in purchasing the product long term as I did, there is even a MyFICO discount code or two available for additional extra savings at 20% off.

5) Equifax Credit Watch Gold with 3-in-1 Monitoring – Free 30 Day Trial Period (Equifax) – This deal from Equifax offers you the ability to get a free FICO credit score from Equifax along with a one time 3-in-1 consolidated credit report from all 3 of the major credit agencies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, with unlimited access to Equifax credit reports. The monthly cost is $14.95, but simply cancel after sign up or within the 30 day introductory trial period and your Equifax FICO credit score and 3 credit reports are completely free. Don’t forget to cancel!