Each consumer is advised to regular monitor his/her personal credit report at least once every six months to ensure its correctness. In case of errors or false information, the consumer can immediately file for a dispute to the credit bureau that issued the report.

Order Your Online Credit Report

If you have a busy schedule, you may prefer to order a copy of your credit report from the internet. The major credit bureaus now offer online credit reporting services. However, caution must be taken when ordering online.

Bear in mind that many scammers and identity thieves use websites and online tactics to steal personal information. Yes, the risk of ID theft is very real. Once your personal information such as your Social Security Number, name, address, contact numbers, driver’s license number or bank account number is stolen, a scammer can do lots of things to put you in debt and destroy your credit history.


Some people do not even know that they have been a victim of ID theft or fraud. Only when credit card companies start sending them notices about past due charges do they realize what happened. An Identity theft can open new accounts and make purchases in your name without your knowledge.

By checking your bills and your credit report regularly, you can be sure that all the charges in your accounts are correct. Through online credit reporting, anyone can conveniently monitor his/her credit report at any time.

What To DO About ID Theft

If you’ve been a victim of stolen identity or credit card fraud, you should take counter steps right away. First, call up the creditor involved and explain the situation. If your creditor agrees to lift the unauthorized charges from your bill, you instantly save yourself from the trouble of paying for bills you didn’t make.

The next step is to call the three major credit bureaus and inform them about the unauthorized charges. Since these were transactions you didn’t make, they should be erased from your credit report. Follow up your call with a dispute letter and send it via registered post mail.

Before sending your dispute letter, see to it that you will get a positive response from the credit bureaus by making sure that your complaint is valid. Explain the details clearly and enclose supporting documents or receipts (copies, not the original) with your dispute letter. After a 30-day investigation, the matter should have been resolved and you should be sent a new and updated copy of your credit report for free.

Again, when ordering a copy of your credit report online, see to it that you’re on the official website of the credit bureau, not a fake web site. Make sure that the URL of the web site begins with https:// which indicates a secured site. Never fill out an online application without ensuring your safety online.

Related Article: How to Deal with Secured Debts