Protecting your credit and financial data can often feel ambiguous, like a lesson that was taught one day in school when you were absent. And when a task feels unknown and daunting, it’s easy to place it out of sight and out of mind and promise yourself that you’ll get to it at some point. I am guilty of this myself.
For most of my young adult life, I took the same hands-off approach with my credit as I did with my car. If the check engine light wasn’t blinking or the brakes weren’t grinding, I would assume everything was operating beautifully. Obviously, this wasn’t the most responsible approach. If you’re not taking proactive steps to change your car’s oil and check your tires, you may end up with a hefty repair bill and a car that’s stuck in the driveway instead of taking you where you need to go.
Maintaining your credit and personal information is very similar, and the longer you put off those maintenance and protective tasks, the more at risk you are of running into an issue down the road. With so much of our confidential information on the internet and in the hands of potential identity thieves these days, falling victim to identity theft and fraud is incredibly common, and if it happens, you could find yourself in serious financial trouble.
Luckily, a credit freeze is an easy step you can take to secure your credit and protect your future self. By placing a freeze on your credit reports with the three nationwide bureaus – Experian, TransUnion and Equifax – you can prevent anyone from opening up fake accounts or lines of credit in your name.
Now, I could just tell you that this is a free and fast step to take, and hope that you take my word for it, but the truth is that I’ve also delayed freezing my credit for the same reason I stated above. So, instead of talking the talk, I’m going to walk the walk by placing a freeze on all three of my credit reports and taking very careful notes. (I froze my files online. For instructions to do it by phone, see these tips.) Hopefully, my step-by-step account will clear up some of that ambiguity and make it easier for you to do the same.