NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - A new federal law that entitles consumers to free credit reports sounds great, but the devil is definitely in the details.

The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), which went into effect this week, entitles consumers to access to one free credit report from each of the three major credit unions every year.

But experts say getting the info is made difficult, if not impossible, by advertising come-ons and confusing pitches. Here's how to navigate the minefield.

Okay, here's the catch: it doesn't all happen at once.

As of December 1st, residents of 13 western states will be able to get the free reports. The states are Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The rest of us will have to wait.

Beginning March 1, 2005, residents of mid-western states Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin can get their free paperwork.

On June 1, 2005, southern states Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas get the privilege.

Easterners will have to be the most patient. On September 1, 2005 Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia get their turn -- as do Puerto Rico and all U.S. territories.

Keep in mind that in seven states residents already have access to one free report a year. Those states are Colorado, Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey and Vermont, so if you live there, you don't have to wait.

It seems like a no-brainer. You just go to the credit bureau's Web site to get your free report, right?

Well, not exactly. If you go to Experian.com, you can get a free report if you enroll in their "Credit Manager" program. You'll get your report and after the 30-day trial period, $9.95 will be automatically billed to your credit card. To avoid being charged, consumers have to cancel the service in time. At Transunion.com, you can get your "free" credit score along with a "3-in-1" credit report for $29.95.

To get your report, consumers should go to www.AnnualCreditReport.com, a Web site set up by the Federal Trade Commission. You can also call 1-877-322-8228 or write to P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, Georgia, 30348-5281.

There's one more catch to tell you about. While you do get your credit report for free, you won't get your credit score, the magic number lenders use to figure out how creditworthy you are. For that, you'll have to pay. You can get your credit score from any of the three agencies, and the cost is generally about $10.

Once you get a hold of your report, the first thing you'll want to do is check it for errors so you can report them and dispute them.

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If you find a mistake, write to the agency immediately detailing how the report is wrong and provide all the information you can in the form of receipts and cancelled checks to back up your claim.

In your letter be sure to include your full name, mailing address, Social Security number, date of birth, the item in question as well as the reason for your disagreement. A good idea is sending the letter via certified mail, since this way you know the agency has received it. Save the receipt as well as copies of all pertinent information.

The agency has 30 days to investigate your complaint. If you find some negative information that is not a mistake, it's not with you forever. For example, declaring bankruptcy is supposed to be removed from the report after 10 years.

It's also a good idea to check and make sure there are no unfamiliar credit card accounts, a possible sign of identity theft. Identity thieves sometimes open new accounts under the names of unsuspecting victims and use them to make purchases.

If you are the victim of identity theft and it's hurting your credit report, there are a few steps you can take. Log onto www.idtheftcenter.org. This is the Web site for the Identity Theft Resource Center, a non-profit organization. There is a section that addresses collection agencies and identity theft.

Write letters to the collection agencies and send along any documentation you have as proof. For more information and credit bureau contact info, check Experian's Web site, www.experian.com or call 1-888-397-3742. Equifax's is www.equifax.com or call 1-800-685-1111 and TransUnion's is www.transunion.com or call 1-800-916-8800.

Paying your bills on time is the best way to maintain a clean credit report and respectable score.

Make sure your good work is being recognized by keeping a close eye on your report. If you are using credit heavily you may consider checking your credit about every few months.

Besides checking your report regularly for errors, there are several other steps you can take to prevent any further damage to your score and even improve it.

For one thing, be as punctual as possible on paying your bills. Late payments tend to have negative effects on your score. Watch your debt. Try to keep your balances 50 percent below your available credit. If you have a $1,000 limit, keep it below $500.

Also, try not to jump from card to card. If you're in the habit of switching to another credit card, just because you are running out of room on another, stop now. Every time you apply for new credit, an inquiry is noted on your report. This can weigh down your score.

Finally, one bit of advice for married couples: If you share a card or cosign any loan, you are liable for each other's debts. It is important for each of you to have at least one card or loan in your own name. It will be important to have a separate credit history in the unfortunate event of divorce or death.

The FTC says on its Web site that www.annualcreditreport.com will not use e-mails, phone calls or pop-up ads to elicit personal information for a free credit report. They're warning consumers that e-mails and pop-up ads claiming to be from annualcreditreport.com are not authorized and could be scams.

They advise consumers to close their Internet browser after obtaining their report just to be sure their transaction is secure. For more information, visit www.ftc.gov/credit.

To file a complaint or report unauthorized e-mails or possible scams, call their toll-free number 877-FTC-HELP or use the complaint form at www.ftc.gov.

Gerri Willis is a personal finance editor for CNN Business News. Willis also hosts CNNfn's Open House, weekdays from Noon to 12:30 p.m. (ET). E-mail comments to 5tips@cnn.com.