Credit Report Monitoring - Early Detection of ID Theft

Identity theft is fairly common, although not widely publicized. In
2005 the Better Business Bureau reported over 9 million victims a year
for two years running. One's identity can be stolen by something as
simple as a security breach on hospital data. It can be quite baffling
to determine the exact event that led to the crime. Most often people
discover the crime when it's too late.A credit report monitoring
service affords consumers the opportunity to quickly detect any
evidence of identity theft. Moreover, it's easier to circumvent ID
theft by monitoring your report, because you will immediately see
where your personal information has been violated. For example,
whether the thief used your personal information to obtain a job,
access your checking account or open a store account.Most often the
goal of an ID thief is to gain access to a consumer's bank account
information. Fraudulent emailing is form of online "phishing" in an
attempt to gain credit card and other sensitive information from a
consumer. Unfortunately many people become victims to this type of
identity crime without being aware of it.The Fair Credit Reporting Act
(FRCA) affords consumers the right to get free copies of their reports
from the three major credit bureaus. A consumer also has the right to
request that the reporting agencies place "fraud alerts" on their
credit file. Furthermore a consumer has the right to view any
documents resulting in fraudulent accounts opened in their
name.Regular credit report monitoring allows a consumer early
detection of ID theft which helps to prevent the thief from "cashing
in" on their crime. For a monthly fee of $14.95 a consumer will get
email alerts whenever any change is made to their credit report
status. A 3 bureau credit report makes it easier for a consumer to
check their details and report any fraudulent activity.