Health & Fitness
As If You Don't Have Enough To Worry About! How To Avoid Identity Theft
Whether they're snatching your purse, diving into your dumpster, stealing your mail, or hacking into your computer, they're out to get you. Who are they? Identity thieves. Identity thieves can empty your bank account, max out your credit cards, open new accounts in your name, and purchase furniture, cars, and even homes on the basis of your credit history. If they give your personal information to the police during an arrest and then don't show up for a court date, you may be subsequently arrested and jailed. And what will you get for their efforts? You'll get the headache and expense of cleaning up the mess they leave behind. You may never be able to completely prevent your identity from being stolen, but here are some steps you can take to help protect yourself from becoming a victim. Check yourself out It's important to review your credit report periodically. Check to make sure that all the information contained in it is correct, and be on the lookout for any fraudulent activity. You may get your credit report for free once a year. To do so, contact the Annual Credit Report Request Service online at www.annualcreditreport.com or call (877) 322-8228. If you need to correct any information or dispute any entries, contact the three national credit reporting agencies:
- Equifax: www.equifax.com
(800) 685-1111 - Experian: www.experian.com
(888) 397-3742 - TransUnion: www.transunion.com
(800) 916-8800
By, John Brenkovich,Registered CFP,Registered ChFC,Registered AAMS