Gerken Financial Coaching - Serving Greater Seattle Area

Identity Theft and Your Credit

Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the nation - especially in the suburbs. ~ Melissa Bean. Review your Credit Report annually In today's world of ever-increasing identity theft, it is more important than ever to check your credit report annually. You want to make sure that someone else is not using your information, social security number or credit illegally. There are three companies that allow you to check your report once a year. They are Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. If you time how check each of these reports once per year, you could check your credit every four months for free. Benefits When you check your credit report, not only are you checking for fraud, but you are also checking your report for inaccuracies on the bureau. A creditor may have not closed an account as agreed, they may say you owe more than you do, they may say that you owe when you do not. Being proactive in making sure that your account is accurate is a wise choice. It … [Read More...]