Updated: Get Out of FreeCreditReport.com’s “Triple Advantage”.
This isn’t the first time, but now the State of Florida Office of the Attorney General is investigating FreeCreditReport.com. You’ll notice I don’t link to the site. This site, run by credit reporting agency Experian is taking advantage of the ruling that anyone can receive a free annual credit report from each of the three major agencies.
FreeCreditReport.com is not the website that offers free credit reports in conjunction with this directive. It’s misleading, and here’s the fine print on the site:
When you order your free report here, you will begin your free trial membership in Triple AdvantageSM Credit Monitoring. If you don’t cancel your membership within the 30-day trial period, you will be billed $12.95 for each month that you continue your membership. If you are not satisfied, you can cancel at any time to discontinue the membership and stop the monthly billing; however, you will not be eligible for a pro-rated refund of your current month’s paid membership fee.
FreeCreditReport.com has been investigated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and has been required to pay a significant penalty. However, they apparently have been allowed to keep operating.
The only way to get your free annual credit report is by going through AnnualCreditReport.com.
Hat tip to Red Tape Chronicles for the news about the Florida AG investigation.
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Hi, my name is Laura and I am an analyst at Balestriere Lanza, a trials and investigations law firm in New York. I saw your post on expressing a desire to be contacted if any potential class action law suits against Free Credit Report were in the works. Our firm has been investigating Free Credit Report’s potential misconduct for several months and would be interested in hearing more from you about your experience. Please feel free to contact me at your convenience at laura.sayler@balestriere.net or at (212) 374-5400 x 133.
This must be how freecreditreport.com pays for their commercials. I had the same experience – I went on their website , tried to cancel and was told over and over again that there is no refund available for the $14.95 they charged. THIS IS HOW THEY PAY FOR THEIR COMMERCIALS!!! With $$$ they get for doing nothing for their customer. What a scam.
The TRUE ASSURE FREE CREDIT REPORT IS BOGUS THEY GET YOU TO SIGN UP SAYING FREE AND THEN AFTER 3-7 DAYS THEY WITHDRAWL AMOUNTS UP TO 49.95 OUT OF YOUR ACCT UNTIL YOU NOTICE AND CALL & THEN THEY HASSLE YOU ABOUT YOUR REFUND AND MOST OF THE TIME DON’T GIVE IT TO YOU AT ALL!!!! THE AGENT THAT ANSWERS THE PHONE WILL TELL YOU THEY CAN ONLY REFUND 1 MONTH AND THEN THEY GET THE SUPERVISOR WHICH TELL YOU THEY CAN ONLY DO 1 MORE AND THEY HAVE 2 SUBMIT FURTHER REQUEST TO COPORATE WHICH IN TURN SEND YOU AN E-MAIL SAYING THEY CAN NOT REFUND THE MONEY ITS YOUR FAULT YOU SHOULD READ WHAT U SIGNED UP FOR!!!! I WORK THERE AND TRUST ME DO NOT USE ANY OF THEIR SITE THEY HOOK YOU THRU FREESCORESTRIO, ANNUAL DREDIT REPORT, FREE CREDIT REPORT.COM, TRUEASSURE AND SEVERAL OTHER CODE NAMES THEY USE TO ROB YOU!!!! BEWARE!!!!
Jason’s solution works for me. they finally say they will refund my first charge $14.95. But i am still fighting to get my second charge which leads me buy three credit score report. that report make no sense at all. the credit score is useless. be careful for this site.
This is the biggest scam ever save your money! they will take money out of your account with out your permission and then it is hard to cancel membership.
I just wanted the 1 month membership and decided not to call after the 1 week trial, as of now, it is 1 week, not 9 days like some of you are saying. I just noticed my credit card being billed 99.95$ for the annual membership, so for the ones that said this is not a SCAM, I have a clear example that THIS IS A REAL SCAM! I called them just now, today is day 9 after I signed up, and they said, sorry but we cant give you a refund, I read all out to the rep that the website clearly says that after 1 week you would be charged a monthly membership not a year one! I was so furios I could not believe they really were trying to steal my money! I asked to speak to a supervisor and after going over the situation with him again, he said, fine we will refund you the 99.95$. I would never ever use their services again!
There is no way you were charged for an annual billing rate. You can’t get that unless you call and ask for it. I have an annual account and it’s only $79.95 and it has been for a long time. Get your facts straight.
Hey, how many of you idiots actually read the important information on the site before signing up? I did and it told me I had to CALL in to cancel within 9 days. I also noticed that it ASKED if I wanted to upgrade to a 3 bureau report for $24.95 and that it would charge me immediately for that. I pressed the button that said no thanks. You people who think this is a scam are too stupid for your own good. And that lawyer needs to do some research before she starts asking about a class action suit. It’s simple people, READ before you give someone your credit card info and quit complaining when you don’t.
Hi George Jetson. How long have you been working for those scumbags?
Asside from the fact that the credit reports really aren’t free….I believe what the real scam is are the people they have posting fake job openings and when you send them your resume they reply back and say somthing along these lines…
“Thank you so much for sending us your resume. We have reviewed and would like to set up and interview with you. Before we can set up an interview, due to past misuse of the company credit card we will need you to get a copy of your credit report. We recommend this site….”
Then guess what that site is! So, I fell for it the first time but then after the next 15 responses on jobs I got were exactly the same and even after I emailed them back to inform them I had my report just to see what happend…never heard another word.
Considering I am a single mom and truely needing to find a job and sending out resumes like crazy it is extremely frustrating when I waste my time sending my resumes and responded to the fake ads to get you to get a credit report and now I find out that it’s NOT REALLY FREE. I don’t really have the money to pay them! Something really needs to be done about this company!
yes, I agree Crystal. Unfortunately, they also use a similar scam by posting bogus apartment listings on Craigslist. The bogus postings outnumber the legitimate ones. Of course, each application must be accompanied by a “free” credit report from guess who. They are victimizing not only job seekers like yourself, but also people who are looking for a place for their family to live. I wish these scum could be sent to jail.
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