Anyone subscribe to a credit monitoring service? If so, give feeback.
I had an account with Kroll (my alma mater signed me up after a university administration laptop was stolen). Anyway, it was uneventful. I got emails once in a while saying nothing happened. Then, the subscription expired.
To jack my own thread, my old laptop was just stolen out of a friend’s car (the joys of living in the hood). While the laptop is of little value, the contents on the laptop are rather sensitive. Everything is backed up and it is password protected, but what risk do I have with all of my personal information is in a criminal’s hands? My friend has notified police and while I could care less about the return of my laptop, I just don’t want to become a victim of identity theft.
I’d say your password protection is likely worthless unless a friend from the NSA gave it to you.
So if the thief was actually looking for your personal information, you are probably screwed. More likely though, it was just some street scum looking to make a quick buck and some electronics shop in the city already bought it from him for $50 and wiped the HD so they can resell it.
^ That’s my hope. What I don’t want is a sophisticated negro bringing it to Chinatown so they can crack the safe and get my goods.
Streetz talk, I plan on hanging round the block tonight to get the lowdown.
Hey CFAvsMBA - I subscribe to a monitoring service through both TransUnion and Equifax directly (not through a 3rd party, as this can be rather suspect).
Generally, I’m aware of any hard hit on my score, but I’m more interested in ensuring there are no errors on the report that could prevent me from getting higher approvals, favourable rates, etc. Oddly enough, I found an error about two months after my subscription began (which has since been rectified).
I guess I figure that even if the few dollars I pay per month for the service isn’t recouped through identifying and correcting errors, it is worth the money to know exactly where I stand.
Equifax has a free credit monitoring program for 90 days. I signed up for that. I may opt for a pay service that Equifax has to sleep easy at night. We’ll see.
What ever happened to that chap who was the CEO for a credit monitoring program and gave his soc live on TV to demonstrate how confident he was about his company.
Fraud Alerts What are they?
An initial 90 day fraud alert indicates to anyone requesting your credit file that you suspect you are a victim of fraud. When you or someone else attempts to open a credit account in your name, increase the credit limit on an existing account, or obtain a new card on an existing account, the lender should takes steps to verify that you have authorized the request. If the creditor cannot verify this, the request should not be satisfied. You may also request one additional free credit file disclosure. To request your initial 90 day fraud alert online.
An extended fraud alert is similar to an initial 90 day alert, except that it lasts for 7 years, and to verify your request a creditor must contact you on the telephone number(s) you provide to Equifax when you requested the extended fraud alert. A valid police report showing that you have been a victim of identity theft is required to place an extended fraud alert. Also, you may request two additional free credit file disclosures, and your name is removed from prescreened offers of credit or insurance for 5 years. Download an extended fraud alert request form. (The request form requires Adobe Reader. Get Adobe Reader)
An active duty alert is available to persons on active military duty and is similar to an initial 90 day alert, except that it lasts 12 months and your name is removed from prescreened offers of credit or insurance for 2 years. Request your active duty alert online.
For any of these alerts, you will receive a confirmation when the alert is added to your credit file.
How it works:
Equifax works with the other two nationwide credit reporting agencies, Experian and TransUnion, so that when you request an alert through Equifax, your request is automatically sent to the other two agencies. Generally, the alert will be placed on your credit file with all three agencies within 48 hours.
Next steps:
To place a Fraud Alert on your Equifax credit file:
- Online: Place an Initial 90 Day Fraud Alert or Active Duty Alert
- Call: 1-800-525-6285 OR
- Write to: Equifax Information Services LLC P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348-5069
What a absolute scam this whole fictional “credit score” industry has become. The best rackets out there are built on fear.
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Your FICO score is only calculated when you apply for credit. It is not a dynamic score that changes weekly or monthly. If you haven’t applied for a loan in years, then your FICO score has not changed in years.
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Your laptop was flipped. No one cares about what was on it.
And LOL at paying Money for “your name is removed from prescreened offers of credit or insurance for 5 years.” You can do that for free: https://www.optoutprescreen.com/
Is this a real thing? Or am I subscribing to a lifetime subscription to porn?
Is this a real thing? Or am I subscribing to a lifetime subscription to porn?
The link is legit. I opted out years ago and I get nothing in the mail. If you do a little research, you can confirm that it is legit if you don’t want to take my word for it.
It is legit. FTC’s website provides the same link. Nice contribution Blake.
Seriously, thanks for that link. I’m tired of getting all this junk in the mail that goes straight to the shredder.
It’s entirely possible that I’m wrong, but I’m having trouble believing this. You’re claiming that if my credit score is, say, 600 when I get my first credit card, and I never apply for credit for 10 years, I’ll still have a 600 if I request my score from a bureau? Unless you’re counting any score inquiry as an “application for credit,” in which case you’d basically be presenting a Schrodinger’s Cat argument that my score is all scores simultaneously until I look at it.
I should have put in my post “Your FICO score is only calculated when you apply for credit OR if you request the score.”
AND
“Your FICO score is only calculated when you apply for credit OR if you request the score.”
Slight addendum to make this more clear. BUT understand this, in your example you are adding ten years of history. If you ran the FICO model anytime during this additional history YES your score more than likely has changed. BUT the model will only be run if you request it, or if a hard request of credit is made.