There is no shortage of invitations to see your “free” credit score. However, you may have by now realized that there comes a catch in the form of an expensive credit monitoring service that you are automatically enrolled in as a condition of seeing your free score. (more…)
Credit and Debt Blog
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Archive for the ‘Identity Theft’ Category
What if a Relative Steals my Identity?
(George from North Carolina)
I have just discovered approximately 14 credit cards taken out in my name by whom I suspect to be a loved one. The total debt comes to approximately $30,000. I certainly can not afford to pay these off nor make the scheduled payments. All are in default at this point, some sold to collection agencies and some still held by the original companies. Is there anything I can do to correct my credit. I do not want loved one arrested. (more…)
Ask Ken Your Financial Questions
When you are looking for an answer to a very specific question, it may sometimes be difficult to find exactly what you are looking for. That is because your situation is unique, and most other situations that you read about are just not the same as yours. Now you can ask your questions directly. (more…)
LendingTree Consumer Files Hacked
Customers of LendingTree, a popular online mortgage lead service, have been informed that their personal information on file has been compromised. Customers use the LendingTree service to have several different banks compete and see who offers the best terms on a mortgage. Consumers provide personal information including their social security number, address, birthday, income and employment information to LendingTree. This information is normally passed on to authorized banks who use the information to determine whether the consumers qualify for a mortgate and, if so, under what terms. (more…)
Data Breach at Georgetown University
Georgetown University announced the theft of an external hard drive which contained 38,000 social security numbers belonging to current students, staff and alumni from 1998 to 2006. The hard drive was first reported missing on January 3. (more…)
IRS Rebates Focus of Scammers
Scammers have been contacting taxpayers while posing as Internal Revenue Service employees. The goal is to get valuable personal information, including your social security number in order to commit fraud and identity theft. (more…)
Seniors Unaware of Credit Freezes
Senior citizens do not understand the option of placing a freeze on their credit profile. That is a conclusion of a recent study conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Public Policy Institute.
A total of 69 percent were unaware of credit freezes and how they work. For seniors looking to prevent identity theft, a credit freeze may be the best answer. (more…)
Equifax and E-Book Fraud?
A new report by MSNBC examines a peculiar “coincidence” that involves Equifax and an E-book seller named Digismarket.com. Literally hundreds of internet shoppers have noticed unauthorized charges of $4.95 from Digismarket.com. The other connection many of them had was that they had also recently used those cards to purchase credit services through Equifax.
Equifax conducted an internal investigation and reported that there was no connection and no evidence of a data breach. However, hundreds of victims are convinced there is more to the story. (more…)
Credit Freeze vs. Fraud Alert
Both a credit freeze and a fraud alert can stymie identity thieves that are looking to exploit your good credit and open accounts in your name. Each can halt the opening of new credit accounts.
So why are both offered, and what is the difference? (more…)
