Does it hurt your credit score if you click on those "free credit report"?

Public Comments

1. No, you're allowed to check your own credit report without penalty.
2. Whenever u view ur own credit report, it never affects ur credit score...its actually a good idea to check it but sometimes there is some kind of catch to it being "free"..There is a website where it is actually free and it goes by what region ur state is in...ur supposed to be able to view all 3 credit agency reports free for I think a month or two...I think its freecreditreport.com
3. No. When you check your own credit it's whats called a soft pull and has no effect on your score. It's only when you apply for a loan or a credit card that you get whats called a hard pull and then it only cost you around 3-points. The exception to this is when you apply for a vehicle or a home loan. Then all of your inquiries are lumped into one as long as they are made in a 14-day period. They all show on your credit but you only get dinged for one pull.
4. Spifiman1 said it all.
5. no, only if someone Else does
6. Yes, it will. Most of the "free credit reports" you see online are actually offered by finance companies, and they are generally offering you a free copy of your credit report, in order to view your score to make you offers for financial services. It's a "sneaky" way to pull your credit to offer you a loan, without you realizing that is the purpose of it. The only way to be sure that you are pulling your own credit report, is to visit the website of the credit respositories directly for Transunion, Equifax, and Experian...and WATCH CLOSELY for the pop-ups so they don't get you off the website you are trying to reach.
7. Forget all those other answers I'll make it simple for you! There are two types of checks-one that pulls information for identity and personal information verification and one type that checks for issuance of credit. The information one is what the FREE credit score bureaus use and will not harm you. A credit issuance check is what the banks, loan company etc use & these will hurt you to a degree. Now keep in mind the credit bureaus have changed the way they score a little now and have recognized consumers are getting smarter at the way they shop for loans, with that said multiple hits within a 1 1/2-2 week period count as one hit now in most cases. So the consumer can shop for the best rates without fear that multiple credit checks will harm there score drastically. Hope that helps!
8. Nope. You are not penalized for inquiries on your own credit report.