SAN ANTONIO -- Many of you are probably familiar with the commercials that feature a band, stuck in a slump, singing about how they should have gone to FreeCreditReport.com.
The commercials are pretty funny, but the U.S. government is not laughing. The Federal Trade Commission believes the ads are diverting people from a free government Web site just to hook customers into a subscription.
Government officials say it is a waste of money, and they have their own video to make sure consumers are made aware. In the video, the 'free credit band' is being spoofed.
The government video says, "Other sites may turn your head. They say they're free. Don't be misled. Once you're in their tangled web, they'll sell you something else instead."
The Federal Trade Commission produced the videos (check them out below), showing a similar band which sings a warning for consumers not to be misled and that FreeCreditReport.com is not free.
Subscribers pay $14.95 a month for alerts on changes in their credit score. The government says the average person does not need constant updates.
More importantly, FreeCreditReport.com is not to be confused with AnnualCreditReport.com. AnnualCreditReport.com is the government's Web site where you can get free credit reports three times a year.
Click here to go to
AnnualCreditReport.com.
