credit-monitoring

Are Credit Monitoring Sites Really Worth The Money?
Now that everyone is so obsessed with their credit reports and FICO scores, credit monitoring services have popped up everywhere. For a modest recurring fee—one that easily adds up to over $100 a year—you can have a company constantly watch your credit report and alert you of any changes in it, so you can always be on top of your creditworthiness. But should you bother? The consumer director of the U.S. Public Interest Research Groups federation (U.S. PIRG) tells BusinessWeek that credit monitoring is a "protection racket" that turns people into "financial hypochondriacs... who are scared of their own financial shadows." More »

Chrysler Won't Let Customers Out Of Credit Monitoring Service Without A Fight

—>Chris and his wife bought a Jeep were automatically enrolled in a free credit monitoring service. When they decided they no longer wanted the service, they got a hassle from a CSR and worry they'll have to go through the process again to cut the cord.  More »

One Day Left To Register For TransUnion Class Action Lawsuit

—>September 24, tomorrow, is the last day to register for the class action against TransUnion for selling consumer's private data to businesses without permission. If you held a credit card between January 1, 1987 to May 28, 2008, you're eligible to receive benefits. You can choose from one of three options:   More »

Ex-Countrywide Employee Sells Your Data, They Offer Credit Monitoring Service, Hang Up When You Ask For It

—>Re: Countrywide Sends Fraud Alert Letters: 'Your Info May Have Been Sold," Reader Esqdork writes, "Yesterday, I phoned Countrywide to get them to extend the credit monitoring service [that they offered in their apology letter] to my co-borrower and was promptly hung up on." The only surprise here is that they even picked up in the first place.  More »

Countrywide Sends Fraud Alert Letters: 'Your Info May Have Been Sold'

I received a letter from Countrywide today that says:  More »

Maryland's Dental HMO Security Breach Was One Of Nearly 40 In The State Since January

—> A few days ago we linked to a Baltimore Sun article that investigated the recent accidental release of private patient data online by The Dental Network. Now the reporter who broke the story, Liz F. Kay, has contacted us with news that "this was the largest of nearly 40 breaches affecting Maryland residents" since a disclosure law went into effect in January:

Thirty-nine businesses or groups have reported losses of sensitive information involving about 87,500 Maryland residents in the three months since a state law took effect requiring that people be informed of such incidents, records show.

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Were you affected by The Dental Network's security breach in Maryland earlier this year? Last week we didn't have the address for the official "what to do now" website, but now we do: lds.thedentalnet.org. (Thanks to Liz!)  More »

CareFirst Dental HMO Exposes SSNs, Says You Should "Take It Seriously"

—> Last month, The Dental Network—a dental HMO owned by CareFirst BlueCross Blue Shield—discovered it had accidentally revealed personal data and Social Security numbers online for about 75,000 of its customers. It told the members about the screw-up three weeks later. "The company says that to its knowledge, no one has misused the information. But it says 'the risk ... should be taken seriously,'" and it's offering affected members one year of credit monitoring. After that, as you know, the thread of identity theft plummets. Wait, what?  More »