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sheilaleigh Jul 7, 2008

Hi everyone,

I just discovered today that someone had been trying to use my visa credit card.  Luckily, visa blocked my account a month ago.  I didn't even know that this was happening.  My question is, How can I check to see if my identity has been stolen???

hugs,
Sheila

chrissibrinkley Jul 7, 2008

We check our credit history via the three reporting agencies : transunion, equifax, experian.   Each of these agencies official homepages allow for a 3 in 1 to be pulled, you can monitor as you see fit and as often as you see fit.  We personally trust the official sites over the average online "free credit" sites. (the government link below goes into more detail about watching out for bogus credit sites that usually come with strings)   We look at our tradelines, inquiries, applicant information, etc and check to see if something is not accurate.

Each person, in the states,  by law is entitled to a free report from each agency once every 12 months.  Here's the link for that info.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consume … cre34.shtm

Good Luck :)
:hug:
~Chrissi

Michelle Helen Jul 7, 2008

This is a very important question. You can call the three credit agencies (transunion, equifax, experian) and put a fraud alert on them. What this does is prevents anybody opening up any credit cards in your name. If you want to unblock them to open up a credit card or buy a car, you will call them and answer the vetting questions you select and they will remove the block.

Eqyufax: 1.800.525.6285
Experian: 1.888.397.3742
TransUnion: 1.800.680.7289

Also, shed financial information. Don't give out personal information over the phone. Don't click on any unsolicited e-mails. Use firewalls and anti-virus software. Don't use obvious passwords like birth dates or social security numbers and keep all your personal information in a secure place. Don't carry your social security card on you. Keep that separate from your purse (in case it gets stolen).

Hope that helps

sheilaleigh Jul 7, 2008

Thanks for answering my question.  I will check out those companies.  I don't know how anyone got my credit card number or when. 

hugs,
Sheila

sheilaleigh Jul 7, 2008

Hi Chrissi,

Have you requested information from annualcreditreport.com before?  Are they trustworthy?  I just worry about entering my SS#.

hug,
Sheila

We check our credit history via the three reporting agencies : transunion, equifax, experian.   Each of these agencies official homepages allow for a 3 in 1 to be pulled, you can monitor as you see fit and as often as you see fit.  We personally trust the official sites over the average online "free credit" sites. (the government link below goes into more detail about watching out for bogus credit sites that usually come with strings)   We look at our tradelines, inquiries, applicant information, etc and check to see if something is not accurate.

Each person, in the states,  by law is entitled to a free report from each agency once every 12 months.  Here's the link for that info.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consume … cre34.shtm

Good Luck :)
:hug:
~Chrissi

chrissibrinkley Jul 7, 2008

No, I haven't used that site before, but it's a government link and knowing that it's a service we can all access for free I will use it in the future.

Any and all of the reporting agencies will have you supply your SS to pull a report, it's the only way to pull your credit, so that's pretty much standard.  I would think that the gov. site would be much safer than the hundreds of free credit sites out there, but I'm sure you could give them a call or shoot an email to be sure. 

Just another thought for those concerned with identity theft.  Ask all companies that you supply your SS# to how they protect you, what their exact policies on confidential info/docs are. How they store and destroy.  You would be SO frightened to know how many companies (mortgage for example) treat your confidential documents and information.  From first hand experience,  it's mighty scary!

:hug:
~Chrissi