| In this country, your credit score is a big deal. It's | | | | of information removed and doing so will improve your |
| amazing what a profound effect a three digit number | | | | credit score. |
| can have on your life. This article is going to talk about | | | | It's also important to check your credit report with |
| the importance of your credit score and why it's | | | | score in order to help prevent identity theft. If someone |
| important that you check your actual credit report with | | | | is able to open an account in your name, they may be |
| score at least once per year. | | | | able to charge up bills that they have no intention of |
| A good credit score makes it easy to get credit cards | | | | paying. This happened to me personally on more than |
| or to get financing for cars and homes. A bad credit | | | | one occasion. I got a call from a collection agency one |
| score makes it incredibly difficult to get those things | | | | day asking me why I had not paid my cell phone bill. |
| and if you are able to get approved for financing, you'll | | | | This was a number of years ago and at that time I |
| have to pay a much higher interest rate. Difficult | | | | had never even owned a cell phone. Someone |
| financing and high interest rates are not the only | | | | opened an account in my name, racked up over $400 |
| burdens faced by people with poor credit ratings. Your | | | | on the cell phone bill, and because it was in my name I |
| credit score is also used to evaluate your applications | | | | was expected to pay it. I did not even know about the |
| for things like insurance, employment, and renting a | | | | account until I got a call from a collection agency. If I |
| home. | | | | had checked my credit report periodically, I would have |
| Because a poor credit rating can make so many | | | | seen this account being reported and they would've |
| things in life more difficult, it's important to get your | | | | been able to take care of it much sooner. |
| credit report with score so that you know what your | | | | That's just one example. It could've been much worse |
| score is and so that you can check your credit report | | | | than a cell phone bill not being paid. Identity thieves can |
| for anything you might be able to fix to help improve | | | | open credit cards in your name and rack up thousands |
| your credit score. It's not uncommon for there to be | | | | of dollars worth of charges. It's very important to keep |
| mistakes on your credit report which negatively affect | | | | an eye on your credit report with score so that you |
| your score. If you find information on your credit report | | | | can avoid this type of scenario and so that you can |
| that is not accurate or is outdated and has already | | | | try to maintain a good credit rating to avoid paying |
| been rectified, you can make a phone call or write a | | | | astronomical interest rates and make things like getting |
| letter to the credit reporting agencies to have that type | | | | credit, insurance, employment, and housing much easier. |