As the U.S. begins to feel the economic recovery, credit ratings are becoming more and more vital. But people are having trouble finding a reliable way to obtain them. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is accepting suggestions through Nov. 30 for how to make it easier for consumers to obtain a free credit report.
The media are battling about whether or not the current process is clear enough. We are looking at perspectives from The New York Times, The Consumerist, the Federal Trade Commission and WSYR.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has spent $100,000 this year on parody commercials to caution consumers about the dangers of credit report scams.
FTC parody advertisement (FTC)
The FTC is attacking ads such as the popular freecreditreport.com TV commercials. While they may be catchy, many people who use the online service say they get caught in a scam.
ABC News affiliate WSYR in Syracuse reports on the FTC’s position. Humorous ads often lead consumers to the wrong resources.
“The Federal Trade Commission says these ads and others like it are confusing and misleading, and they’re looking to change the law to require more honesty.”
The New York Times’ Ron Lieber spoke with Michael Schwartz, a consumer whose ‘free’ credit report came at a price.
“The word ‘free credit report’ is implied over here. The only point about a credit-monitoring service is here, in we’ll call a fine print. In order to get this free credit report, you’re also signing up for a monitoring service of $14.95 per month.”
One reason those ads have been so effective is the government’s free credit-report site. AnnualCreditReport.com, does not make it easy for consumers to find the real, free deal, says Consumerist blogger Chris Walters.
“Hell, there are even ads (sorry, ‘sponsor’ links) on the home page, the one place where you'd hope for the least consumer confusion.”
Ty Taylor, the president of Experian’s Consumer Direct division, defended his company’s practices in the New York Times. He thinks Experian’s practices are clear to consumers, even when accessed through other sites like freecreditreport.com.
“You get a free credit report and free score for test-driving our product...We’ve always felt that it’s been very upfront and a fair opportunity for the consumer to become more aware and comfortable with the credit reporting concept.”
What do you think? Is obtaining a free credit report an easy process? What changes could make the process clearer for consumers? We’d like to hear your opinion.
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