** Protect YOUR Identity!**

The best way to protect your identity is to know if your credit has been compromised! GET A COPY OF YOUR CREDIT REPORT! It's your best defense against identity theft and it's free!

The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion), to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, once every 12 months. You may request all three at once or stagger them every three months. HOWEVER ~ to protect yourself from criminals & imposters pretending to offer free credit reports, follow these precautions:

Æ     Order your report directly through the Federal Trade Commission website, www.ftc.gov. A legitimate link is located on the left hand side of their front page. 

Æ     If you would like to order by phone or mail, contact the Annual Credit Report Request Service at 1-877-322-8228. You may also print the request form or order a credit report from www.annualcreditreport.com however, any misspelling of this site will be an imposter site. Please be sure to check your spelling and send the completed form to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. 

Æ     Never reply or respond to e-mails, pop ups or phone calls offering to process a free credit report on behalf of annualcreditreport.com or the above listed credit reporting agencies. If you are contacted, it’s a scam. These agencies will not contact you. It is your responsibility to contact and request your credit report.

Æ     If you are requested to give a credit card number or any type of payment during the credit report request process, don’t. You are on an imposter site and these people are looking to scam you.

We strongly encourage you to take advantage of your rights under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act and request copies of your credit report. Should you have any questions reading or understanding your credit report, we will gladly assist you.