So its website may not come with its own catchy jingle, but the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) knows credit reports. Don’t fall victim to that curly-haired French Canadian who sings for FreeCreditReport.com. The FTC sponsored site is the ONLY authorized source for a truly free annual credit report.

AnnualCreditReport.com is free by federal law and supported by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. By using this government source, you are guaranteed access to your credit report from the 3 nationwide credit reporting companies: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. You may stagger each report over twelve months, or request all 3 at one time. After twelve months, your access to the report is reinstated.

The FTC offers a free and legit way to obtain your credit report. I wouldn’t recommend using FreeCreditReport.com or the newest web addition, FreeCreditScore.com. To reiterate, the FTC sponsored site is the ONLY authorized source for a truly free annual credit report. A representative for the FTC wrote,  “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” (Brandweek).

And as far as the jingles go? I stand corrected… The FTC has its own spoofs of the famous commercials. Check them out, as well as your annual credit report, at FTC.gov.