Could You be the Next Victim of Identity Theft

Yes, you could, and unless you check your credit report often, you might not even know it until the next time you need credit.

A smart identity thief will operate in ways that you won’t notice right away. First, he’ll pretend that you’ve moved to a different community. Then he’ll apply for new credit cards and perhaps even purchase a house or a car. He may actually pay the payments for a little while to keep your credit in good standing until he’s gotten what he wants and/or moved on to a new victim.

If this is happening, the only way you’d know is by checking your credit report.

When you get it, look for discrepancies in your address and look for new accounts that have been opened. If you find them, contact the credit bureau at once and let them know those weren’t your transactions – and see what they can do to trace the origin.

The better your credit, the bigger risk of becoming a victim you face.

It happened to a friend of mine – she and her husband are both doctors with a sizeable income. They don’t need to use credit often, so had not checked their credit report in years. One day she called in a panic, telling me that someone in California was using accounts in her name and she was faced with a mountain of red tape to get it straightened out.

Apparently they had decided to use credit for a major purchase, and had been turned down due to the number of unpaid accounts in her name. She, being a person who is understandably proud of her station in life, was devastated. The idea of people thinking she didn’t pay her bills was almost more than she could bear.

This had been going on for quite a long time, so the accounts were many months past due. Had she ordered a free credit report and periodic updates, she would have known. She could then have stopped it before she had to deal with such a large number of accounts – and before she suffered such embarrassment.

Remember, while the internet is a wonderful tool for honest people, it’s also a handy tool for the dishonest. With the right skills to access it, your personal information – including your social security number, date of birth, occupation, and much more – is available on line.

No one is safe, but those with the highest FICO scores and highest income are most at risk. After all, when an identity thief uses your name, he or she wants an easy time of obtaining credit.


Author: Marte Cliff
CreditScoreQuick.com is your on-line resource for free credit score report, fico score, free credit check, identity theft protection, secured credit cards, student credit cards , credit cards, mortgage loans, auto loans, insurance, debt consolidation ,and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness

What to Do If You’re a Victim of Identity Theft… Part I

Right after you stop reeling from the shock, it’s time to take action.

You may have learned of the identity theft by examining your credit report and finding inquiries from unfamiliar companies (a sign that someone has applied for credit in your name) or by finding debts or new credit accounts that you don’t recognize.

If instead you learned of it only when debt collectors began to call, get a copy of your report immediately. You’ll need it when you take the next step: Contacting law enforcement.

You must file a formal report, because you’ll need a copy of the report when you contact the credit bureaus and respond to debt collectors. Your police report should include all the fraudulent accounts you identify when examining your credit report.

Contact:
• Your Local Police Department
• FTC.gov/bcp/coline/pubs/credit/affidavit.pdf
• FTC 800-438-4338 or 800-ID THEFT

As you begin this process, keep a detailed log of everything you do, everyone you speak with, and what is said by both parties. Keep track of every expense you incur, as well. Put all receipts in one safe place for easy access later. In your log, make note of the emotional stress and how it is affecting your work and your personal relationships. Depending upon circumstances, your actual expenses and your time loss could be tax-deductible.

Now contact the credit bureaus. Notify one of the credit bureau fraud units that you are a victim of Identity Theft. That Bureau will take responsibility for telling the other two bureaus. (Call Equifax: 800-525-6285; Experian: 888-397-3742; or Trans Union: 800-680-7289) Next:

• Tell the Bureaus to flag your credit report with a fraud alert
• Send a dispute letter, accompanied by the police report and the FTC fraud affidavit specifying which accounts are fraudulent.
• Subscribe to the bureau’s monitoring services
• Consider signing up for Trusted ID services – which will block your credit report so only you can use it.
• Ask the Bureaus to contact the creditors and let them know that fraudulent activities have taken place.

You’ll probably have to deal with debt collectors. Here’s how to handle them:
• Get the collector’s name, company name, address, and phone number – noted in your detailed log. Inform the caller that you are recording this information, along with the date and time.
• Inform the collection agency you ar a victim of Identity Theft
• Provide the FTC uniform fraud affidavit
• Ask for the name and number of the credit issuer they’re representing
• Send the debt collector a letter, stating that you do not owe this debt and that the account is closed.
• Request in writing that the account be flagged as fraudulent and ask that it be removed from your credit report.

About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, fico score, free credit check, identity theft protection, secured credit cards, student credit cards , credit cards, mortgage loans, auto loans, insurance, debt consolidation ,and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness

What to Do If You’re a Victim of Identity Theft… Part II

By now you’ve contacted your local law enforcement and the FTC and have the proper documentation in hand to show that you’ve been a victim of identity theft. You’ve notified one of the major credit bureaus, who has in turn notified the other two.

You’ve been diligent about logging every conversation, along with its date and time, and you’ve kept a careful record of every expense associated with reclaiming your own identity.

You’re daydreaming about what you’d like to do to the person who caused you all this grief, but that won’t help. You need to keep a clear head and keep working on putting everything back to rights.

One of the first things you did when you discovered the identity theft was pull your credit report. Now do it again, because more information may have come in since the last report.

Examine it again for new entries, and if you find some, contact the credit bureau again and let them know of the new fraudulent accounts or charges.

If either the first or second report showed new accounts opened in your name, the next step is to contact each of those creditors and do the following:
• Notify each creditor of the identity theft and get the address where you need to send the fraud affidavit.
• Ask the creditor to send you any application that has been made in your name
• Ask to have the account closed and flagged with a fraud alert

If the thief has been using your credit cards, you need to notify the credit card issuers immediately and have those cards cancelled. They’ll issue new cards, with new numbers. Check to make sure that the address and e-mail address in their database is correct, so they don’t just send your new cards to the thief! Of course let them know which charges on your account are fraudulent, and of course note all of these conversations in detail in your log.

If the identity thief has written checks in your name…

• Call your local police and file another report
• Call your bank and close the account
• Get the proper address to send a copy of the police report
• Ask for a refund of monies fraudulently withdrawn
• And of course, carefully record each of these steps in your log

Identity theft costs millions each year, both in money and time loss. It’s a rude and devastating intrusion into your life. But if you take the steps we’ve outlined, you’ll get through it with the least amount of stress.

About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, fico score, free credit check, identity theft protection, secured credit cards, student credit cards , credit cards, mortgage loans, auto loans, insurance, debt consolidation ,and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness

Should you worry about your child’s credit report?

With identity theft becoming the biggest crime ever, identity thieves have figured who that the young and elderly are easy targets. These two types are easy victims because they typically are not checking there credit and they are not buying anything credit. With this going on it only makes sense to check your child or elderly family members credit reports often.

You have to remember the identity thieves are getting smarter and smarter on whom to go after. After all this is their profession. Current statistics show that less than 33% of the US population checks their credit report, and when they do there may be some unexpected surprises.

With all the banks going out of business banking will never be the same. No one wants to repeat what is currently taking place. So with your credit worthiness being very important, the last thing you want is love one dealing with is bad credit because of identity theft. I would allocate at least 30.00 per quarter to check you child’s or parents credit reports. You can also check their credit report once a year at www.annualcreditreport.com, just be advised you don’t get your fico scores there. You will need to pay for them. So if you want to know there credit scores with each credit bureaus, you may consider a website that offers a 3-1 credit report with all 3 credit scores.

Having this piece of mind is really worth it. There are lots of skeptical people out there about his whole matter. They don’t do anything until it’s too late. If you are still not convinced check the FTC website. They discuss it everywhere since this problem is on epidemic proportions.

About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, fico score, free credit check, identity theft protection, secured credit cards, student credit cards , credit cards, mortgage loans, auto loans, insurance, debt consolidation ,and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness

Common ways identity theft & fraud are committed

Most people don’t realize how easy it is for someone to steal your identity without breaking into your home. In public places criminals may engage in what they call shoulder surfing, watching at a nearby location as you punch in your telephone calling card or a credit card number. They may also listen in on a conversation as you give a credit card number over the telephone to a rental company or hotel.

The area near your home or office may not be safe. Criminals can engage in what they call “Dumpster Diving” and go through you trash, communal dumpster to obtain checking account numbers, credit card applications, and bank statements. These types of documents make it easy for criminals to steal your identity.

If you receive pre-approved credit card applications in the mail and disregard them without shredding them, identity thieves will try to activate them without your knowledge. Some credit card companies require credit cards once approved to be activated from your home phone, but this practice is not universal yet. Also if you mail is sent to a place where it can be easily accessed a identity thief may redirect that mail somewhere else.

During recent years the internet has been a target of identity theft. Criminals try to get personal information by spamming people and requesting personal information posing as a bank. They also sent e-mails offering some service that really is not present.

With enough of you personal information a identity thief can take over your identity and wreck your life. They can drain your banks accounts, saving accounts, charge up your credit cards, apply for new credit, and file bankruptcy in your own name. This is serious business. This will also destroy your free credit reports and good name.

About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, fico score, free credit check, identity theft protection, secured credit cards, student credit cards , credit cards, mortgage loans, auto loans, insurance, debt consolidation ,and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness

Safeguard your identity from Identity Theft

I don’t think I can write enough about this subject, identity theft is going on everywhere now. I wanted to give some more tips on what the experts recommend on safeguarding your private information from identity thieves. In the current day and time you cannot be too careful on protecting your personal information. Once it happens to you its too late and is very hard to get resolved in a timely manner.


Precautions:
• Don’t carry too many credit cards in your wallet, maybe only one is necessary.
• Don’t carry your social security card in your wallet.
• Don’t put your social security number and driver’s license number on your checks.
• Don’t pay your bills in the mail, use on-line services. You may also use the post office.
• Use complicated username and passwords.
• Memorize your username and password, never write them down
• Install virus protection software on your computer
• Don’t give out your personal information over the phone
• Check all 3 credit reports every 4 to 5 months.
• Don’t open any attachments or emails sent to you from unknown senders.
• Look out for suspicious mail that might ask you to apply for a credit card or other types of credit.
• Change your password every few months
• Shred all bills
• Opt-out of receiving credit card offers in the mail by calling 1-888-5-OPTOUT
• Get your phone numbers and address removed from reverse directories and phone books.
• Subscribe to credit monitoring services that alert you quickly
• Buy identity theft insurance.
• Review your social security and benefits carefully every year.
• Pay for stuff with cash instead of credit cards and debit cards.
• Install firewall software on your computer
• Ask business that keep your personal information about there storage and security process.
• Have you mail sent to a P.O. Box.





With 50,000 people a year getting there information stolen you can rest assure its on epidemic proportions. This crime is growing so fast that you cannot afford to just assume it will not happen to you. Protect you and your families get all of the information mentioned above in place. Its worth spending a little extra money to save yourself thousands and countless hours fixing identity theft.


About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, fico score, free credit check, identity theft protection, secured credit cards, student credit cards , credit cards, mortgage loans, auto loans, insurance, debt consolidation ,and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness

Don’t think Identity Theft can happen to you – “Think Again”

During the course of the day you may write a check at the grocery store, charge tickets to a concert, mail your tax returns, rent a car, and apply for a new credit card. Your probably don’t think twice when you are doing these type of activities. An identity thief is always watching.

Identity theft is a serious crime, and is currently the biggest crime waive ever. People who have their identity stolen can end up taking months, years and thousands of dollars trying to recover their identity. Identity theft can steal your good name and credit record. If identity theft happens to you, it could cause you to not get a new job because of your current credit report, it could get you denied credit for housing, cars and installment loans.

How identity thieves get your information
• Stealing information and records while on the job
• Conning fellow co-workers for information
• Hacking records
• Bribing employees whom have access to confidential information
• Steal your mail, by taking bills, credit card statements, tax return information, new credit card offers and new checks as well.
• Dig through your trash, business trash cans, and public trash facilities. This is also known as dumpster diving.
• Get a copy of your credit report by abusing their employers authorized access to it, or by posing as someone like a landlord or employer who may have access to your credit reports.
• They may capture your credit card numbers or pin numbers by storing this information in a data storage device when you swipe your card. This is also know as skimming.
• They may steal your purse or wallet.
• They may complete a change of address to divert your mail somewhere else.
• They may steal your information that find in your own home.
• They may steal your information posing as your bank or some institution you do business with.





How identity thieves use your personal information
• They can give your name during a arrest and if you don’t show up for the court date it goes on your record.
• They could file fraudulent tax returns in your name
• They could get a job in your name.
• They could get a auto loan in your name
• They could get a home loan in your name
• They may open new credit cards in your name and allow them to go delinquent which will affect your credit report.
• They may establish utility bills in your name
• They may file bankruptcy in your name on charges they have accrued in you name.


There are some great preventative measures for avoiding identity theft. Here are a few good ones.

• Get your credit report at least every 3 months. Its worth paying for to avoid this mess.
• Sign up for credit monitoring to get alerts when someone applies for credit in your name.
• Shred all mail.
• Get PO Box, and don’t put anything in an un-secure mailbox.
• Safeguard credit cards, social security cards, and any other personal items you don’t use in a safe.

About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, fico score, free credit check, identity theft protection, secured credit cards, student credit cards , credit cards, mortgage loans, auto loans, insurance, debt consolidation ,and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness

Top Tips to avoid Identity Theft that cause Credit Report Problems.

Identity theft happens every 3 seconds to someone in the U.S. This ultimately affects your credit score report as well. Here are some top tips to avoid this problem

1. Check your credit report regularly, once a year is not good enough.
2. Have your mail go to a P.O. Box
3. Don’t put checks in the regular mail.
4. Pay your bills on-line with bank
5. Shred all mail that has your name on it, especially credit card offers
6. Double check your bank statements for unfamiliar activity.
7. Check credit card statement for unfamiliar activity
8. Don’t give out your social security number over the phone, without verifying who is asking.
9. Don’t keep your social security card in wallet or purse.
10. Don’t put social security and driver’s license number on your checks.
11. Use firewall protection for home computers
12. Sign up for https://www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t to stop credit card offers in the mail
13. Sign up for identity theft protection, such as LifeLock. Life lock is a good preventive measure.
14. Don’t leave purse or wallet in your car
15. Make sure you are receiving all your mail, and make sure its not being sent somewhere else.

If you are one those people that thinks identity theft will not happen to you, you might reconsider. It can happen to anyone at anytime. When it happens and you don’t have preventative measures in place, it could take you years to fix. With the new digital age you can set up email alerts when someone is accessing your credit. This is real neat feature, or through Life Lock you can set up fraud alert features where any creditor accessing your credit must call you first before approval.






Since identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America, you really cannot afford to not stay on top of your credit. Being informed and aware of you personal credit is the most important measure as well. So don’t waste anymore time get all these measures in place today to protect you and your family.


About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, fico score, free credit check, identity theft protection, secured credit cards, student credit cards , credit cards, mortgage loans, auto loans, insurance and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness

Identity Theft

IDENTITY THEFT

Identity theft occurs when someone appropriates your personal
information to commit fraud or theft. Personal Information
can include your name, date of birth, social security
number, and drivers license number.

TIPS FOR YOU TO REMEMBER

¨ Minimize the amount of items with personal information in your wallet, purse or vehicle.
¨ Check your mail everyday.
¨ Shred any documents with your personal information including pre approved credit card applications.
¨ Be aware of telephone, Internet, or door to door solicitations which claim to be legitimate entities in order to gain your confidence then manipulate you to obtain your personal information.
¨ If you receive checks in the mail from any unknown party and you are required to wire transfer money in return ( foreign lotteries, sweepstakes winner, mystery shopper, or through popular websites you have utilized) then you are likely to be a victim of financial fraud.
¨ Lock up your financial documents, credit cards, and blank checkbooks in your residence.
¨ Pay attention to billing cycles for statements that do not arrive in the mail.
¨ Use a secure Internet connection online when entering and transmitting personal information.
¨ Be reluctant to register with websites that request your personal information.
¨ If you have been a victim of identity theft consider getting a fraud alert (1-800-680-7289) or security freeze (888-909-8872).
¨ Check your credit report periodically from the 3 major credit bureaus.
http://www.equifax.com/
http://www.transunion.com/
http://www.experian.com/
Free Credit Report with credit scores from all 3 Credit Bureaus- www.creditscorequick.com/free

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) serves as a clearinghouse for complaints by victims of identity theft. www.ftc.gov/idtheft
1-877-ID THEFT (438-4338)
Non Profit organizations to assist victims http://www.idtheftcenter.org/ http://www.idtheftne.org/ and http://www.financialprivacynow.org/
To Opt out of pre-approved credit card applications 1-888-567-8688
Free Antivirus Software for your computer http://www.avast.com/
Microsoft has free spy ware at their website http://www.microsoft.com/
Or Spybot free spyware program http://www.safer-networking.org/

http://www.fakechecks.org/ This website has reenactments of popular scams

Your computer should have the firewall active and be set to receive automatic updates from Microsoft. If you have wireless network make sure to set passwords and encrypt the network access.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com-/ Dateline “ To Catch an Identity Thief”

About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, fico score, identity theft protection, secured credit cards, student credit cards , mortgage loans, auto loans, insurance and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthines

Even Celebrities like Liz Mikel needs Identity Theft Protection

Did you think Identity Theft Protection is unnecessary? Well you might want to think again. Dallas based actress Liz Mikel just found out the hard way that someone had stolen her identity and been having a field day. She stars in the NBC show “Friday Night Lights”, found out that identity thieves had went on-line and opened accounts in her name.
Mikel said that she went to the mail and to her surprise there was a notice from Capital One that there was a problem with an account she did not have. After a phone call to the company she had learned that someone had been opening accounts in her name since early March.

What you need to know
Identity theft affects 9 million people every year, and is currently growing in epidemic proportions according to the FTC. Identity theft starts with the theft of your social security number, your credit cards, and financial information. For Identity thieves this information is like gold.

Here is a variety of methods identity thieves may get a hold of your personal information:
1. Pretexting- The use of false pretenses to obtain your personal information from financial institutions, telephone companies, and other resources with your information.
2. Phising – They pretend to be financial institutions by send you e-mail or pop ups hoping you will reveal your personal information.
3. Old-Fashion Stealing- They steal wallets, credit cards, mail credit card offers, purses, financial statements, and new checks that come in the mail. They steal personal records and bribe employees who have access to your records.
4. Changing your address – They divert your mail by putting a change of address request in to the post office.
5. Skimming – They steal credit card and debit numbers by using a special storage device when swiping your cards.
6. Dumpster Diving – They go through dumpsters looking for mail that was not shredded with your personal information.

Examples of what identity thieves do once they have your information.

Bank / Finance Fraud

• They create counterfeit checks using your name and account number
• Open bank accounts in your name and write bad check
• They may clone your credit or ATM card and electronically drain all your accounts.

Credit Card Fraud
• They may open credit cards in your name. When they will charge these cards up, and not pay the bill. As a result it appears on your credit report.
• They may change the address on your credit cards so that you no longer receive the bill, and run up charges on your credit cards. It may be sometime before you realize there is a problem.

Government Document Fraud
• They may file fraudulent tax returns in you name
• They may use your name and social security number to get government benefits
• They may get a drivers license or id picture with your name but with their picture.

About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, fico score, Internet identity theft software, secure credit cards, student credit cards , and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness

Free Credit Reports with Secure Website

Get your Free Credit Score Report with a secure website. Have you surfed the web lately and found that the website you are going too is not secure? You would think that a website that is providing credit reports and credit monitoring services would have a secure site. Believe it or not there are websites all over the web that are not secure, and so when you put in your personal information you are vulnerable to internet thieves.

What to look for:

When you are about to make a purchase for credit reports, credit cards, identity theft software or any internet site product, there should be two important icons to look out for.

Example: web browser url logos to look out for with security lock:

 Internet Explorer lock logo

 Mozilla lock logo

Another logo to look out for is usually at the bottom of the site. There are different service providers that provide website encryption.
Some of the names are:
1. Hacker Safe Logo with McAfee
2. Verisign Secure logo
3. Starfield Secure Website

These are some of the leading providers of ssl certificates that protect your information. You want to see these logos and url information provided on any website after you click the purchase button. While you are out trying to make a decision on where to buy your product make sure it’s secure. Hopefully this information has better educated you on where to buy your on-line products.



About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, fico score, Internet identity theft software, secure credit cards, student credit cards , and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness

Identity Theft Prevention Tips

Identity theft is something that can be compared to burglary. Can you stop burglary? Yes and NO. You can put in a security system, window bars, locks, and security cameras, but there is no guarantee. Identity theft is the same way these days. There are preventive measures and solutions that you can implement to help out. Here is what you can do.

VIDEO about Identity Theft from the FTC.


1. Don’t carry around unnecessary information in your wallet. Such as social security card, more than one credit card, birth certificate and passport. Make a copy of everything in your wallet incase someone steals your wallet. Do this so you will know what to report stolen.

2. Don’t click on any e-mails from financial institutions even though you feel 100% confident it’s from your bank. Go to your web browser instead and type in the bank web address. Example (www.wellsfargo.com). Some of e-mails being sent out currently are fake and are called “phishing” e-mails.

3. Install virus and spyware detections software and keep them updated.

4. Take credit card receipts with you; never throw them in a public trash can.

5. Install lockable mail box at your residence in order to prevent mail theft.

6. Make sure you computer is set to automatically setup to download the latest updates and patches. Any computer software will have security holes in it.

7. Limit the number of credit cards you have.

8. Don’t have the bank send your checks in the mail, let them know you will pick up at the bank.

9. Destroy all checks if you close a checking account. Destroy or keep in a secure place any courtesy checks they send you.

10. Reconcile your checking account and credit card statements in a timely manner, and challenge any charges that are not yours

11. Memorize your usernames and passwords, don’t write them down. Be aware of your surroundings make sure no one is watching you enter in your pin number at an ATM.

12. Safeguard all statements from creditors, once paid shred them .You can always access your statement if on line.

13. Don’t throw away any credit card offers, shred them all. Go here to stop all credit card offers permanently.

14. If you don’t receive your billing statements notify the company immediately.

15. Pull your credit report regularly to check for any fraudulent activity.

16. Set up credit monitoring with one of the Bureaus.

17. Don’t allow your financial institutions to print your social security number on your checks

About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, fico score, Internet identity theft software, secure credit cards, student credit cards , and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness

Check my Credit Report – How often should I?

Checking your free credit score report is probably one of the hottest topics these days. With the average American not being rich, and at times in need of a loan, they need to keep there credit score healthy. There will be situations where someone will need to pull your credit report. If you have bad credit, it may not be a good experience for you. There is lots of talk about annualcreditreport, but there is not much talk about not getting your credit score there. Annualcreditreport does provide you with a free credit report from all 3 credit bureaus, but you don’t get your scores. You can get this report once a year for free. A lot can happen to your credit report during a year’s time. Here are some examples.

Inaccurate credit report

Studies show that inaccuracies are common in credit reports and can harm your ability to get loans. Inaccurate information on your credit will cause harm to your credit rating. When your credit rating is jeopardized, so is the ability to get loans, good interest rates, or even that new “Dream Job.” Often there is human error involved in the reporting process. Creditors pay someone to report information about you. At times this information may have been keyed in incorrectly, and as a result your credit score drops.

Identity Theft Protection

Someone’s identity is stolen every 3 seconds. If you think about that, someone could be stealing your identity as you read this article. That is pretty scary. If an identity thief has got your information currently and is out using your credit, how would you ever find out without pulling your credit report? Maybe someone is out opening credit in your name, and charging up stuff. What ever the thief is doing, you are probably not going to find out about it until it’s too late. If you get credit report monitoring services set up, you would get e-mail alerts when critical changes take place to your credit report. Critical changes like someone opening credit in your name and out having a field day with your credit.


Conclusion:
Checking your credit report should not be a scary thing, it should be a positive thing. If you are managing your credit properly, then you will pull your credit in confidence. You will be able to go to creditors and get good interest rate loans with ease. Since a lot can happen to your credit in such a short time, you should get a copy of your free credit score report every 60 to 90 days. Checking your credit report once a year is asking for a disaster, and is total disregard for what is really going on out there Protect yourself by staying on top of your report. I would not wait for it to happen to you, check your free credit score report today.

About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, fico score, Internet identity theft software, secure credit cards, and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness.

FTC Credit Report Repair FACTS – For Consumers

The FTC claims that Credit Report Repair may be better for you if you do it yourself. You have seen advertisements on TV, local newspapers, internet. All of these credit report repair companies claim the following:
• “Credit Problem? No Problem!”
• “ We can get rid of bad credit problems – 100% guaranteed”
• “We can remove bankruptcies, judgments, bad loans and tax liens from your credit file forever

The FTC says “Don’t believe these statements. The only thing that will fix your credit is time, conscious effort, and a personal debt repayment plan will improve your credit report.

This article will explain how you can improve your creditworthiness and gives legitimate resources for low or no cost help.

The Scam

All over the US companies appeal to families and individuals that have bad credit problems. They promise for a fee, to clean up your credit report so you can get a car loan, a home mortgage, a job or even a insurance. The fact is, they cannot deliver. After you pay them hundred of dollars or even thousands of dollars in fees, these companies do absolutely nothing to improve your credit report. They typically vanish with your money says the FTC.

Warning Signs

If you feel credit repair with one of these companies is your choice, look out for the following.
• Companies that want you to pay before services are rendered
• Companies that don’t tell you your legal rights and what you cannot do yourself for free
• Companies that recommend that you don’t contact the credit reporting companies
• Companies that recommend you create a new identity by way of Identification Number.
• Companies that advise you to dispute all information in your credit report

Under the Credit Repair Organizations Act, credit repair companies cannot require you to pay until they have completed services they claim they can provide. The FTC says to get what they claim they can do in written, and once it is done then pay them.

The FACTS

No one can legally remove accurate information from you credit report. If you owe the debt, it will be on there for 7 years from original collection date. The law allows you the consumer to dispute inaccurate information on your report for FREE. There is no cost to you for doing this. Everything a credit repair company does for a fee, you can do it yourself for FREE. This is all in accordance to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)

 You are entitled to Free Credit Report if you are denied for the following
1. Credit Application
2. Insurance
3. Employment

You are to ask for this report within 60 days of receiving this notification. You are also entitled to the free report if you are unemployed and are about to apply for job, if you are on welfare, or if your report is inaccurate because of fraud including identity theft.

 All 3 Credit Bureaus – Equifax, Trans Union and Experian are required to provide you once a year with a Free Credit Report. In order to get this report you must go to annualcreditreport.com.
 You are allowed to dispute items that are not yours for free. Under the FCRA any company that is reporting information about you that is inaccurate, this information must be updated correctly. If you owe the debt it will not be removed.

Step One

The consumer credit reporting company that is reporting information incorrectly about you must be informed in writing what information is inaccurate. You are to include a copy of documents backing your claim. You are to clearly identify in the claim the following
1. Your full name
2. Address
3. The item in the report that you are disputing
4. The request that it should be removed or corrected
5. Enclose a copy of the report and circle the item in question.

Your credit report dispute letter may look something like this:

Date
You’re Name
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip
Re: Disputing Inaccuracies on My Credit Report
Name of Credit Reporting Bureau
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip
Dear Sir or Madam:
I am writing for two (2) reasons:
1. To dispute certain information in my credit file; and
2. To have you investigate/re-investigate and remove inaccurate information from
my Credit Report and prevent its re-insertion. The item(s) I dispute are encircled
on the attached copy of the credit report and further identified by (identify the
items by name of source, such as creditor or tax court, etc. and identify type of
item, such as credit account, judgment, etc.)This item is (inaccurate or
incomplete) because (describe what is inaccurate or incomplete and why). I am
requesting that the item be deleted (or whatever specific change you are
requesting) to correct the information.(If you are enclosing documents such as
copies of cancelled checks, payment records, court documents, send copies
only, you should always retain the originals -- and use the following sentence.)
Enclosed are copies of the following documents supporting my position:
1.
2.
3.
Please reinvestigate this (these) matter(s) and (delete or correct) the disputed
items within the time frame required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and
inform me in writing of the outcome. Thank you for your time and consideration in
this matter.
Sincerely,
________________________
(Signature)
Your name

Once the investigation is complete, whether they removed the item or not, the creditor must give you something in writing. If the information was deemed incorrect, then they must remove it, and not put it back on your report.

Step Two

Advise the creditor or other information provider, in writing, that you dispute an item. Be sure to include copies only, not your original supporting your claim. The creditors usually provide an address for disputes. If the creditor reports the items to the 3 credit bureaus, they must include the dispute during the reporting time. If you are correct, the creditor must remove the item from the Bureaus it’s reporting too.

For information on “How to Dispute Credit Report Errors, go to ftc.gov/credit.

The reporting of correct information

When negative information is being reported about you, and it’s accurate the only way it will go away is with time. A consumer credit reporting company can report negative information about you for 7 years and bankruptcies for 10 years. Judgments can be reported for 7 years or until the statue of limitations run out.

Credit Repair Organization Act

By law credit repair companies must give you a copy of the “Consumer Credit File Rights Under State and Federal Law” before you sign any contract. They must also give you a written contract that specifies your rights and obligations. Read these documents carefully before you sign anything.
Example of what a credit report company cannot do:

 Charge you for anything until services have been completed
 Make false claims about there services
 Provide any services until they have your signature on a written contract and have completed a 3 day waiting period. During this time you may cancel the contract without any fees occurred.
 Payment terms for services rendered, along with total cost
 Detailed description of services you are paying for
 How long it will take to achieve results
 Any guarantees they offer
 Company address and name


Check your Credit Report at least 4 to 5 times a year.

Even if you don’t have poor credit, you need to know what’s on your credit report. Here are some good reasons per the FTC.
 Because the information it contains may affect whether you get a loan and the payment terms for that loan
 Make sure the information is accurate, complete, and up to date before you apply for a mortgage, credit card, car, insurance or even a job.
 To help guard against identity theft


Hopefully this has shed some light on credit repair, and the importance of have a recent copy of your free credit report.

About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, Internet identity theft software, secure credit cards, and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness.

Free Credit Report; is it necessary during today’s times?

Credit Worthiness

Free Credit Reports are plastered all over the place, internet, TV, radio, and mail. The need to know is so important these days because everyone wants to know your credit. The current credit crunch that is taking place is making it tough to get loans, jobs, credit cards, and / or new place to rent. We all know things come up and cause credit issues, but if your credit shows a pattern of credit problems creditors want to know your risk. The foreclosure boom that is taking place now has almost put some of the biggest banks out of business. Fair Isaacs’s new software Next Gen is so precise in determining your risk, it will be the standard for calculating your score. With this new software it will soon be adopted with Freddie and Fannie in the underwriting decision process. Call me silly, but it looks like having your free credit report during today’s times is a must.

Identity Theft

The digital age has also has made your information accessible, and if there is some kind of security breach you would never know unless you signed up for credit monitoring services. The 3 credit bureaus now offer credit report monitoring services. Since this is a huge problem, this is another reason to have a copy of your free credit report to see if there is anything on there that may not be yours. Identity theft is such a huge problem that you cannot take any risks. According to statistics, once you have been robbed of your good name, you will be out of pocket somewhere in the range of $8,000. Identity Theft does not care who you are, they will steal you blind and destroy your credit.

Save Money

Having a copy of your Free Credit Report will save you money on credit cards, bank installments, mortgage rates, and just about any loan you apply for. In past articles we have discussed how you would end up paying thousands of dollars more because either you were not educated about your report, or you just had bad credit period. The result was creditors charged high interest rates on borrowed money. Just imagine if you could save an extra $200.00 dollars a month because you knew your credit scores and what was being reported about you. $200.00 dollars a month over 15 yrs is $36,000 dollars saved not including interest earned. If you start to really get down to the nuts and bolts of your personal creditworthiness and how it can affect your life I would say it’s pretty darn important. I would not wait any longer, get your report today and be an educated and protected consumer.

About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, Internet identity theft software, secure credit cards, and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness.

ID Theft Basics – How to Protect yourself

Current studies show that ID Theft is at epidemic proportions. The Federal Trade Commission surveys estimated that there are close to 9.9 million victims and growing by 2 to 3 million a year.

For individuals that are not victims of identity theft, the best thing you can do is check your credit report regularly, focusing on two categories.

• Inquiries from unfamiliar companies. Here we are talking about someone applying for something in your name in a state that you don’t live in. Remember inquiries are the result of you applying for credit.
• Unfamiliar Accounts (tradelines). Are there debts or new credit listed on your credit report that you are not familiar with?

There are 3 major Bureaus that provide services to monitor your credit report. These services give e-mails to you promptly if there are any changes to your report.

What to Do if ID Theft happens to you.
You want to keep a detailed log of events as you start the dispute process. You do this in case you run into problems with a creditor. The first step obviously is contact the 3 credit bureaus, local police, creditors, etc…… You keep detailed conversations logs with any of these entities you communicate with. Also keeps receipts, bills, or out of pocket expenses you incur during the process of disputing. I would also make note of the emotional stress and how it is affecting your work performance and personal relationships. In addition your expenses and time could be tax-deductible in certain circumstance.

Contact Law enforcement
Here is the properties procedure for contacting the authorities so you can file a formal report. You should include all fraudulent accounts in the report. As the Credit Bureaus say they are able to remove disputes, remember to keep a copy of the report number and contact info.
Who to contact:
• FTC.gov/bcp/coline/pubs/credit/affidavit.pdf
• Local Police Department
• FTC 800-438-4338 or 800—ID THEFT

Credit Bureaus – Steps to take with the CRAs

• Notify one of the credit bureaus fraud units that you are victim of Identity Theft. This Bureau will be responsible for telling the other 2 Bureaus. (Equifax: 800-525-6285; Experian: 888-397-3742; Trans Union: 800-680-7289)
• Tell Bureaus to flag you credit report with fraud alert
• Get a copy of your credit report with scores
• Once you have read your report, send a dispute letter, accompanied with police report along with the FTC fraud affidavit specifying which accounts are fraudulent.
• Subscribe to the Bureaus monitoring services of your credit report
• Consider signing up for Trusted ID services which will block your credit report so only you can use it.
• Ask the Bureaus to contact the creditors that fraudulent activities have taken place.




Debt Collectors- You will be getting calls from debt collectors more than likely. If they call you:

• Get the debt collectors companies name, address and there phone number. Let him or her know you are noting the time and date of the conversation in your log activity book
• Inform the collection agency you are a victim of Identity Theft
• Provide the FTC uniform fraud affidavit
• Ask for number and name of credit issuer.
• Send the debt collector a letter, stating that you do not owe this debt and that the account has been close.
• Request in writing that the account is being flagged as fraudulent, and is being closed. You also should request in writing that the fraudulent account is being removed from your credit report.


New accounts opened in your name: the Identity Thief has opened new accounts in your good name: what to do. The credit report you pulled should list all creditors that have accounts in your name with contact numbers.

• Notify each creditor of the identity theft that has taken place to you. You will be asked to send a fraud affidavit. (Be sure to put all of this in your log)
• Ask the creditors to send you any application or fraudulent activity that has happened in your good name.
• Add passwords to all accounts
• If the thief has got a hold of your checking account, credit cards, get replacements with new numbers. Call and request these accounts to be closed as well.
• Fill out FTC uniform fraud affidavit.

Your Checking account- If the thief has wrote checks in your name here is what you do.

• Call your local police, and file a report
• Call your bank and close the account immediately
• Remember to keep good logs
• Typically your bank will refund you your money, and ask for a copy of police report filed.

This stuff is serious business; I hope this will help you resolve issues involving identity theft to you.

About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, Internet identity theft software, secure credit cards, and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness.

How To Freeze your Credit Report

Red Tape Chronicles has a good guide for how to set up a credit report freeze at each of the three major credit bureaus.
A freeze means no one can access your credit report unless you "thaw" your report. This means no new credit cards, loans, or mortgages, either by you, or by a potential identity thief. You will need to freeze the report with each bureaus. Not surprisingly, after fighting with Congress for four years against allowing for consumer freezes, the bureaus have made it difficult, requiring the mailing of certified letters, utility bills, different kinds of personal information, and charging fees. Here's the step by step:

Red Tape Chronicles writes:

EquifaxGeneral infoState-by-state informationTo get a freeze, Equifax wants you to send a certified letter with seven specific elements to Equifax Security Freeze/P.O. Box 105788/ Atlanta, Georgia 30348. The elements are spelled out clearly on the general information page, but they are, basically -- name, address, date of birth, SSN, utility bill for proof of address, payment and a police report if you are a victim.

ExperianGeneral info and state-by state informationTo get state-specific information, scroll to the bottom of the page and pick your state from the drop-down menu.Before giving you the information you need, Experian will warn you that a security freeze may make your credit life very difficult. Take that with a grain of salt, and then pick your state. You'll send the request by certified or overnight mail to Experian/ P.O. Box 9554/ Allen, TX 75013. Again, the recipe is listed on the firm's Web site, but it will call for a name, SSN, date of birth, current and past addresses dating back two years, a copy of your driver's license, and one utility bill.

TransUnionGeneral info and state-by-state informationSend your freeze requests to Trans Union/Fraud Victim Assistance Department/ P.O. Box 6790/ Fullerton, CA 92834. A few state residents can call instead of write -- check the link above. Trans Union wants the following on the letter: name, address, Social Security Number, a copy of your driver's license and payment.

Freezes will cost usually $10 per bureau, depending on your state. Also, if you want to take out a new line of credit, you'll have to pay to unfreeze your report, and then again to refreeze it. Credit report freezes are free for identity theft victims. For everyone else, it's a preventative measure, that, considering the possible monetary and psyhic and time cost of untangling identity theft, could be a wise investment

There is also a quicker resolution to all of this at www.my720fico.com/theft , this software is revoluntionary in the IDfreeze solution for Identity Theft. Check it out.


About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, Internet identity theft software, secure credit cards, and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness.

The Fair Isaac Corporation

Ever wonder what a FICO score stands for? Obviously, this is a credit score, but who determines what that score will be, and what does FICO mean? By taking learning more about the Fair Isaac Corporation, some of these questions can be answered.

In 1956, and engineer by the name of Bill Fair and a mathematician known as Earl Isaac founded the Fair Isaac Corp., or FICO. FICO originally provided consulting and decision management services, but in 1981 they developed a system for scoring the amount of risk associated with making certain loans and investments. The FICO score is a number generated from an individual’s credit history. By statistically analyzing this report, the FICO system assigns a value to the likelihood that an individual will pay their debts. This value is noted by banks and other lending institutions when determining the interest rates and other characteristics of a loan, helping them to make accurate and profitable lending decisions.

So is FICO a credit bureau? The answer is yes and no. It seems we have all heard of the credit bureaus that gather information about our debts and assign us credit scores. In actuality, they are not credit bureaus at all. FICO and the other similar companies are not associated with the government but are in fact publicly traded companies known as credit reporting agencies. Out of these companies such as Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, FICO is the most known and widely used credit-scoring agency in the United States.

The Fair Isaac Corporation is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota but has offices throughout five of the 7 major continents and turns a revenue of over $800 million dollar per year. Beyond producing credit scores, their over 3,500 employees provide consulting and management services to more than 200 international retailers, 99 of the top 100 US banks, and over 100 international telecommunications companies. FICO has become a cornerstone for the entire American economy.

Getting your fico score is easy. You can buy your score directly from FICO or you can receive a free credit score report from various online providers. Once you know your score, you can quickly assess what kinds of lending options might be available. A score of 720 or higher is considered worthy credit, or good credit, while anything that drops below a 600 is considered bad credit. With bad credit you will pay more in interest on loans and have more difficult qualifying for certain loan packages. There are many things you can do to improve your score, but the best one is to simply pay you debts.

About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, Internet identity theft software, secure credit cards, and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness.

Fixing Credit Report Errors

After taking the first step of obtaining a free credit score report, the next most common step to improving your credit score is to correct any errors that might be present. Strangely enough, errors do occur, and it is well worth taking the time to dispel such inconsistencies. You must carefully scrutinize the report in order to correct things like account numbers, names, wrong information, as well as items that are out of date. The last error type is the most common mistake and when corrected can have an important impact on your score.

There are guidelines that regulate how long certain kind of information can be recorded in your credit score. For example, most undesirable information that is over seven years old may be removed. This includes lawsuits, judgments, paid tax liens, accounts dispatched for collection, records of criminal activity (other than convictions), late payments, and even child support and many other pieces of possibly adverse information. This is great news for those that have blemishes on their credit report from years ago. These things will not show up forever. Even insolvencies that are older than ten years can be dismissed from your score. Getting rid of this outdated undesirable information can have an immediate impact on your score, especially depending on the severity of the problem.

It may seem silly, but it is just as important to check things like your Social Security number, name, address, phone number, and information concerning your occupation. These mistakes might be outdated or simply entered incorrectly. These errors actually do occur. In the same way, errors also occur concerning your involvement with certain accounts. It is possible that suits or credit accounts that do not belong to you show up on your credit report. This is also true of accounts that have been paid in full. Sometimes these accounts may not have been updated and still show an outstanding balance.

By filling out a request for reinvestigation form or writing a letter, you can correct these errors that are detrimental to your overall credit score. You should, as carefully as possible, reference every inaccurate or outdated piece of data that appears on your report as well as describe why that information is incorrect. The reporting agency will then investigate those items and contact you within 30 days to notify you of any changes. This process may also be expedited if you are trying to qualify for a mortgage or car loan. This is known as a rapid rescore.

Once you have rid your free credit score report of any incorrect information, you can then begin to add positive information. This might be through a new loan, a secured credit card or simply making responsible payments on the accounts you already have. By double-checking your credit report for errors you might save yourself a great deal of time in the task of recreating your credit merit.


About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of www.my720fico.com. My720fico.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score reports, Internet identity theft software, secure credit cards, and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness.

Credit Score Mythology

There is so much information out there on improving your credit score that it is hard to know what really works. Because most people never take a class or fully understand the credit system, a host of myths and misinformation has developed regarding the subject. Some of these misnomers may seem logical or possible, but really have no grounds for proof. Sadly, much of this information is coming directly from sources that should know what they are talking about, such as bank representatives or mortgage lenders. For this reason, it is important to be aware of the basic credit score myths to keep from wasting your time or even hurting your credit score.
Perhaps the most common piece of bad information that people receive concerns their current accounts. If a broker or other individual claims that closing accounts will improve a credit score, they are completely flawed in their logic. Yes, having too many open accounts will reflect negatively on a credit score, but closing existing accounts is another matter. Once the accounts have been opened, the damage is done, and it is best to keep them open. Shutting accounts can actually hurt your credit score. The amount of credit available to an individual is one factor affecting credit scores. When accounts are closed, the amount of available credit shrinks, making account balances seem larger by comparison. Paying down debt is an excellent idea, but in the process, leave opened accounts open.
Many people believe that checking your FICO score can actually hurt your credit. This is another common confusion due to the fact that certain inquiries can hurt your credit while others do not. Applying for new credit will often hurt your score, but ordering a copy of your credit report will not. Mass pre-approval inquiries also go unpunished. When a credit score reduction is caused by an inquiry of some kind, it will only change the score by 5 points or less, so even in this event, this is not a huge factor in your score.
Your ability to qualify for certain loans may be impacted by the use of credit counseling, however, many people think that credit counseling will scar your credit score in the same way as bankruptcy. This is simply not the case. The most current FICO formula actually ignores credit counseling all together. This was a change that occurred due to a research study conducted three years ago that supports the fact that people using credit counseling did not default on their debts any more than other people. However, take note that using credit counseling might impact your ability to qualify for certain loans. Sometimes, counseling agencies make late payments to your creditors or settle for lesser amounts, and these things will show up on your score, but the use of credit counseling in general will not negatively change your credit score.
These myths are some of the most widely accepted misnomers about the credit industry. Understanding their falsehood will help you to manage your credit more knowledgably or seek the right kind of help to repair your credit. If a broker, counselor, lender, or agent tries to feed you one of these myths, you might seriously consider how knowledgeable they really are about everything else involving your credit.

About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, Internet identity theft software, secure credit cards, and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness.