Living (and loving) Life
It’s always been a good idea to review your credit report for errors and omissions every now and then, but with identity theft happening so often these days it’s absolutely critical that you keep an even closer check on it than ever.
Credit reporting agencies used to charge a fee every time someone asked for a copy of their own credit report, but now the federal government requires them to provide every American with one free copy per year.
Be aware that there are several private companies that offer “free” credit reports, but those companies all require something in exchange. Most experts recommend steering clear of those websites.
Instead, you should use AnnualCreditReport.com which is the only website that’s officially sanctioned by the U.S. government to provide you with a truly free copy of your credit report once every year.
This page on the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) website has all the details about the government’s free annual credit report requirement and the official AnnualCreditReport.com website.
Bottom line: Identity thieves are running rampant these days, causing financial hardships for millions of Americans.
Don’t let yourself become a victim. Protect yourself and your family by requesting your free credit report every year and checking it closely for errors, omissions and fraudulent entries.
To finish up, the short video below offers a clear and concise explanation of what your credit score really means.
Note: As always, you can watch the video at full screen by clicking the “square” icon in the lower right-hand corner of the video.