5 Reasons to Stay Aware of Your Credit
Your credit file can change - and change your credit score (Beacon
Score) To protect your Beacon Score, do not have more than 3
credit checks in one month.
Your credit file and score are used to make decisions about loans, interest rates, even employment.
If your credit score drops - you can find out why and how to improve it.
Inaccurate information can hurt your credit score - you can verify the accuracy of your file.
Activity in your file, which you did not initiate, can be an early warning sign of identity theft.
Handy phone numbers and websites
Fraud Alert - Call 1-888-766-0008 to place a Fraud Alert on your credit file. (Equifax)
Telephone Orders - Call 1-800-685-1111 to order your credit file by phone. (Equifax)
Opting-out from mailing lists - Call 1-888-567-8688 for the National Opt-out Center for direct mail and telemarketing. (Transunion)
Monitoring, protection, and 100% restoration
What is identity theft?
Identity theft happens when someone steals your identity and impersonates you in order to open credit accounts, rent apartments, even engage in criminal acts. You don't know when it happens. Then one day you are turned down unexpectedly for a loan, you get a call from a collection agency about an account you never opened, or worse yet, a call from the police about a crime you didn't commit. Suddenly you are a victim of identity theft.
Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in America and has become a national crisis according to the Social Security Administration's inspector general. The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse estimates that there are between 500,000 to 700,000 identity theft victims a year.
Here are the steps to take immediately should you become a victim:
Contact the fraud division of the three credit reporting agencies to let them know you have been a victim of identity theft.
Equifax: 800-525-6285
Experian: 888-397-3742
Trans Union: 800-680-7289
Request they place a "fraud alert" on your file. This alert will warn lenders to be especially careful in authenticating identity of anyone claiming to be you. It will mean that you cannot open instant credit, for example, at a retail store. But that is a minor inconvenience in light of the damage identity theft can do.
File a report with your local police department and make sure to get a copy.
Contact each credit grantor who has allowed a fraudulent account and tell them you did not open that account. Have them close these accounts. If you open new accounts, make sure to place a password on the account.
Call the Identity Theft Toll-Free Hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338). This is the central point of contact within the federal government for reporting incidents of identity theft.
Document all these contacts with dates, names and phone numbers for your records.
Utilize this helpful form-FTC ID Theft Affidavit (PDF File).
For more information, go to:
Equifax:
visit the website for more info and tips
Experian (formerly TRW):
visit the website for more info
Trans Union:
visit website for more info
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