© 2010 iDBunk.org
Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
Did you know that it takes an average of 14 months before victims discover that their identity has been stolen? Once a victim does learn that their identity has been stolen they must spend months sorting out their financial information, while the thief was probably never caught.
You may request your free credit report online, by phone or through the mail. Free credit reports requested online are viewable immediately upon authentication of your identity. Free credit reports requested by phone or mail will be processed within 15 days of receiving your request.
A credit report freeze is an effective tool in preventing one of the most costly and difficult-to-detect forms of identity theft – false new accounts opened in your name. New account fraud occurs when a thief uses your personal information to open up one or more new accounts for credit or services in your name. You’ll never see the bills, since they’re probably being sent elsewhere – so you’ll only learn of the new account when you find out that you have a bad credit score, or when you begin receiving calls or letters from debt collectors.
Prescreened offers of credit or insurance – sometimes called “preapproved” offers – are sent to consumers unsolicited, usually by mail on an irregular schedule. They are based on information in a consumer’s credit report that indicates the individual receiving the offer meets the criteria set by the company making the offer.