The Web sites promoting such deals only provide a "free" credit report when you buy your credit score.

Freecreditreport.com, the most egregious of these misleading Web sites, is owned by Experian, one of the three major credit reporting agencies.

In August 2005 it paid the Federal Trade Commission $950,000 to settle allegations of deceptive advertising. It paid another $300,000 in February after being accused of new violations that broke the terms of its initial settlement.

Freecreditreport.com charges $14.95 for an Experian credit report and credit score based on that history. Reports and scores from all three credit-reporting agencies cost $39.95.

Annualcreditreport.com is the site the credit agencies established to comply with the federal law that requires each of them to provide one free history a year.

Since the law doesn't require the agencies to provide your credit score for free, they don't.

You have to pay for that. Here's where to find out more about your rights and what to do once you've gotten a free credit report.