Check your credit score Friday

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Wood County UW-Extension Family Living is promoting the “Check Your Free Credit Report Campaign: 2/2, 6/6, 10/10,” to remind people to view their three free reports each year on Feb. 2, June 6 and Oct. 10.

Each date represents a day to set aside five minutes to pull one credit report from one credit bureau, according to J. Michael Collins, UW-Extension family and consumer economics specialist and director of the UW-Madison Center for Financial Security.

Consumers are responsible for checking the accuracy of their credit reports, which are prepared by the private firms Equifax, Experian and TransUnion and sold to other businesses, according to a news release from the extension office.

There is only one legitimate source for a free credit report, and there are many imposters. AnnualCreditReport.com and its mailing address and phone number are the only truly no-cost ways to obtain the free credit reports everybody is entitled to by law, according to Collins.

Other websites claim to offer free reports, scores or monitoring, but they often charge significant one-time or ongoing fees. Unsolicited e-mails, pop-ups or phone calls offering free scores or reports are not official.

Checking one free credit report every four months lets people do their own credit monitoring without having to pay $10 or even $20 a month, which are typical amounts charged for these services, according to the release.

Contact Sarah Siegel, Wood County UW-Extension Family Living Educator, 715-421-8440, or email familyliving@co.wood.us for more information.