Credit Protection Services
In today's world, there is almost nothing as vital as protecting your credit rating.
Not only can a bad credit score affect your chances of getting credit, but it can also impact your ability to rent an apartment or even find a job.
Rightly or wrongly, a great deal of importance is attached to your credit rating.
Unfortunately, anyone's credit score can be negatively impacted if they fall victim to identity theft.
Identity theft has become such an enormous and widespread problem that almost any person can have some facet of their personal or financial information stolen, and once this information has been taken, it can be used for a number of actions that will be attributed, at least temporarily, to you.
Dumpster diving, the collecting of information from dumpsters or garbage cans is one way in which thieves can steal your identity.
Unsolicited, pre-approved credit card offers will readily be taken by identity thieves, who then apply for the card in your name.
They will need your Social Security number to do this, but finding this out is not beyond their skill, either.
These thieves will also look for bank statements, credit card bills, utility bills, nearly anything that can provide them with information about you, and use it all to divert money from you to them.
They will usually request a change of address right away, so you will never know that bills are being racked up in your name.
The internet, a source of information and pleasure to many people, also provides the same benefits to identity thieves, but not in the same way.
Hackers and crackers will prowl the internet for personal information, and they are quite sophisticated in their methods.
They have programs that allow them to retrieve the numbers you enter when you purchase on the web, or when you put in your Social Security number.
These identity thieves can also infect your computer with malicious viruses that will siphon information from your computer to them.
The number of ways that identity theft can occur are many, and while you may think there is not much that you can do to prevent it, there are steps you can take to help protect yourself and your family, and your credit rating, from identity theft.
It is true that a few common sense precautions will help to keep you safe, but unless you are able to devote hours a day to monitoring your identity, the best idea is to subscribe to one of the credit protection services offered online.
Credit protection services, such as LifeLock, Guard Dog ID, and TrustedID will be your safeguard against the trouble and expense involved in dealing with identity theft.
These companies are experienced professionals and protecting your identity is their only job.
Most of these firms will keep an eye on your account at the 3 major credit bureaus, and will alert you of any changes.
They will also scan the internet black market to see whether any of your personal or financial information is being sold there.
Court records will be checked to make sure that someone has not committed a crime and used your name instead of their own.
If identity theft does occur, credit protection services will help you to restore your reputation and credit.
All of the companies have a fund devoted solely to the recovery process, and all will provide you with assistance and information on how to deal with the problem.
It should be pointed out that most of the companies will not handle this process themselves, only LifeLock will actually hire the lawyers and investigators and monitor the progress of the recovery procedure.
Your identity and credit rating are too important to be left to chance and the hope that nothing will happen, taking the step to keep your identity safe will allow you to get on with your life without the worry of identity theft happening to you.
Not only can a bad credit score affect your chances of getting credit, but it can also impact your ability to rent an apartment or even find a job.
Rightly or wrongly, a great deal of importance is attached to your credit rating.
Unfortunately, anyone's credit score can be negatively impacted if they fall victim to identity theft.
Identity theft has become such an enormous and widespread problem that almost any person can have some facet of their personal or financial information stolen, and once this information has been taken, it can be used for a number of actions that will be attributed, at least temporarily, to you.
Dumpster diving, the collecting of information from dumpsters or garbage cans is one way in which thieves can steal your identity.
Unsolicited, pre-approved credit card offers will readily be taken by identity thieves, who then apply for the card in your name.
They will need your Social Security number to do this, but finding this out is not beyond their skill, either.
These thieves will also look for bank statements, credit card bills, utility bills, nearly anything that can provide them with information about you, and use it all to divert money from you to them.
They will usually request a change of address right away, so you will never know that bills are being racked up in your name.
The internet, a source of information and pleasure to many people, also provides the same benefits to identity thieves, but not in the same way.
Hackers and crackers will prowl the internet for personal information, and they are quite sophisticated in their methods.
They have programs that allow them to retrieve the numbers you enter when you purchase on the web, or when you put in your Social Security number.
These identity thieves can also infect your computer with malicious viruses that will siphon information from your computer to them.
The number of ways that identity theft can occur are many, and while you may think there is not much that you can do to prevent it, there are steps you can take to help protect yourself and your family, and your credit rating, from identity theft.
It is true that a few common sense precautions will help to keep you safe, but unless you are able to devote hours a day to monitoring your identity, the best idea is to subscribe to one of the credit protection services offered online.
Credit protection services, such as LifeLock, Guard Dog ID, and TrustedID will be your safeguard against the trouble and expense involved in dealing with identity theft.
These companies are experienced professionals and protecting your identity is their only job.
Most of these firms will keep an eye on your account at the 3 major credit bureaus, and will alert you of any changes.
They will also scan the internet black market to see whether any of your personal or financial information is being sold there.
Court records will be checked to make sure that someone has not committed a crime and used your name instead of their own.
If identity theft does occur, credit protection services will help you to restore your reputation and credit.
All of the companies have a fund devoted solely to the recovery process, and all will provide you with assistance and information on how to deal with the problem.
It should be pointed out that most of the companies will not handle this process themselves, only LifeLock will actually hire the lawyers and investigators and monitor the progress of the recovery procedure.
Your identity and credit rating are too important to be left to chance and the hope that nothing will happen, taking the step to keep your identity safe will allow you to get on with your life without the worry of identity theft happening to you.