Protecting Credit: Free Credit Reports Now Available in the Midwest States

Protecting credit is now easier for many consumers. Along with the Western States, Midwest States now have access to one free credit report from all three credit bureaus.

(PRWEB) March 16, 2005 -- Pursuant to the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) passed by Congress in 2003, consumers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin will be eligible for their free annual credit reports on March 1, 2005.

Consumers in those states may apply for their free reports online at www.annualcreditreport.com. The annualcreditreport web site is a joint venture of the three national credit bureaus Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union. The construction and design of the site were specified by FACTA and approved by the Federal Trade Commission.

For consumers without Internet access, they may call 1-877-322-8228 for their free report. Or you may request an application for your free credit report by mail from:

Annual Credit Report Request Service

PO Box 105281

Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

The Midwest States join the Western States in being eligible for their free annual credit report. On June 1, consumers in the Southern States become eligible, and on September 1 the rest of the country becomes eligible including Puerto Rico and the US Territories.

The issue of ordering your credit report and monitoring your credit is especially timely in light of the recent ChoicePoint incident where over 100,000 consumer records nationwide may have been accessed by criminals operating an identity theft ring for the past year. While this unfortunate crime underscores the difficulty of defeating criminals intent on stealing your personal information, it should also remind consumers to take steps to safeguard their credit as much as they are able.

At a minimum, consumers should check their report annually for inaccurate information and for unusual or unauthorized inquiries into their credit. It is recommended that consumers be proactive and check their credit reports bi-annually. Monitoring services offer frequent reviews of credit reports and helpful information about the credit report activity.

For consumers not eligible for their free credit report under FACTA, there are numerous alternatives to check their credit report online and by mail from Creditreporting.com. Choices include a free credit report offer, a credit report monitoring service, and merged 3 bureau credit reports with credit scores that include information from the three national credit bureaus.

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