[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Getting your first home can be challenging if you don’t have the best credit score. Many people don’t know they are victims of identity theft until they apply for credit, or start getting late payment notices in the mail for accounts they never opened, or you are receiving bills for medical services you never had. The Federal Trade Commission (the FTC) has this list of clues that someone has stolen your information:

• You see withdrawals from your bank account that you can’t explain.
• You don’t get your bills or other mail.
• Merchants refuse your checks.
• Debt collectors call you about debts that aren’t yours.
• You find unfamiliar accounts or charges on your credit report.
• Medical providers bill you for services you didn’t use.
• Your health plan rejects your legitimate medical claim because the records show you’ve reached your benefits limit.
• A health plan won’t cover you because your medical records show a condition you don’t have.
• The IRS notifies you that more than one tax return was filed in your name, or that you have income from an employer you don’t work for.
• You get notice that your information was compromised by a data breach at a company where you do business or have an account.

If you have been a victim of identity theft, you have rights, and you can get your credit and identity cleaned up and back in your control.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Identity Theft 101

To get you warmed up for our discussion today, let’s check out this video from Bank Of America describing Identity theft and a quick overview of steps you can take to combat it so you can get your identity back under your control. The step are not quick, and it will take documentation as well as a lot of phone calls and leg work. It is worth it in the end, and you will learn a ton of information about your credit, using credit, and how to manage your credit.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/QizfpGI7acE” align=”right”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”3751″ img_size=”full”][vc_single_image image=”3752″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Identity Theft by the numbers.

Comparitech has been publishing data on the statistics of Identity theft for a while now. As late as August of 2018, Sam Cook said,

“Identity theft is increasingly a 21st-century problem. As more data moves off of physical paper and onto Internet-connected servers, the chances of that data getting stolen increases as well. While “malicious outsiders” remain active in stealing data, consumers share a good part of the blame for their lost data. Nevertheless, there are some positives that have emerged in response.”

As much as any important conversation a person should have with their family, the question of, “Should I get identity theft insurance?” should be asked. I think the question on our minds now is how to answer that question.

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Be Responsible.

First off, you have to be the one responsible for watching your credit by getting your annual credit report. Put it on your calendar reminders for the same time each year. Get your credit reports and deal with any inconsistencies. It’s just a given these days. In addition, Balance your bank accounts each month. By going through your monthly statement for all financial accounts in your name, you will find errors and scammers pulling funds from your account in small amounts to see if you report them. If you don’t refute the charges, more charges (small enough to not trigger the fraud algorithm) will follow. Like a leach, they will keep sucking until you notice and make it stop. Check out this video with 5 additional tips to help you be responsible in managing your identity safely.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”3754″ img_size=”full”][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/yCCvo0GVYKY”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”3755″ img_size=”full”][vc_single_image image=”3756″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Be Vigilant!

Signing up at Credit Karma for FREE will give you access to real time information between the annual dates you pull your credit report. Credit Karma will help you understand when recent hits have shown up on your credit report and you can monitor your score regularly. Sean Pyles, with Nerdwallet says,

“Pay for a service only if you’re at high risk, don’t want to freeze your credit and won’t do monitoring chores yourself.”

 

In short, if you want to be lazy and have someone else watch your back, you can pay. Sean’s thoughts on the subject suggest that you should manually freeze all your credit (if you request a freeze at one of the big three companies, it freezes your credit with all three because the have to cross communicate with each other on the freeze). “…this free tool lets you restrict access to your credit report, which in turn makes it more difficult for identity thievesto open new accounts in your name. That’s because most creditors need to see your credit report before they approve a new account. If they can’t see your report, they may not extend the credit.“, says the FTC. It is FREE to place a freeze, and FREE to remove the freeze when you want access to your credit. This is a good option, but it is not bullet proof.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Identity Monitoring.

What if you don’t want to freeze your credit, and are still on the job frequently monitoring your credit; how do you know if someone tried to grab your information on a random Tuesday in June? That is where the identity theft insurance companies can be of value. Comparing and contrasting these four identity theft companies will be worth the research.

• Identity Force is an option with plans as low as $12.00/month, and is a good value.
• LifeLock has been around a while and is a leader in the industry with plans as low as $8.00/month.
• ID Watchdog is another great option with plans from $14.95 to $19.95/month.
• Zander, recommended by Dave Ramsey, is a super personal. It provides monitoring services like the others, but also assists in the recovery from identity theft and replaces items when they are lost. With plans from $6.75/month for individuals, and $12.90/month for a family (including all children under 18) we see this as a leader in the industry.

You should check out the options and have the discussion with your family about identity theft protection options. If you have questions or need help resolving identity theft, just reach out with an email. You can also send us a text or call us at (503) 799-8354 with your questions. We are here to help guide you on your real estate journey. But most of all, don’t let somebody else write a bad chapter in your real estate story, we are here to help you write that plan with excellence and tell the bad guys, “Get Out!”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”3754″ img_size=”full”][vc_single_image image=”3757″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”3690″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]My Real Estate Advisor Team is licensed to practice real estate as a broker in the state of Oregon and is not a licensed appraiser, mortgage broker/lender, or licensed financial advisor. Any financial advice received from the My Real Estate Advisor Team is for information only. My Real Estate Advisor Team makes no legal or promissory statements to the actual financial market at the time of this post. You should always contact a licensed financial advisor or lending professional to seek actual financial advice for your specific situation.         [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]