The Consumers Union has some great information about the new free credit reports that are going to be available starting December 1st.  Here are several links from their site to help you get many of your questions answered.  If you don't already have their site bookmarked, then you might want to visit them at: http://www.consumersunion.org

	How And When Can I Get My Free Consumer Credit Report?
	How do I order?
	How long should it take and where to complain?
	What are some other rights created by the FACT Act? New rights for victims of identity theft Military Active Duty alerts Free reports from nationwide consumer specialty reporting agencies
	How do I read my consumer credit report?
	How can I fix errors?
	Can I fix my credit with "credit repair" services?
	What should I do if I become a victim of identity theft?
	What can the consumer credit reporting agencies do with my personally identifiable information?
	Do I need to buy anything in order to get my free consumer credit reports?
	What is a Credit Score? How can I get my credit score from a lender? How is my credit score calculated? How can I monitor my own credit?
	What is Credit Monitoring?

Read the full article here.

Excerpt:

"Beginning December 1, 2004 consumers living in the western U.S. will have the right to order a free copy of their consumer credit report thanks to a new federal law adopted by Congress in 2003. Consumers elsewhere in the nation will get the same right over the next year as the law is phased in across the country.

Your credit is one of your most important assets. Having good credit means you should have more options to borrow money at the lowest cost and from the best lenders. It also means that others who look at your credit to decide whether they will serve you, such as landlords, insurance companies, or even prospective employers, are less likely to turn you away or penalize you because you have poor credit.

Take the first step to find out where you stand in the credit world. Get a copy of your consumer credit report and credit score.

Your consumer credit report should contain accurate and up to date information about your credit history and behavior. Having your consumer credit report and credit score in hand and reviewing it lets you see what your creditors or those who base decisions on your credit will see. If you discover mistakes, you can have them corrected. Reviewing your consumer credit report can also alert you if someone has stolen your identity."