Identity theft has been on the rise for several years now.  The best way to keep track of all of your accounts is to order copies of your credit report on a regular basis.  Due to new Federal Consumer Protection laws, everyone is allowed to receive one free copy of their credit report per year from each of the credit bureaus.  Since there are three major credit reporting bureaus, this means you can get a free copy every 4 months. 

Be sure and write down the dates on your calendar or palm pilot to remind you of when you need to order one of the three free credit reports.  For instance, you can get one from Equifax in January, Experian in May, and TransUnion in September.   

Remember, it can sometimes take years to get your identity back and prove your innocence.  This prevention measure can save you big bucks and migraines when it comes to identity theft or other credit related headaches.

You may order each of your free copies from:
Annualcreditreport.com:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

For further reference:
Equifax (800-685-1111), Equifax.com
Experian (888-397-3742) Experian.com
TransUnion (800-916-8800).   Transunion.com 

P.S.  Be very skeptical of any other companies that offer free credit reports.

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