How to stop someone from running my credit history?

[ID Victim]

What is the name of your state? AZ.

My question is about ID Theft. Since we give, or have to give our personal information to tons of folks such as apartment people, employers, lenders and other, how best to protect yourseft from ID Theft? Is there a comprehensive article somewhere on the internets?

Also, is it a good idea to call all the 3 credit reporting agencies and ask them to lock my name/SSN so no one can run my history or obtain a credit in my name?

Thanks in advance for any response.
ID Victim (former, hopefully).

[moburkes]

There's a problem, though, with your request. Once you apply for that job, apartment, loan, etc, you are giving them permission to run your credit. In most cases, those companies will not do business with you without your permission to run it.

[Ladynred]

Unfortunately, not all states have passed the laws that will allow you to 'lock' your credit report. I don't know whether AZ has or not, you could call your State Attorney General's office and find out. If AZ hasn't done it, there's really no way to 'lock' your reports. You can have a fraud alert placed on your credit file with all 3 bureaus if you do suspect fraud or have reason to believe something has happened.

For info on how to guard against ID theft, read what the FTC has to say here:
[url]http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/[/url]

[ID Victim]

Hi LadyNRed and moburkes, thanks to you both for responses.

Does placing red alert on credit history affect it is any negative way? My assumption is, why not place it if it aint going to affect the history?

TIA,