If you're one of the lucky ones, when you get a free credit report, you'll see an ordinary
record of your accounts. But for an estimated half of a million people this year, something
else will also show up. It could be a credit card they never had, a place they never lived
or a crime they didn't commit. And if you find something like this when you get a free credit
report then you'll know you've been the victim of identity theft.
Identity theft occurs when someone steals your personal information and uses it for
fraudulent purposes. A common example is opening credit card accounts in your name and letting
the creditors come after you when the bills aren't paid. Thieves are most likely to steal your
information in a way that goes unnoticed, whether it's going through your trash for financial
documents, stealing a credit card receipt carbon or getting your Social Security number from
public records. And the longer you're unaware of the theft, the more damage the thief can do.
Which makes your ability to get a free credit report more than a mere convenience.
Unless you cut yourself off from the world, you probably can't be totally safe from identity
theft, but you can lower your risk. In general, you want to be aware of who has your personal
information and who they might share it with. Things like you Social Security number and
driver's license number should only be give out when you have no other choice. After you
get a free credit report the steps you can take to lower your risk include:
- keep your mail secure with a locked mailbox or a mail slot in the door;
- choose unique non-obvious passwords and PINs for your accounts;
- don't carry your Social Security card and travel with as few ATM or credit cards as possible;
- unless you're sure of who you're talking to, don't give out any personal information over
the telephone;
- shred financial, insurance and medical documents and any other papers that have your
personal information, before you discard them;
- shred pre-approved credit offers before throwing them out;
- when using your credit card in a business, don't let it out of your sight and take or destroy
the carbon;
- and get copies of your credit report at least once a year to check for fraudulent accounts.
To get a free credit report and free 30 days of credit monitoring, please go to
free instant credit reports.
