The aim of the program, required by a new federal law, is to let people easily check their credit reports for inaccuracies and any evidence of identity theft. Credit-reporting agencies Equifax, Experian and TransUnion had a year to put together the joint program, but even with all the planning, there were glitches.

"The first day we had very heavy volumes with hundreds of thousands of people visiting the site trying to get their report," said John Danaher, president of TrueCredit, a subsidiary of TransUnion that oversees its credit reporting.

For instance, you probably don't need to know your credit score, sometimes called a FICO score, unless you're in the market for a new car, house or other major purchase. [Jennette Gayer] and other consumer advocates worry that some consumers may not realize they can decline these services and just get the free report.