Guide to Credit Report Retrieval Security

Your credit report as well as your credit score can be obtained one of three ways. The fastest way would be to access it online but it also can be obtained by phone or mail.

Here are some simple tips to help you remain safe and secure regardless of how you obtain sensitive information about your financial history:

• If you request a free copy of your credit report make sure you order it from a secure, verifiable, and encrypted server. This will ensure that your name, address, and other information is not stolen.
• The website from which you make your request should have a VeriSign or other site seal on it. This helps you identify the origin of a website in the event you are not sure about the source of it.
• When requesting your report by phone or mail you should seek some kind of confirmation. That way, if for some reason you do not receive your credit report in 14 days you can find out why. You can also prove that you have requested it.
• Beware of any online service that offers to help you assume a new identity. This is against the law. Some people do this in order to obtain a more clean credit background but it is illegal. You could get into a lot of trouble for doing this!
• Beware of a supposed online service that wants to ask you to repeatedly verify information about the same credit account. This should not be necessary especially if the information has already been deemed as correct.
• Be careful to which online credit report retrieval or monitoring service you offer your social security number, driver license, number or credit card number. As far as your SSN is concerned specifically, you know you can submit it to Annual Credit Report.com. If you choose to use a different website, have it verified beforehand.
• Beware of website phishing. Sometimes proxy servers are used to imitate a true website and then a person’s personal information is stolen. Type the URL into the address bar by hand every single time you want to access your free credit report.
• If you are suspicious of a website server, do not use it! Trusting your instincts can save you from getting into a heap of trouble. It is better to be safe than to be sorry. It the site is not secure or verifiable you just should not use it.
• One of the most common instances in which you can receive on include if you are unemployed and you plan to look for a job in the next 60 days. Another one is if you are on welfare, and another is if you have noticed fraudulent activity on your account.