Checking your credit report can help you catch mistakes and fraud before they wreak havoc on your personal finances. Make sure your report is accurate and includes only those transactions you've authorized. It's also a good idea to review your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies every year -- it's possible that information is reported to one but not the others.
Services such as Equifax Credit Watch monitor your credit report for you and alert you of changes to your credit file so that you can determine if the activity involves fraud. You can also obtain insurance and a variety of other protections against the damage of identity theft.
Also Verify Your Public Records
Regularly checking your public records information is another important way to protect your identity. An identity thief can cause costly and time-consuming damage to you by being arrested, getting a lien, or using your Social Security Number in any number of ways for illicit purposes, all of which would be reported on your public records.
Your credit file contains some public records about you, like liens, judgments and foreclosures. However, credit reporting agency files are not comprehensive listings of your public records. You should check the public records portion of your credit report to make sure that none of the records are a result of fraud or identity theft. However, you will also need to check a variety of other sources (e.g., state or county court records, motor vehicle department records, etc.) for a complete review of your public records.
