How do I correct a mistake on my credit report?
Everyone should take advantage of their right to obtain a FREE credit report for themselves, every 12 months from each of the three credit bureaus. This is the only way you can monitor your own credit file, without paying high fees to a credit monitoring service. Although the FREE credit report will not include a credit score, it will let you view any negative information included in your file. If the negative information is true, complete and accurate, then you can take actions to start improving your credit situation. Read more
Settlement results in free credit monitoring service
You can sign up today to receive free credit monitoring services from the credit bureau TransUnion due to a settlement the company reached on a class-action lawsuit.
Credit Report Blog.com would like to advise all consumers that a settlement has been reached in the class-action lawsuit filed against TransUnion Credit Bureau. The lawsuit was filed because TransUnion irresponsibly sold customer information in the form of marketing lists to other businesses. TransUnion denied any wrongdoing, while at the same time, stating that they had stopped the practice as far back as 2001. Read more
U of U medical records stolen, 2.2 million patients’ data at risk
University of Utah Hospital and Clinics patients are bracing for the unknown as police and prosecutors investigate the theft of 2.2 million billing records filled with personal information.
Authorities say the records, stolen out of a courier’s personal vehicle earlier this month, put the private data of patients from the past 16 years at risk.
Credit Report Blog – It’s amazing how an incident like this can lead to astronomical financial damage for every one of those 2.2 million patients. Hospitals and any other organizations that hold such sensitive information need to take responsibility and re-think their procedures so that these mishaps do not happen. The good thing is that the U of U is taking the right steps in offering free credit monitoring services to all patients whose social security numbers were compromised. Read more
Thieves steal $22,000 using credit card of U.Va. Professor
Identity thieves in New York had opened a checking and savings account in Grant’s name, aided by his Social Security number and a fake New York driver’s license with his name on it. Using an online banking feature of the fraudulent checking account, the thieves hijacked Grant’s existing Bank of America credit-card account.
***Credit Report Blog*** After reading about this incident, it is apparent that no matter how safe you think you are or no matter how many precautions you take, identity thieves still manage to do what they do best—severe financial damage to their victim. In the professor’s case, after finding out that his personal info may had been compromised, he took all the right steps that he thought would save him from becoming another powerless victim of identity theft. Read more
Credit Monitoring Services – Wasting your money?
When you listen to ads pitching credit monitoring services, the top benefit they usually mention is to protect you from identity theft. Not true! These credit monitoring services do not really do anything to prevent identity theft. If anything, they may be able to alert you, once the crime has been committed. In addition, you will only receive these alerts on any credit-related activity, if certain conditions are first met. What’s more, these services can be very expensive. Why spend unnecessary dollars when you are entitled to a FREE credit report once a year? You can also receive it FREE if you are denied a line of credit, denied employment, or become victim of identity theft. Read more