I hope this note finds you well.

My name is Monica, and I’m writing on behalf of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection to let you know about two new videos highlighting the differences between AnnualCreditReport.com – the only authorized source for free annual credit reports – and other sites that only claim to offer “free” credit reports. You and The Better Credit Blog readers know the importance of checking your credit report each year as a step towards improving and maintaining your credit, which is why I thought you might be interested in the videos and in learning more about AnnualCreditReport.com.

Despite the deceiving jingles and musical claims of some TV commercials, the only authorized source to get your free annual credit report under federal law is AnnualCreditReport.com. Other sites require users to pay hidden fees or agree to additional services in order to get a free credit report. If consumers don’t cancel the service during a short trial period, they’re likely to pay membership fees. The FTC encourages consumers not to pay for something they can get for free.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act guarantees consumer access to a free credit report from each of the three nationwide reporting agencies – Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion – every twelve months. With AnnualCreditReport.com, visitors have access to truly free credit reports, with no hidden fees or trial memberships. As mentioned, the FTC has released two videos highlighting the differences between AnnualCreditReport.com and other sites that claim to offer “free” credit reports. Both videos are available at www.ftc.gov/freereports and on YouTube .

I hope you’ll check out the videos, and please feel free to post and share them with Better Credit Blog readers. I’m sure they’ll appreciate knowing about the authorized and free way to get this important information, especially in these difficult economic times.

Please let me know if you have any questions or if you would like more information.