The day after the first day of the year and all is well…..at least at my house….but then I cannot say the same elsewhere…..

First I have to ask……..who’s idea was it to name a snowstorm?  Seriously…..who?  It already has a name…..WINTER!

From time to time I try to keep my reader up on stuff …..so this is just an IST FYI post……

Let’s talk about something that is extremely vital to your daily life…..your credit score.  You can do very little without some person checking your score out…..and Americans are flocking to sites that give you a “free” credit score so they can keep track of the position……you know the sites….the ones that do  not need a credit card for your to check your score….that is good right?

Not to me….they do need your SSN….the number that controls your life and you willingly give it to some company for your credit score…….are you people high?

There is something that maybe you need to consider before you willy nilly give a power over you to some faceless company……

Freeze your credit reports before you get burned. That’s the message from security experts, consumer advocates, and some state attorneys general. They say more people should consider a credit freeze as a way to block identity thieves from opening new credit cards and other accounts in your name. They recommend a freeze even if your identity hasn’t been stolen. “It’s much better to shut the door before it even takes place,” says Mike Litt, a consumer program advocate at the nonprofit US Public Interest Research Group. “You can save yourself so much time and headache.” This is different from a credit monitoring service, which you have to pay a monthly fee for and which alerts you if a new account is opened or other suspicious activity takes place. A credit freeze is the only way to stop criminals from opening new accounts in your name.

But there are some downsides to a credit freeze to consider. It also blocks you from opening new lines of credit, so if you plan to take out a mortgage or an auto loan or apply for a new credit card you’ll need to remember to unfreeze it each time. And residents of some states have to pay a fee for a freeze. Freezing is a must if an account has been opened in your name or if you’ve been notified that your Social Security number was taken in a data breach. But even if identity theft hasn’t struck, you still should seriously consider it, since data breaches have become so common. Freezing won’t hurt your credit score. But you will still need to check your statements every month, because it won’t stop thieves from using your existing credit or debit cards to make fraudulent charges. Click for more, including how to freeze and unfreeze your credit reports.

Identity theft is a growing problem…..and yet people are willing to give up their most important piece of data…..why so stupid?

Personally, I trust NO ONE with my SSN….for that matter I do not trust many people in the first place……but I damn sure will not give some company the power of my life.

You do what you want…..me I can wait on my credit score…..because I do not give a crap what it is in the first place…..