I know that many of you have seen the ads that are flying around about credit. They may seem to have some humor behind them, but there is nothing funny about having your identity stolen. Credit fraud is on the rise and there are a few ways that you can combat this. I thought that I would go over a few ways to stay safe.

The first would be to purchase a shredder. You can get these from places like Staples or Office Max or you can check to see if Sams Club or Costco might have them in stock. All mail that has your information printed on it, you shred. This would even include envelopes if it displays name and property address. Once it is shred you can also send it to recycling.

Another safety precaution is never store your credit card information or personal information on line. It does not take a lot for a hacker to get into your system and get out what they need. Also, do not open or respond to suspicious emails. Emails also that offer something that seems to good to be true can be phishing for information.

Another great selection is credit monitoring. This is where you have a company that monitors the activity on your credit report and emails you when there is a change in your credit. This is important as in the fact that someone steals your credit and tries to use it, early detection is the key to checking the criminals. There are many companys that offer this service and I have added a few below. Click on their pictures and it will take you to a secure website to learn more and sign up for their service.

Now, companies like this can also help you get your credit straightened out too. If you have some issues on your report and you want to start cleaning them up, then you can also take on one of these offers and over time be able to clean them up. If you seek quicker service than that, then search out a credit repair expert that can help you do just that.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact either myself or Rich Dansereau and we will be glad to assist you in your questions.

About the Author

If you are in the market to purchase a home or even refinance an existing loan and you want a loan officer that will walk with you every step of the way, then contact Danny or Rich of the Thornton Team at Home America Mortgage today. We can have you pre-approval in as little as 4 hours. You can visit our website or send an email to thorntonteam@homeamericamortgage.com or call us @ 865-951-0522.