Credit reports are free for the asking

Q: I tried calling a free credit-report service to get a free credit report, and I think it’s a fraud because it’s $12.95 if you don’t cancel it in 30 days. Do you have a better number? — E.H., Fayetteville

A: We do indeed.

You actually called a credit-monitoring business. It does indeed provide customers with free credit reports — but it then snags their dollars with a monthly credit-monitoring fee if they don’t cancel the service within a set amount of time.

If you just want a free credit report, you can get that without the strings. Order it online at www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling (877) 322–8228.

Both the Web site and the phone number are operated by the three major credit-reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — which are required to provide a free credit report each year to any U.S. resident who asks.

You can order reports from each agency at the same time or space out your requests over a year’s time — it’s up to you.

You can contact Equifax, Experian and TransUnion individually to order your free credit reports, but that’s a bit more of a pain.

Q: I heard that an organ donor’s family was going to be charged something to donate the organs. Is that true? Does that happen? — W.M., Raeford

A: No way.

All costs related to donation of organs and tissues are paid by the person who receives the organ or organs, usually through his or her insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, according to the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The donor’s family isn’t charged any of those costs.

Each day, about 77 people receive an organ transplant. At the same time, though, another 19 people die while waiting for organs.

For lots more information on the subject, check out http://www.organdonor.gov.

Q: Where can I purchase a deerstalker hat like the one worn by Sherlock Holmes? — T.S., Dunn

A: Elementary, our dear T.S. — go online, do a search for “deerstalker” and explore some of the many retail sites whose links will pop up.

Some of the ones we saw included Mens-Hats.com, VillageHatShop.com and the amusingly named HatsInTheBelfry.com.

But — not to ruin it for you — the original Sherlock Holmes stories never said the detective wore a deerstalker, according to Sherlockian.Net.

Instead, in “The Adventure of Silver Blaze,” he’s said to wear an “ear-flapped travelling cap.” An illustrator then drew him in a deerstalker and thus that part of the legend was born.

Note: Holmes never said “Elementary, my dear Watson” in the original stories, either.

Q: Who can I register a complaint with about a doctor and his office? — N.T., Fayetteville

A: Talk to the N.C. Medical Board, which licenses and regulates physicians.

You can do that via an e-mail to complaints@ncmedboard.org. Or call (800) 253-9653.
Live Wire seeks to answer questions of general interest and consumer topics within two weeks. Initials are used to identify questioners when names are given. Contact Live Wire at livewire@fayobserver.com or 486-3516.