Keep an eye on your credit report

Yesterday I reported that CitiFinancial lost customer data on nearly 4 million customers, a potential field day for identity thieves. Fortunately, LST readers are on the case. Commenter JH left the following comment, which I print here in its entirety:

Residents of the South will have the right to order free copies of their credit reports starting Tuesday (01 June 2005). The free access is required under a law enacted by Congress in 2003. Since last year, the law has been gradually phased in throughout different parts of the country, starting in the West. Those living in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas will be able to obtain a free credit report per year from each of the three nationwide credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union. The Federal Trade Commission says the reports can be requested all at once or can be staggered. While consumers will have free, more streamlined access to their credit reports, they must pay to receive their credit score, a separate component. There are three ways to get them: *Click on the Web site www.annualcreditreport.com and fill out a request. *Call 877-322-8228. *Print out the annual credit report request form at www.ftc.gov/credit and mail it to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. The FTC recommends that if an error is found in a report, consumers should write the reporting company to explain the situation.

I encourage everyone to keep a watchful eye on their credit report, particularly in this age of identity theft and fraud. Thanks for the tip, JH!