Federal Trade Commission Takes On Bait And Switch Credit Report Scams
Ben Stein was axed by the New York Times last year for ethics violations when he appeared in a commercial for a bait and switch credit report scam. The ad claimed that consumers could get a free credit report, but in reality, they had to pay to see the real numbers.
Well, the FTC is now getting into the act and going after similar companies with some catchy commercials intended to emulate those of a popular advertising campaign by a similar bait and switch scam:
AnnualCreditReport.com is the ONLY authorized source to get your free annual credit report under federal law. The Fair Credit Reporting Act guarantees you access to a free credit report from each of the three nationwide reporting agencies — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — every twelve months. The Federal Trade Commission has received complaints from consumers who thought they were ordering their free annual credit report, but instead paid hidden fees or agreed to unwanted services. Don’t be fooled by TV ads, email offers, or online search results. Go to the authorized source when you request your free report. Read on...
Ok, so the ad is a little hokey, but the message is clear. I'm all for steering people to better alternatives and pointing out hackery when I can.
Glad to hear they're going after them. How long have these commercials been on? A year?
They set up stings for prostitution and drugs, but three corporations confess guilt on TV commercials and it takes them a year to begin a case?
Our government really is here to help us. protect and serve, etc.
Just wait for that CHANGE Obama promised, it's on it's way, really. He can only do so much, and he is still working his magic.
Now that the wars have been ended and all but a few of the Wall Street criminals convicted - along with our new green economy producing lots of high tech jobs, Rahmabama can now focus his attention on the rest of his agenda.
With Max Fuckus and Jerk Lieberman leading the way, the people should soon be dancing in the streets with joyous relief. Especially now that we Americans have a health care system like the rest of the world - where the people come first!
Rush Limbaugh is what a smart person thinks a stupid bigot sounds like.
Eight years of Bush, 30 years of repugs, 10 months of Obama. Did you flunk out of school? Jeez!
As Michael Moore put it, the police (federal or otherwise) don't go after corporate criminals because you can never get any good news footage of a cop chasing a Goldman Sachs executive down the street with his shirt off, or a police dog biting his leg as he tries to scramble over a chain-link fence.
because what they are doing is not illegal. They offer a service if you sign up for that service they will give you a free credit report. Like a commercial for a free dictionary, you go to the website and find out you can get your free dictionary, but you have to buy the set of encyclopedias to get it.
And the freecreditreport website has a link to the official one on the first page under important information.
Yes it is pretty much a scam but it is a legal one.
cost for ME to get MY credit history, short of printing/paper costs?
Why doesn't the organization have a site with a .org designation instead of a .com one?
Just curious. And pissed.
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
Unethical criminal Ben Stein is STILL appearing in these worthless ads.
.
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TswE_dN4qW0&fe...
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
You mean the FTC is actually doing something to protect CONSUMERS instead of stock holders??? I'm shocked! What's next? The FDA checking on food and drug safety? The SEC cracking down on pink sheet Ponzi schemes? The IRS going after millionaire tax cheats in caribbean tax havens instead of lower middle class wage earners? I'll hardly recognize this country once these guys are done.
I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK!
That was a horrible vid to watch. Jesus, I wish I had my soldering gun plugged in. I'd burn my eyes out to stop the pain of having seen that.
I don't watch many commercials. Then again, I don't watch much TV. When I did see this ad, freecreditreport.com, I figured they were try trying to sell me something. It is an ad and ads are there to sell me something I either don't need or want. I can't understand how anyone would be fooled by this.
It's all based on lies to create fictions to jack up interest rates and enslave Americans.
NUKE TUC!
NUKE EXPERIAN!
Nuke 'em all because they're all scumsucking parasites!
DIE!
Why the motherfucking FUCK do we put up with these bullshit credit reporting agencies? They do NOTHING for us and we have to PAY them to find out whether or not they've fucked up their reports to the fucking legal loan shark credit card companies, which will raise our interest rates whether our bullshit scores are high or not. Where's the teabagger outrage at this shit? Freedom lovers, my ass.
'really pissed. 'sorry for the language that's offensive to some, but there's so much shit going on that's far, far more offensive than the words that I use.
took just a few minutes
I'd feel much safer using something that ends in .gov, simply because there's always the possibility that I'd misspell something like anualcreditreport.com
I gave up on trying to get my credit report some time ago (from the freecreditreport site). I've heard of annualcreditreport but never used them, nice to know there is a reliable source.
When angry, count four, when very angry, swear.
-Mark Twain-
The real question is why freecreditreport.com wasn't registered for the real free credit report in the first place (at least as a redirect), since it's more intuitive. Given that the credit reporting agencies are also behind the fake schemes, it implies they planned the deception from the get-go.
people still use credit ? , the only reason for credit is to buy a house ( for most people , where did that lead ! ) all these little bs offshoots are nothing more than blood suckers . I had a credit card in 1971 , after 6 mos i took it back to the bank in two pieces , paid cash every since . What really drove this home was i was working my ass off and to cash my paycheck everyone was better dressed and their fingernails were clean ( not counting fingernail polish ) its like all the payday loans , i would live out of a dumpster before i would suppourt these assholes .
every time you throw a little mud , you lose a little ground .
NOGWBpolicyleft... @7:33PM Friday
Where are you blogging from,a swingset on a jr. high school playground? With all the cute little names you use for different Dems, you surely couldn't be any further along in school than the 6th or 7th grade,right?
Minor mistake here in refering to Ben Stein's commercials in the past tense. He's still making them, so it should read: "The ad CLAIMS that consumers CAN get a free credit report, but in reality, they HAVE to pay to see the real numbers."
Small quibble, I know, but let's not forget that Ben Stein is STILL a douchebag.
Besides the fact that I know you don't need the services of a company such as advertises on TV in order to get free credit reports (duh!), I find those commercials sooooooo obnoxious that if I WERE looking for a company to help me, I sure wouldn't choose one whose commercials are so irritating. I guess they think it's cute. In general, the more aggressively something is advertised, the crummier or more useless the product it is.
every time your credit is checked, it negatively impacts your credit. What a racket.
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