19 Nov Feds squash “free credit score” scheme that wasn’t really free

The feds have squashed a scheme that offered consumers so-called “free” credit scores, but then billed them $29.95 for a credit monitoring program the customers said they never ordered.

The Federal Trade Commission said the programs — MyCreditHealth and ScoreSense — were marketed through at least 50 websites, including FreeScore360.com, FreeScoreOnline.com and ScoreSense.com. The FTC said the companies purchased ads on search engines so their info would appear high in internet searches when consumers searched for “free credit report.”

One such ad said: “View your latest Credit Scores from All 3 Bureaus in 60 seconds for $0!” the FTC said.

According to the complaint and the FTC web site, the companies “failed to clearly disclose that consumers who accessed their credit score through their websites would be enrolled in a credit monitoring program and incur monthly charges until they called the defendants to cancel.”

It said at least 210,000 consumers contacted banks, credit card companies, law enforcement agencies, and the Better Business Bureau to complain about the scheme.

You can get your free credit reports at annualcreditreport.com, but you’ll have to pay for your score.

You can learn more about how canceling a credit card can hurt your credit score here.