Questionable ads question a newspaper's integrity.

The ad prominently displaced on the opening screen of The London Free Press Web page read, "View your credit score now". Just go to Free Credit Reports in Canada. It was clear this was a free service; There was no charge.

Interested, I clicked; I got a screen asking for my name, complete address plus e-mail. This seemed reasonable. How else could they provide my credit score? Reasonable or not, I balked. I noticed the name TransUnion in the top right of the screen.

I googled "TransUnion" and discovered this was a major player in the credit reporting business in Canada. The other company is Equifax Canada. I also came across a CBC News in Depth report: "Checking your credit rating".

The first thing I learned from the CBC was that credit reports are free:

"You can ask for a free copy of your credit report by mail. . . . Complete details on how to order credit reports are available online." (Here are the links: TransUnion and Equifax Canada.)

So, what's up with the whole Free Credit Reports in Canada stuff? What's with the ad on The London Free Press Web site? Before continuing, I decided to do a little googling. I found a post on the blog Moo's virtual world: Privacy Protection Plus is a fraud. This privacy protection name was a new wrinkle, but interested I read on:

I read the blogger's post and then scanned the comments:

"I renewed my classmates.com account using my Visa. . . . 1st mistake. I don't recall being asked about any Privacy Protection or 24-hour Assistance. Just received this months bill and that I was being billed 19.95 for Privacy Proctection and another 19.95 for 24-hour Assistance. I called my credit card comp and they couldn't help me as it is Sunday. I tried contacting the company Privacy Proctection and again they are closed. I can't go online cuz I don't have a username and password. . . . what a scam. . . . I tried contacting Classmates and that was hopeless. I am not impressed with their underhanded techniques. How dare they allow another company to have access to my personal info and especially my credit card info? . . . ya I am PO'd and will be dealing with this first thing in the morning. Then I will be canceling my credit card.

posted by Anonymous"

With my curiosity peaking, I got brave and went back to the original Free Press ad and clicked. I wondered if I would come across an offer for Privacy Protection. Yes, it was offered on the second screen. I filled in the fields and unclicked the box indicating my lack of interest in Privacy Protection. I clicked "Get Yours Now!"

I didn't get mine now; I got another screen asking for personal information. I also got another automatically checked box for Privacy Protection. I filled in the fields, I unclicked the PP box again and I clicked "Continue".

Still no report. Now they wanted my credit card number. Odd. These are the folk checking on my credit worthiness. The only reason they would want me to supply my credit card info is if they were intending on possibly billing me for something. I read the small type:

"By . . . clicking the 'View Report' button, I confirm that I have read and agree to the Offer Details on the right side of this page . . . for Privacy Protection Plus."

That's right, it appears if I view the report, I also agree to take Privacy Protection Plus even though I unclicked the box each time it was offered. I read the "Offer details" on the right side of the page:

"Simply click 'View Report' on this page to claim your FREE Credit Profile and Score and activate your trial membership in Privacy Protection Plus. After your 7-day FREE trial period it’s just $29.95 plus applicable taxes."

Let's be very clear. Much of the remaining small print spelled out how to cancel the Privacy Protection Plus plan. But still, what an iffy way to get folk to take a one week free trial and end up getting hit by an automatic charge to their credit card. I didn't continue. I had lost all trust.

But I had learned how to obtain my credit card profile; It would only cost me the price of a couple of stamps and business envelopes. The reports themselves would be free!


Questions Raised

This whole thing raises a number of questions:

1:   Why do papers like The London Free Press accept questionable ads? These stunts make me question all the ads featured in The Free Press. This stuff tarnishes the brand.

Years ago I complained to the editorial department at The Freeps about the car ads claiming buyers were being offered zero percent loans on certain new cars. I made quite a pest of myself, as I am sure you can imagine.

In the end, the editor with whom I was dealing could waste no more time listening to my arguments. He told  me straight out that the paper was not going to carry any opinion piece detailing the truth behind the questionable car company ads. The car companies bought too many expensive full-page, full-colour ads. Such great advertisers were untouchable.

Eventually, I believe, the government stepped in and forced the car companies to publish the true cost of their zero interest loans. In some cases the true rate, revealed in the small print, was astounding. After leaving the paper, I was able to blog about this. I had more power to reveal the truth than the newspapers when it came to this story.

And there was actually a book written on this: The Zero-Percent Financing Scam. But there was never a story in The Free Press.

2:   How does one obtain a credit report?

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada has a posted PDF file, "Understanding Your Credit Report and Credit Score". Read it. It's rather interesting. Did you know:

• Having too much available credit can sometimes harm your credit score.
• Charging more than 35 percent of your available credit limit could damage your credit score.
• Using your credit cards regularly builds a healthy credit history.

According to the government, it’s a good idea to request a copy of your credit report from the two credit-reporting agencies at least once a year. This ensures you have not been the victim of identity fraud.

Because your credit information can be kept by more than one credit-reporting agency, and because those agencies do not necessarily share information, it’s important to check both credit reports carefully, all three if you live in Quebec.


Equifax Canada
National Consumer Relations
P.O. box 190, Station Jean-Talon,
Montreal, Quebec H1S 2Z2
Tel. (toll-free): 1-800-465-7166
Fax: 514-355-8502
Web site: www.equifax.ca

TransUnion Canada
All provinces except Quebec:
Consumer Relations Centre
P.O. Box 338, LCD 1
Hamilton, Ontario L8L 7W2
Tel. (toll-free): 1-866-525-0262
Fax: 905-527-0401
Web site: www.transunion.ca

For Quebec Residents:
TransUnion (Echo Group)
1 Place Laval, Suite 370
Laval, Quebec H7N 1A1
Tel. (toll-free): 1-877-713-3393
Fax: 905-527-0401
Web site: www.transunion.ca