Your personal information is at risk if you do not keep up with security measures that could have been implemented. It does sound like small print for a mortgage, but it is absolutely true. If you have been slightly laps with your personal information in the past, you could be at risk right now. Even if you are a stalwart my information goes nowhere type person, well, you can’t always hide behind good old Norton Security!
So what are the best methods of securing your identity from the hoards of identity thieves just queuing up waiting for you to slip up with a Social Security Number, or a misplaced credit card bill in the trash?
The Methods of Protection Broke Down
Method One – You could try going it alone and using the big three credit reference bureaus Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Drop them a letter to ask them to notify you if any attempts are made at gaining credit in your name. Do the same for each member of your family and freeze your children’s credit facility until they are older. Grab a free annual credit report for everybody in your household also while you are at it.
Method Two – An ‘Active Monitoring Service’ can be an effective solution, although this is a more costly approach. You will need to work out what your budget is every month to spend on this kind of facility, so work that out first then contact a few companies to see what they can offer you.
Active Monitoring Services monitor all kinds of information about you, not only credit reports. They will dip into ‘Public Records’ and check for even the most moderate of inquiries against your name or names whichever it may be. They will notify you if they find anything going on. They can even put a block on suspicious inquiries or activity and the potential for fraudulent use of your personal information.
Who should I Choose?
There are some trust worthy ‘Active Monitoring Services’ that you could take a look at. Going with the mainstream of people, they seem to have chose 3 that stand out. But that does not mean that other companies are dire, far from it. You should talk to more than the 3 in the list below, and gauge who can work with your budget.
• LifeLock – One of the biggest names in the AMS industry.
• IDwatchdog – A large database and efficient data management helps effect a comprehensive ID theft protection solution.
• Identity Truth – As with the other two, they monitor any events, notify you and can even make sure there is a stop on inquiries until they can reach you if you not contactable, as with the other two above
Safety is the big player, just be very careful who you chose to offer information to in regards everyday Internet use, going to the ATM or throwing away bills and letters
The first step in taking command of your credit and your life is to find out where you stand. How’s your credit score? 0-600 Poor, 601-680 Fair, 700-774 Good, 775+ Excellent. Find out your score now! There are no excuses since you can get a Free Credit Score!
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