Medical bills are among the top reasons for credit repair in the U.S., and the reasons aren’t always just. According to the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, consumers and businesses lose more than $68 billion to scammers each year. As one of the many forms of identity theft, insurance thieves target innocent people like you in attempt to abuse healthcare coverage information. Some of their tactics include: continue reading “Health Insurance Fraud: How to Protect Yourself” »

Your Social Security Number (SSN) is the key to your identity. This nine-digit number is also the key that opens the door to identity theft. When doctors, lawyers, employers, and creditors are all asking for your SSN, who can you trust? Is it mandatory to provide it, or can you say no? Keep the following details in mind before handing out proprietary information. The FTC reported over a quarter-million identity theft cases last year. Avoid the need for credit repair by staying off the list.

Who needs your Social Security Number?

continue reading “Identity Protection: Who Needs Your Information?” »

We all live with the threat of personal identity theft. The world of technology has opened countless doors to thieves, endangering our credit scores and peace of mind. For business owners, this threat is twofold.

Though less prominent, business identity theft still remains a danger to U.S. credit scores. Sole-proprietors and other small business owners are at the front lines of this credit war, often realizing a problem only after it has spiraled out of control. Read on to learn more about avoiding this growing problem as a businessperson, and what every consumer can do to help.

Business owners face identity theft on a global scale; with the right tools, anyone in the world can steal your company name and drag it through the mud. Protect yourself by becoming vigilant in the following areas: continue reading “Business Identity Theft: What it Means for You” »

Identity theft is a common problem in our tech-driven society. Despite consumer awareness, one group of victims is often overlooked: Children. A study conducted by Carnegie Mellon University polled a data group of 42,000 children, finding that 10 percent suffered from suspicious Social Security Number activity. “Child ID theft is a particularly troubling crime because it often goes undetected for years,” said David Vladeck, the Federal Trade Commission’s Director of Bureau of Consumer Protection. The reason? The red flags presented to adults are usually non-existent with children. Without credit monitoring, these underage victims may face a challenging road of credit repair in the future. To minimize your kids’ risk, practice vigilance to spot the warning signs, including:

continue reading “Child Identity Theft: Warning Signs and Action” »

For the most part, technology is a universally beneficial entity. Advances have changed the faces of communication, science, and information. On the opposite end of the spectrum, confidentiality has become more difficult to safeguard. In a world where information is a click away, identity theft has plagued the lives of thousands. If you are a victim, learning how to fix your credit is the first step in overcoming this trial. Follow the steps below to fight for your financial privacy.

1. File a police report.

Identity theft is a criminal act that should be taken seriously. Contact your local sheriff’s department and file a police report as soon as possible. The police may be able to catch and prosecute whoever stole your information. An official record will also reinforce your claims of fraudulent charges if creditors or credit bureaus ask for further information.

continue reading “How to Fix Your Credit after Identity Theft” »