General Questions Payment/Delivery Options All About Credit Reports All About Credit Scores All About Identity Theft
General Questions
How secure is the IDTheft ProtectSM Web Site? What is the Fair Credit Reporting Act? What is your Privacy Policy? What is the Federal Trade Commission? What should I do if I forget my User ID or Password? What should I do if I forget my PIN?
How secure is the IDTheft Protect Web site?
Our Web site uses the most advanced encryption technology available: 128-bit encrypted Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) keeps your personal information, including credit card number, secure from unauthorized access. Netscape 4.0 and higher, Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher, and most frame-enabled browsers support SSL. When you begin a transaction, the rest of your visit will take place on our secure server. You will see a small key or padlock in the bottom right corner of your browser if you are using Netscape or Microsoft browsers, indicating that your transaction is secure.
To further ensure that your privacy is protected, Intersections Inc. has engaged TruSecure Corporation, a nationally recognized security firm, to conduct a security audit known as a Web Certification. According to the Perimeter Risk Assessment results, Intersections Inc has a "solid security posture".
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What is the Fair Credit Reporting Act?
The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) promotes the accuracy, fairness, and privacy of information in the files of consumer reporting agencies. There are many types of consumer reporting agencies, including credit bureaus that gather and sell information about your creditworthiness to creditors, employers, landlords and other businesses.
The FCRA gives consumers specific rights which are summarized below. You may have additional rights under state law.
For more information, go to www.ftc.gov/credit, or write to: Consumer Response Center, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.
What is Your Privacy Policy?
Click here to review our Privacy Policy
What is the Federal Trade Commission?
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces a variety of federal antitrust and consumer protection laws, including the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, the law that regulates consumer-reporting agencies, those who use credit reports, and those who furnish information to consumer reporting agencies. The FTC ensures that all three parties (consumers, consumer reporting agencies, and lenders) are treated in a fair and equitable manner.
The FTC's mission is to help the nation's markets function competitively and efficiently, unhampered by needless restrictions. It works to spotlight and eliminate acts or practices that are unfair or deceptive. In general, the FTC tries to stop actions that threaten consumers' opportunities to exercise informed choice. It also performs economic analyses, when asked, to support its law enforcement efforts and to contribute to the policy as set forth by Congress, the Executive Branch, other independent agencies, and state and local governments. In addition to carrying out its statutory enforcement responsibilities, the FTC advances the policies underlying Congressional mandates through cost-effective non-enforcement activities, such as consumer education.
What should I do if I forget my User ID or Password?
If you have forgotten your User ID or Password, click on Forgot User ID or Password? You will be asked to provide your last name, the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number and your Zip Code. This information will be used to identify your account. You will then receive an e-mail containing a link to your HINT question. After you successfully answer the question, you will be prompted to change your User ID or Password to access your account.
What should I do if I forget my PIN?
First time users will be asked to use their last name as the Username, and the PIN (Personal Identification Number), included with their fulfillment materials, as the password. If you have not previously registered on this site, and have forgotten your PIN, for security purposes and your protection we will need to verify your account before providing you with access to the information. Click on I Forgot My PIN and you will be prompted to answer questions based on your direct credit report information. Once the verification process is complete, you will be redirected to the Manage Your Account page where you will be able to set-up a User ID and Password.
Payment/Delivery Options
What are my delivery options?
All members registered on the Web site have the choice of delivery via e-mail or regular mail, plus the added feature of receiving notifications via phone or text messaging.
If you provided your e-mail address during enrollment, you will automatically begin receiving service to your e-mail account. If you have not provided your e-mail address, your method of delivery will be to your postal address.
How do I change delivery methods?
You can change your delivery options at any time. Once you have logged on to the Web site, you have the option to select how you wish to receive product updates and notifications. To change the method of delivery of your products, access the Account Information menu from within the member homepage.
Why am I not receiving my e-mail notifications?
You may not be receiving your e-mail notifications for one of the following reasons:
How do I update my contact information?
Contact IDTheft Protect directly at to change your mailing address or phone number. You can change your e-mail address by accessing the Account Information menu item on the IDTheft Protect Web site, .
How do I change payment methods?
To change your method of payment, contact IDTheft Protect at .
All About Credit Reports
What is a credit bureau?
Credit bureaus, or credit reporting agencies, are basically clearinghouses for information about consumers' credit. When you apply for credit, they provide this information to qualified requestors. There are three main credit bureaus: Equifax®, based in Atlanta, Georgia; Experian®, based in Allen, Texas; and TransUnion®, based in Springfield, Pennsylvania.
How do the credit bureaus obtain information?
Credit bureaus collect information from banks, savings and loans, credit unions, finance companies, and retailers about your credit, which they store in a computer database.
Do all three credit bureaus have the same information on file?
No, because lenders send information to some and not others. Credit bureaus receive more than two billion pieces of data each month, so it's a given that mistakes are going to happen. (An independent study by Arthur Andersen, however, showed that only one-fifth of 1 percent of these errors led to someone being denied credit.)
Credit reports are available from three main reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, and these "big three" do not exchange information with each other. Therefore each of them may have different information, depending on who and what was reported to them. What is on one report may differ from another.
Who can look at my credit report?
The Fair Credit Reporting Act stipulates that lenders to whom a consumer has applied for a loan can view credit reports — for example, credit card companies and financial institutions supplying auto loans and mortgages. But the list continues: landlords, utility companies, phone companies, hospitals, doctors, dentists, insurance companies, credit unions, finance companies, banks, retailers, department stores, credit card companies, car dealers, mortgagers, investigators, lawyers, courts — most anyone who can give the bureaus just cause can view your credit report.
How long does information stay in my credit report?
Collection items stay on your report for seven years with the exception of bankruptcies, which stay on for ten years. Unpaid tax liens remain for 15 years. Positive information remains indefinitely, although agencies can remove it after seven years. Inquiries remain for two years.
At what age do credit-reporting agencies start recording a person's credit history?
At 18 years of age, your credit is compiled and reported to the credit reporting agencies.
Why should I check my credit report?
Just as you have medical and dental check-ups periodically, so should you check your credit report. Knowing what's in your credit report arms you with the information you need — your credit standing — when trying to secure favorable rates for a mortgage or other loan. Also, if you regularly check your credit report, you can guard against credit fraud and identity theft, the fastest-growing federal crimes in the nation.
How often should I check my credit report?
With the explosive growth of identity theft, experts recommend checking your credit report on a quarterly basis. That way, when there's a change you don't recognize, you can take steps to halt what could be illegal pilfering of your personal information.
How do I dispute inaccurate information?
Immediately contact the credit bureau that reported the inaccurate information (be sure to keep records of all correspondence, phone calls or emails). The bureau will then check with the original source. If this inaccuracy persists, add a statement to the credit report specifying why the item is wrong. This dispute process can take up to 30 days.
How long does it take for a closed account to be removed from my credit file?
The file will be updated in 30 to 60 days, but reportable information can remain for 7 to 15 years from date of the last activity.
Are there sample letters available to me to address credit disputes or identity theft?
We created sample dispute letters to make your dispute process easier. Simply click on the links below, customize each letter with your personal information, print and mail. It is your responsibility to ensure that these forms are used only for a legitimate dispute.
Sample Credit Dispute Letter Sample Letter to Credit Issuer Sample Letter to Police Department Sample Identity Theft Letter
All About Credit Scores
What is a credit score?
A credit score, calculated from variables in your credit report and other factors determined by the lending institution, is a rating tool used by lenders to gauge an individual's creditworthiness.
What if I do not receive a credit score?
A credit score can't be generated if there's no information in a credit report, so individuals with little or no credit history will generally not have a score. To remedy this situation, consider applying for a retail, gas or secured credit card to establish credit. Then keep your debt low and pay your bills on time to establish your credit history on a positive note.
What is the credit score range?
Credit scores range from 350 to 850 — a higher number represents a stronger financial position.
How does my credit score affect me?
Credit scores, calculated from such information in your credit file as total debt, types of accounts, number of late payments, age of accounts, and number of inquiries, give lenders a subjective rating of your creditworthiness. Lenders then consider this rating when deciding whether or not to extend you credit. It's in your best interest, therefore, to keep your credit as robust as possible so you can secure favorable rates and terms. If your credit score is weak, you can often strengthen it by minimizing outstanding debt, avoiding overextension, and limiting new credit applications.
How often does my credit score change?
Your credit score fluctuates as often as information in your credit file changes.
Do late payments affect my credit score?
Yes, late payments negatively affect your score — paying your bills on time is the single most important contributor to a good credit score.
Do inquiries affect my credit score?
It depends on the type of inquiry. Inquiries for marketing purposes do not affect your score. These include consumer requests for a credit report, lenders using credit information to review an account, or a potential employer looking over someone's credit. Inquiries initiated by the consumer, such as mortgage, auto loan and credit card applications, however, do affect your score because studies have shown that too many are a red flag for credit risk. Inquiries do not weigh as heavily, however, as past payment history or number of delinquent accounts.
Does co-signing a loan affect my credit score?
Yes. Any loan or credit card account affects your score.
All About Identity Theft
What is identity theft? How does the identity thief get my information? What can I do to protect myself from identity theft? How can I tell if I am a victim of identity theft? What should I do if I am a victim of identity theft ? What is "Phishing"? What are signs that an e-mail may be a Phishing scam? What should I do if I think I have received a bogus "Phishing" e-mail?
What is identity theft?
Identity theft is a crime where a criminal acquires and uses the victims’ personal information, such as Social Security or driver's license numbers to take out loans, obtain new credit cards, rent an apartment, buy a car, run up debt, file for bankruptcy, as well as other criminal activities. Identity theft can not only damage someone’s creditworthiness, it can also create unknown criminal records that can result in the identity theft victim being wrongly arrested or denied employment after a routine background check.
How does the identity thief get my information?
Identity thieves use a variety of methods to gain access to your personal information. For example:
– stealing records from their employer, – bribing an employee who has access to the records, – conning information out of employees, or – hacking into the organization's computers.
What can I do to protect myself from identity theft?
There is no fool-proof way to completely prevent identity theft but the best way to minimize your risk is to protect and monitor your personal information which enables earlier detection of potential fraudulent activities. Early detection of fraud greatly reduces the financial, emotional and legal burden associated with identity theft. Here are some tips to help protect your identity:
1. Protect your Social Security Number (SSN).
2. Guard your personal information.
3. Know and monitor your personal information
4. Be suspicious.
How can I tell if I am a victim of identity theft?
Although any of these indications could be a result of a simple clerical error, you should not assume that there’s been a mistake and do nothing. Always follow up with the business or institution to find out.
What should I do if I am a victim of identity theft?
According to the U.S. Attorney General's office, the Secret Service oversees identity theft, and this office advises you to:
Report the crime to the police immediately. Get a copy of your police report or case number. Credit card companies, your bank, and the insurance company may ask you to reference the report to verify the crime.
Immediately contact your credit card issuers. Get replacement cards with new account numbers and ask that the old account be processed as "account closed at consumer's request" for credit record purposes. You should also follow up this telephone conversation with a letter to the credit card company that summarizes your request in writing.
Call the fraud units of the three credit reporting bureaus and ask that your accounts be flagged. Also, add a victim's statement to your report that requests that they contact you to verify future credit applications:
Keep a log of all conversations with authorities and financial entities. And follow-up! Make sure that all creditors or credit bureaus have received what they need from you.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the federal clearinghouse for complaints by victims of identity theft. Although the FTC does not have the authority to bring criminal cases, the Commission assists victims of identity theft by providing them with information to help them resolve the financial and other problems that can result from identity theft. The FTC also may refer victim complaints to other appropriate government agencies and private organizations for further action. If you have been a victim of identity theft, you can file a complaint with the FTC by contacting the FTC's Consumer Response Center.
By Phone: Toll-free 877-FTC-HELP (382-4357) TTY 866-653-4261 By Mail: Consumer Response Center Federal Trade Commission 600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20580 On the Web: www.ftc.gov/ftc/complaint.htm For Consumer Information: www.ftc.gov/ftc/consumer.htm
Review your reports regularly and make sure all changes you requested have been effected.
What is Phishing?
Phishing is the term that is used to describe an e-mail scam that identity thieves use to trick people into giving out their personal information such as credit card or Social Security Numbers. These e-mails appear to be from well known, established legitimate organizations and tell the recipient that they need to “respond immediately” regarding an issue with their account or that they have won a prize. The e-mails often contain a link which redirects you to completely phony site which looks legitimate, complete with the company logo that asks you to enter/update your personal information such as passwords, Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers which they then steal.
What are signs that an e-mail may be a Phishing scam?
While the e-mails may look genuine with sophisticated graphics and logos, legitimate e-mails from a financial institution will never ask you to enter or reply personal information such as your Social Security Number or credit card number via e-mail. Be wary of e-mails that:
What should I do if I think that I have received a "Phishing" e-mail?
If you receive an e-mail that you think may be a Phishing scam you should report the e-mail by forwarding the e-mail to the following addresses: spam@uce.gov and the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@antiphishing.org. The Anti-Phishing Working Group is a collective organization created to combat “Phishing” fraud with 680 member companies made up of 8 of the top 10 U.S. Financial Institutions and 4 of the top 5 Internet Service Providers.
In addition to notifying the above mentioned agencies, the companies that are being fraudulently spoofed also take these Phishing attacks very seriously. If you suspect the e-mail is bogus, go directly to the legitimate company site (not through an imbedded link – search the internet for the company name if you do not already have the address) and visit their security center which often will provide information about these e-mail scams and how to report the event.
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