Thanks Belinda but too late!! I guess we are related after all.I jumped the gun and sent it out before checking it out also............................ chuckle.. A good genealogy friend sent me the thanks.....then the truth. Sorry about the email. I should've checked it out myself! Belinda This is from hoaxbusters.com: Credit Info Opt Out Hoax September 2001 This hoax was started by someone who has confused some federal laws. A very nice explanation of the confusion and the laws is available on the Privacy Rights <http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/optout_truth.htm> Clearinghouse web site. First, companies have always been able to sell or give away information about you. A new law required companies to inform their customers as to what their privacy policies were by July 1, 2000. What they do with the information they collect from you must be disclosed in that policy. If you don't want them selling your personal information you must check each privacy policy for information on how to opt out or just not do business with them. The phone number given in the hoax is used by the major credit reporting bureaus to allow you to opt out from receiving pre-approved credit offers. That is, credit card companies buy credit reports on you and use them to send you credit card offers. Opting out stops these offers. A recent variant changed the date to July 1, 2001 and another changes it to July 1, 2002, and another changed it again to July 1, 2003. Looks like every year someone is going to change the date and send it again. How about sending it to the trash instead. There is also a warning <http://www.equifax.com/cons_srvs/consumer_alert.html> on the Equifax site about this hoax.