| 'Security Risk' Blocks U.S. Troops Overseas from Free Credit Report Site
No Free Online Access for Millions of Americans YONKERS, N.Y., Oct. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Millions of U.S. citizens outside the country -- including several hundred thousand members of the armed forces -- are not permitted to see their personal credit information on the Web site set up by law to provide free access, over security concerns that an offshore user might create. Four years ago, the U.S. Congress mandated creating the http://www.annualcreditreport.com site that gives consumers free access to one report per year from each of the three major credit agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. The law that created that site, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 -- known as FACTA, or the FACT Act -- was designed to protect U.S.
For more information
Generally, you will need to freeze at all three bureaus - TransUnion, Equifax and Experian - to make it effective. It's possible, however, that a bureau doesn't have a report on you - and it's silly to pay to freeze something that doesn't exist. So before you apply, get a copy of your free annual credit report from each bureau to see who has a report on you. You will also want to check the freeze terms at each bureau before deciding. How to apply: TransUnion has its system up and running. Send your name, Social Security number and a credit card number and expiration date (for the $10 charge) to TransUnion, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, Calif., 92834-6790. If you are a victim of ID theft, freezes and thaws are free. For more information, call 1-888-909-8872.
The Hightower Report
It's always impressive to see a politician take an unbending stand on principle, so I salute George W. for going against popular opinion by vetoing the State Children's Health Insurance Program bill, which would have extended health coverage to some 6 million uninsured children in our country. Bush said that what irked him about this children's health proposal is the principle of providing government-financed coverage, which he derided as "federalized" medicine. George, you see, is a die-hard privatization ideologue, and he insists that people should get their health care from the free market, not the government. The vast majority of his Republican colleagues in Congress agreed, voting to uphold his veto of the children's bill. This news prompted Alan, one of our stalwart readers in Fort Collins, Colo., to suggest a national campaign in support of this principled stand the Republicans in Washington, D.C.
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