Important story in todays Detroit News and important news for all - especially real estate investors.

"Michigan consumers are getting two new weapons to track their credit history and ward off the growing threat of identity theft.

Starting today, consumers in Michigan and 11 other Midwestern states can go to AnnualCreditReport.com to receive free copies of their credit reports from the nation's three major credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, formerly TRW. The reports typically cost $9.50 each.

Meanwhile, a series of new state laws updating Michigan's criminal statutes for identity theft also take effect today.

The package of 11 laws includes legislation that makes identity theft a felony, prohibits sales receipts from showing more than the last four digits of a credit card account number and eliminates the practice of asking a consumer to provide a Social Security number to establish an account."