Is a Credit Card Required to Get a Free Credit Report: Part 2 

While it was reported that you can request a free report on the companies websites, I couldn't find any way to do so without joining their monthly service which you then have to cancel within 30 days or you end up paying for your free report. If you want to go directly to the reporting companies, you can try to call to request a free report:

Experian at 888-397-3742,

Equifax at 1-800-685-1111 or

TransUnion at 800-888-4213

With annualcreditreport.com (if it's available) or by sending an Annual Credit Report Request Form to the Annual Credit Report Request Service, you are able to request reports from any or all of the three credit reporting companies. With any other 'free' option for accessing your credit reports, it looks like you either must sign up with all three or buy an extended (and more expensive) service that will provide access to reports from all three of the credit reporting companies.

You can visit this FTC page for more information and to get a PDF copy of the annual request form to download, print and mail - www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/credit/ycr_free_reports.htm

If you're under time pressure and have just got to have that report right now, it looks like the best option is to go is one (or all) of the 3 sites above and join. Sure, you'll have to give them a credit card and maybe more personal information than you like, but, face it, they've already got information about you that even you don't remember. However, going to any other site (than one of these three) would means sharing your information in places you really don't have to. You also pneed to be careful to avoid imposter or phishing scam sites.

Identity theft is real, very unpleasant and can be highly destructive. And take a lot of time and effort to straighten out. Be careful that the site you end up is the one you meant to go to.

If you require close tracking of your credit reporting, one thing you can do is request your annual free reports individually, spacing your requests over the year. All three companies will have similar, though probably not identical information since they may use different source.  Spacing out requests lets you check more frequently without the need to buy reports or pay for an ongoing membership at one or more of the credit reporting agencies.

You may also want to take a look at the FTC publication "Your Access to Free Credit Reports" which you can see at www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.htm

So, the answer to the title is No, you don't have to use a credit card to access your free credit report. However, right now while I'm writing this, you can't do it online without one. I imagine that someday the annualcreditreport.com website will again be up and running, so check that site and see if it's back before paying or signing up online.  And don't forget snail mail. It takes more time, but you can always use the mail or call (1-877-322-8228) and get your free credit reports through the Annual Credit Report Request Service.

Use your head on this and don't get stuck paying for something you don't need or want.  If you do join up on a thirty day free membership to get your free report, as soon as you get your report, cancel it.

The law requires these companies to provide you with a free annual credit report. But they aren't stupid and on their business websites they're clever enough to use that free report as bait for a monthly membership. Since some people always forget to cancel or just put it off, they can squeeze some extra money out of folks while meeting a legal requirement. On top of that they also have a bunch of more expensive plans they can push.  These plans have all kinds of neat features that almost nobody really needs. Still, people fall for it and end up spending money on something that's basically useless to them. Stay smart and only get exactly what you really need.  If you really do have a use for a monthly membership - or the features of one of the more expensive plans, then they're offering a service that's valuable to you and paying for it makes sense.  Otherwise, if you join, remember to cancel.