Web sites required to disclose free credit report site

Starting Friday, a new Federal Trade Commission rule will require Web sites advertising free reports to direct consumers to the government-approved annualcredit

report.com. TV and radio ads must do the same starting Sept. 1.

The ads typically don't disclose that the advertised free reports are part of a package of services that can cost as much as $14.95 a month. Consumers may not realize they can get free reports with no strings attached.

The new rules are a mostly overlooked piece of last year's massive credit card reform bill, the Sacramento Bee reported. The FTC said that in too many cases the advertising was misleading and duped consumers into monthly fees for credit monitoring and other services that many didn't want or didn't know they were signing up for.

"People all the time ask, 'Why am I being charged when all I wanted was a free credit report?' " said John Ulzheimer, consumer education president for Credit.com, a personal finance Web site.

Now that it will be easier to find your free credit report, it's important to know who else can see it and how it can be used.