Check Your Credit Report -- For Free

From the Money & Work section of the AARP web site:

Check your credit report once a year. It's a credit healthy thing to do—and now it's free. Creditors determine whether to give you credit or a loan—and how much you will pay—based on information in your credit history... Even if you think your credit history is good, you still should get a copy of your report. You might find anything from old accounts to errors to outright identity theft.

The article lists www.annualcreditreport.com for obtaining free credit reports. Some of the best advice in the article:

• Only order from this official source.
• Don’t open emails or click on pop-ups that offer a free credit report. This could be a scam to steal your personal information.
• Never give a credit card number for a “free” credit report.
• You don’t have to purchase anything to get a “free” credit report. Many supposedly free credit reports will cost you money.
• Don’t contact the consumer reporting companies directly to get this free annual report opportunity.