Stop lollygagging and get your free credit reports now

Personal finance article From the Kansas City Star

How the credit bureaus helped the biggest identity theft in history

How the credit bureaus helped the biggest identity theft in history - MSNBC.com

ID theft can strike anytime

Check your credit report.

Tonight.

That was the advice University of Colorado sophomore Zach Friesen gave students at Doherty High School on Wednesday during a presentation on identity theft.

Friesen, who goes to the Boulder campus, also talked about his own experience with identity theft. When he was 7, someone bought a houseboat using his personal information, Friesen said. Ten years later, when Friesen went to get a job, he learned there were problems with his Social Security number and credit report.

Once someone has personal information about someone else, they can accept a credit card or open a bank account, get cash advances or obtain loans

More From Gazette.com

Experian National Score Index - How Does Your Credit Score Compare?

In that last article I posted about, the rep from Experian mentioned the Experian National Score Index, which essentially shows the national average and also regional averages for credit scores. I think I've seen some numbers on this before, and it's possible they came from that site, but I don't remember. Anyway, it's very interesting to see which regions have the highest average credit scores. New England is the highest at 701. The West South Central states are the lowest at 654. I live in Utah, which is in the Mountain states, which comes in with the second-to-lowest average score of 669. Pretty weak, but at least I can take comfort knowing that I'm above average in at least one thing ;)

The overall national average score is 667. How does your credit score compare?

Wichita Eagle - Credit reports

"The first time someone pulled my credit report, I had this sinking feeling. It felt like waiting for a grade to a test I couldn't recall taking.

The score must have been OK. It was June 1996 and just days before I started my first reporting job. A bank lent me money for my first car -- a fully unloaded 1994 Chevy Cavalier -- and an apartment complex rented me the first place I didn't have to share."

An editorial form the Wichita Eagle with info about credit reports and scores

This article rehashes a lot of the same stuff you may have already here on Total Credit Reports or other places, but in case you missed anything, it's got a good overview of credit scores and credit reports, including a few interview questions with Samah Haggag from Experian. She even got Samah to tell his(?) own score: 746. Not too shabby.

Free credit reports prevent ID theft

A local college newspaper has an insightful article about credit reports and ID theft. I never realized that college students were the most targeted group for identity theft, although I've heard a few stories of roommates stealing their "friends" identity. A word to the wise, keep a close eye on your roommates, or anyone else who has access to your mail and your personal information. I'm not saying you can't trust anyone, but you need to be very careful with your personal credit history.

From the article:

"College-age students are the most targeted group by credit card companies and one of the hardest hit consumer groups for identity theft according to a Federal Trade Commission report.

The danger of identity theft and the onslaught of credit card offers come at a time when the cohort is beginning to establish their vulnerable credit history – a time when college students should be aware of their credit."

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Half of Americans haven't obtained free credit reports

Is everyone else just as busy as I am? Results from a recent survey tell us that nearly everyone is concerned about their credit and issues like identity theft, but only half have actually seen their credit report in the last year.

"Americans are worried about having their identity stolen and credit ruined, but less than half have sought to look at their credit report for free under a new federal law, according to a new survey by HSBC North America.

The report by the financial services firm points up a discrepancy between consumers' concerns and the actions they're taking - or not taking - to address them."

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