Your Free Credit Report as of December 1, 2004

A recent amendment to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. Starting December 1, 2004, consumers in 13 Western states including California will be able to begin making requests by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com, or by calling 877-322-8228, or by mailing a standardized form, to obtain their once-a-year free report. Other states are phased in at later dates throughout 2005.

To inform consumers about their state’s eligibility and help answer questions they may have about the consumer reporting companies’ new service, the Federal Trade Commission has published a new Facts for Consumers brochure, “Your Access to Free Credit Reports.” The alert explains why it is important for consumers to monitor their credit history, how to request a report and how to dispute any errors.

The FTC’s alert is available at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.htm. For more information,visit www.ftc.gov/credit.