Even
if you have not tried to buy anything with credit lately, you still have a
credit history and your information is stored with all three of the credit
bureaus. Recently Equifax was hacked and
personal information for many people may have been compromised. In addition, some local banks have also been
hacked. What can you do to protect yourself? The first step is to go to the Equifax
website and follow the directions to see if your information could have been
compromised. If yes, sign up for their
free monitoring service. This service is
free for 1 year. https://www.equifax.com/personal/
Identity
monitors scan personally identifiable information in credit applications,
public records, websites, and other places for any unusual activity that could
be signs of identity theft. Some services may help you watch for problems. They
often include a credit monitoring service that watches your credit reports and
alerts you to changes to the accounts listed on your credit report. If you’re
offered or considering an identity monitoring or credit monitoring service,
make sure you check for trial periods, fees, cancellation requirements, and
other restrictions so you don’t face unexpected fees, charges, or other
limitations.
The
second thing to do is to pull your credit reports and check them for any
issues, also reconcile your credit and bank statements for unusual activity. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com
Finally,
if you are not planning on needing to request credit anytime soon, put a freeze
on your credit. Equifax is offering this
service for free.
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