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It’s your worst financial nightmare: you apply for a credit card or a loan, and you get turned down for a bad credit score even though you have done everything right, made your payments on time, limited hard inquiries, and kept your credit card balances low. Unfortunately, fraud isn’t as uncommon as you think, and even if the person who has assumed your identity isn’t actually granted credit, they can still destroy your credit score with hard inquiries simply by applying for it.<br>
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Avoid Hard Inquiries That Aren’t Yours –Top 10 Anti-Fraud Tips (Part 1)
It’s your worst financial nightmare: you apply for a credit card or a loan, and you get turned down for a bad credit score even though you have done everything right, made your payments on time, limited hard inquiries, and kept your credit card balances low. Unfortunately, fraud isn’t as uncommon as you think, and even if the person who has assumed your identity isn’t actually granted credit, they can still destroy your credit score with hard inquiries simply by applying for it. If you aren’t sure how to protect your identity, here are 10 tips to keep your credit score safe.
There is such thing as TMI TMI stands for "too much information". Just because there is a white box that asks for your SIN or credit card information online, that doesn't necessarily mean you need to enter it. If you have the option not to share information, don't. This is the best way to avoid stolen information and unwanted hard inquiries.
Use smart security questions If you're secret question is "what is my first job" and you have listed your current career as your first and only, you have just provided a would-be thief with enough information to access your personal data.
Lock down your email accounts A thief with email access can password reset every password you have, and access every website you deal with in minutes potentially leading to stolen information and unwanted hard inquiries.
Delete old or unused profiles Leaving your data on websites that you don't use or monitor regularly can lead to theft. If you don't need it, don't keep it. This is the best way to avoid unwanted hard inquiries, trade, or identity theft.
Stop using the same password Most people use the same password site-to-site, but there's a good reason why you shouldn't: it's too easy. Most identity theft can be avoided by making sure it takes too much work to hack your profiles. Remember: No access, no unwanted transactions, hard inquiries or future financial problems. But, if you do have unwanted hard inquiries damaging your credit score, Inquiry Busters can help you.
