A constant threat of identity is something most consumers don’t take the time to recognize but it is growing year after year.  One way to fight the threat is to check your credit report on a regular basis.  If you have become a victim it will be quickly become apparent with a review of your credit report.

What you will find if you are a victim of identity theft

The most indicators from your credit report of identity theft can be found a few different sections.  The first would be your personal information, which includes your name, where you live, employer and social security number.  A red flag would be address that you have never heard of or lived at.  Thefts will need an address they can have items sent to and these unknown addresses could be that.

Another section to review is your payment history.  Another red flag would be accounts that you don’t know about.  These could be account thefts have setup in your name.  Other signs could be collection accounts that you didn’t know about and a list of credit applications that you didn’t apply for.

The last thing you want is to be surprised by collection calls and letters for account you had no idea about.  You should be aware there are other methods such as credit monitoring to protect yourself and locking your credit report.  If you just want to do it yourself by checking your credit report you should have a set schedule of when you are checking.  At least once a year is the most common recommendation for checking your credit report, but sometimes to play it safe checking every six months is not a bad idea.