Bait And Switch Credit Reports

Bait And Switch Credit Report Scams

Ben Stein was axed by the New York Times last year for ethics violations
when he appeared in a commercial for a bait and switch credit report scam.
The ad claimed that consumers could get a free credit report, but in
reality, they had to pay to see the real numbers.

http://crooksandliars.com/logan-murphy/new-york-times-give-ben-stein-boot-ci

Well, the FTC is now getting into the act and going after similar companies
with some catchy commercials intended to emulate those of a popular
advertising campaign by a similar bait and switch scam:

AnnualCreditReport.com is the ONLY authorized source to get your free
annual credit report under federal law. The Fair Credit Reporting Act
guarantees you access to a free credit report from each of the three
nationwide reporting agencies - Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion - every
twelve months. The Federal Trade Commission has received complaints from
consumers who thought they were ordering their free annual credit report,
but instead paid hidden fees or agreed to unwanted services. Don't be fooled
by TV ads, email offers, or online search results. Go to the authorized
source when you request your free report.

Ok, so the ad is a little hokey, but the message is clear. I'm all for
steering people to better alternatives and pointing out hackery when I can.

Read on...  http://www.ftc.gov/freereports

Glad to hear they're going after them. How long have these commercials been
on? A year?

They set up stings for prostitution and drugs, but three corporations
confess guilt right on TV commercials and it takes BushCo 8 years to begin a
case?

As Michael Moore put it, the police (federal or otherwise) don't go after
corporate criminals because you can never get any good FOX news footage of a
cop chasing a Bush CEO or Goldman Sachs executive down the street with his
shirt off, with a crack pipe and a police dog biting at his legs as he dives
over a chain-link fence surrounding his 80 acre estate.
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