According to some sources, you can get a free credit report online anytime. But is this online credit report really free? The answer is yes and no. You can actually get one for free, but with many services, you have to give the site all kinds of personal information. Once they have your personal information, you'll can expect to receive numerous solicitations from then on, or perhaps (if they obtain your address) send you junk mail or annoying marketing phone calls. Unfortunately, often a free credit report online is really not free at all. The providing service will usually make you sign up for some offer, perhaps with a trial membership to a service that traces your credit and looks for irregularities, or they'll ask that you sign up for services that are totally unrelated to your free online credit report.

Why You Should Get One Now

Signing up for a free credit report online might also be worth it if you can find a way to get one that's low cost or cheap. And there are some instances where this is possible. Whatever, you are advised to see your credit report earliest, as all kinds of financial transactions affect your credit score. Remember that time you forgot to pay the newspaperman that last ten dollars when you changed addresses? That damaged your credit! The same thing with that time you made a late credit card payment. All of these things can and do hurt your credit, and will show up in your free credit report online. If, however, you don't get to see your credit report, chances are you'll probably never know about these problems until someday you go looking for credit. Therefore, taking all of the above into account, it's probably wise to spend at least some money and get your free credit report online, if only to put your mind at rest.

Identity Theft - Don't Wait UnTil It's Too Late

Another reason you might want to get your free credit report online is to prevent the possibility of identity theft. For all you know someone could be stealing your credit information right under your nose. They could, in fact, be using your name and identity to buy cellular phones or order credit cards. They could even be renting homes, pretending that everything is in your name. It happens every day, and it could happen to you. The first step to stop these egregious and destructive identity thefts is to get your free credit report online, so that at least you'll know if it is happening. Actually getting your credit restored is much more difficult after the event, so it's important that you get a free credit report

online to track whether anything like this is happening right now.

Call To Action!

Restoring your credit once your identity has been stolen can take considerable time and money, not to mention stress. Basically, you have to prove to your supposed creditors that it was not you who bought whatever goods and services were obtained in your name. This is no easy task, and can take at least six months to a year. Don't say you haven't been warned!