Newsflash: Victim of Purse Snatching Orders Credit Report and Sleeps Like a Baby!
Contributed by Alix Mcmurray
Newsflash: Victim of Purse Snatching Orders Credit Report and Sleeps Like a Baby!
Never thought you'd use your own credit report to keep warm on a Friday night? Well, that's just what one woman did after she was mugged a few blocks from her apartment. Despite the fact that her wallet, cash, credit cards, and i.d. were all taken, she was able to sleep like a baby that night. How? She called the three credit bureaus and immediately started protecting her credit.
Break the Ice with the Bureaus -- Order Your Credit Report!
You may never have had to think about your credit report, much less acquaint yourself with the three national credit bureaus -- Trans Union, Experian and Equifax. Particularly if you have good credit, you may never have had occasion to even look at your credit report; but chances are, lots of other folks have. Maybe you even think that requesting your own credit report is a bit like asking for your own report card -- and you're not exactly an "A" student.
Don't worry, because with credit as with school, you can be less than perfect and still get a passing grade. But while a report card can't keep someone from plagiarizing your term paper and passing the course,a credit report can -- and it's called fraud surveillance.
Your Credit Report As a Fraud Surveillance Tool
The three credit bureaus, as well as most credit card companies, will readily offer you the option of keeping a security alert or victim statement in your credit file. This alert will oblige anyone attempting to initiate a credit or insurance relationship with you (i.e. a potential credit grantor)to verify your information by contacting you personally. This way, no one using your information can be extended credit under your name.
