Shopping online and traveling or traveling and shopping in stores are two activities people will do between now and the end of the year. Both are prime opportunities for fraudsters and thieves to steal your money from your bank account, and hackers (many times “friends” and family too) to get your credit card information. What can you do now to protect yourself? Monitor and Freeze
The safety and security of our communities continues to be a top priority at Credit Repair USA. We are excited to provide our customers and friends with the knowledge and tools they need to protect themselves from fraud. We are happy to provide information on how to protect yourself and loved ones. Education truly is key to putting fraudsters in their place and creating a safer financial environment for everyone. Please remember, we are always here to help. If you ever have any questions about your financial security, please contact us.
Part 1: Monitor Your Credit Reports, Bank Accounts, and Credit Card Activity
The goal is to review these accounts at least weekly to catch suspicious activity as soon as possible, report it and limit your losses.
Monitor Credit Reports: You can do this by going to each of the three main credit reporting companies and look at your reports for free. You want to look for changes to your personal information and new accounts you didn’t authorize. Through December 2022, you can get a free credit report each week from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion at AnnualCreditReport.Com
Your Credit Report Is A Dream Stealer And You Don’t Know It post explains what to do if you find an error.
You can also have monthly monitoring plus more done for you. There are several good credit monitoring services. We utilize Identity IQ with our customers. We like that everything is done for you including sending you alerts. Go to Identity IQ to see the many features including up to $1,000,000 ID Theft Insurance & Reimbursement.
Bank Accounts and Credit Card Activity: Banks and credit cards update activity daily and many update throughout the day. At least weekly, check bank accounts and cards you use. Set alerts for purchases and dollar amounts too. You can do this for free from your cell phone, online, or by calling your bank and credit card company.
If you find something not quite right, immediately contact the credit bureau, bank and/or credit card company. The sooner you spot something and report it, the lower the impact to your credit report/score and possible financial losses.
Not sure what to look for on a credit report or next steps? Credit Repair USA provides free credit report reviews and can answer your credit or financial questions. Contact Us and let us know how we can help you.
Next week we’ll cover Part 2: The Freeze.
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