Monitoring and reviewing your credit report can help prevent and detect Identity Theft.  The only way to get your free report is through a centralized source, a combined effort by the three national bureaus. Free reports are available through a dedicated web site, www.annualcreditreport.com. It is recommended that if you do visit this site to order your free credit report, you should close your Internet browser after obtaining your report to be sure your transaction is secure and your personal information is not at risk. Or you can call toll-free 877-322-8228 or mail a completed Annual Credit Report Request Form to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. The form can also be downloaded from www.annualcreditreport.com. or from the Federal Trade Commission’s website, www.ftc.gov/credit.  It also can be requested by calling the FTC’s Consumer Response Center at 1-877-FTC-HELP.

Never visit a site you find through a search for terms like “free credit reports,” “free credit scores,” or “free credit checks.”