Identity thieves count on the fact that many consumers do not know what is happening to their credit file on a regular basis. Many consumers wait until they have an occasion to open a new credit account or make a loan to access their credit report. This allows thieves to assume your identity, open accounts in your name and operate silently. Now, you are protected with credit monitoring of your Experianв, Equifaxв, and TransUnionв credit reports for new or suspicious activity. If new activity occurs, you will receive an alert which will allow you to confirm whether or not the activity is yours. Actively monitoring your credit reports may discourage criminals from using your name, and allow for a speedy recovery.

MIS will provide you with a complete copy annually of your credit reports from each of the three credit bureaus – Experianв, Equifaxв, and TransUnionв – so you can review your credit history and ensure your information is correct and free from fraudulent activity.

A credit score is a number used by lenders to help them decide whether or not to make a loan, and what rate to charge. The credit score is generated based on elements of your credit report, including the number and severity of late payments, the type, number and age of accounts, the total debt based on these accounts, how many inquiries your credit file has received for new accounts, and many other factors. An identity thief will open new accounts in your name, immediately change the address for billing so you never receive any statements or notifications, and then proceed to run up debt. The thief may even make some partial payments to keep the credit line open while they make more charges. In the end, they will stop paying and the account will go into default, causing your credit score to suffer. This could affect your ability to obtain legitimate credit or cause you to pay higher rates for a loan or line of credit. You will receive your current credit scores from Experianв, Equifaxв, and TransUnionв, along with valuable information about what is affecting your score. Whether as a result of identity theft, or just a matter of your own day-to-day activity, it is important to understand how credit scores affect your ability to maintain good credit standing.

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