There are many experiences detailed within the discussions on this site that characterize identity theft - first wives have been guilty of assuming a second wives identity by posing as the second wife to obtain info, credit, and for personal revenge. Over time, identity theft could jeopardize your ability to obtain further credit. The best way to catch a thief who is using your name is by getting a copy of your credit report, which will show you if there are accounts listed you know you haven't opened. For example, if a thief has intercepted a pre-approved credit card offer in your name and sent it in with a change of address, your credit report will include the account. If you're shopping around for a loan or more credit, you should know that when creditors check your credit, it places an inquiry on your credit report.
Inquiries can add up, which is often interpreted as a negative by creditors.
For this reason, too many inquiries can actually make getting credit more difficult. Moreover, if you didn't authorize someone to look at your credit report and they did, they may have broken the law. If you would like to see who's been looking at your credit, click here to get a free copy of your credit report right now. Unauthorized Charges Credit fraud involves the theft of your credit card or account number to make unauthorized charges to your account. Though consumers are protected financially from this abuse, other creditors may take note of all this activity and decide to raise your interest rates or refuse to grant you a loan.