Free annual credit report

Getting your credit report is the first step to repairing your credit, something that a lot of folks are doing these days, according to a story in the Daily News.

"At a time when even a blemish on a credit report can doom a car loan or a line of credit, consumers are flocking to credit repair companies for help in repairing the damage," the story says. "While credit-repair experts can't wipe out debts or erase the results of overspending, they can identify problem areas and suggest ways to improve a client's credit worthy status."

Get a free annual credit report through the Federal Trade Commission. The site explains how it works:

"A recent amendment to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion - to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. But there's only one online source authorized to do so. That's annualcreditreport.com. Beware of other sites that may look and sound similar."

Read about fake credit reports and free trial offers that sound appealing but may be a bum deal. You can also read the site en espanol.