Margin test

The Information Age transformed our way of life.  It gives us new ways to communicate, have instant access to resources and the power to share information freely. Unfortunately, the luxuries of this new age pose unique threats to consumers that were inconceivable in years past. It opens doors for thieves to capitalize on unsuspecting and innocent consumers.  Fraud and identity theft is a booming business. Fraud and identity theft are important concerns for people today. Understanding the tools available to help you prevent fraud and recover from it can help you reduce concerns about your personal information being compromised. Experian understands its responsibility to educate consumers and develop resources that help consumers protect their information and take the necessary steps to resolve a crime against you. Two options available for identity theft victims to protect their credit are fraud alerts and security freezes. It is important to note that security freezes are an extreme measure. If you are planning to apply for credit or other services such as cellular telephone, rent, or utilities in the near future freezing your credit may not be advisable.

More than 20 years ago, Experian became the first credit bureau to create a consumer education program. We started the program because we wanted to arm consumers with the right information and resources to help them understand the fundamentals of credit management and the benefits of having good credit. Good credit provides attractive mortgage options, better interest rates on cars, and the ability to start a new business venture. A credit score is checked when you are shopping for these types of loans. A credit score turns credit report information into a number reflecting the risk of lending to you. Regularly checking your credit report ensures the most accurate depiction of your credit history to these lenders. An error in your credit file can potentially affect your credit score or can delay the process of securing the loan or obtaining the best interest rates. Should you find an error in your credit report, please follow the steps below or check out this video to help you in the dispute process. Be sure to have a current copy of your Experian credit report before you begin. For instructions on how to check your credit report, please click here.

Getting a copy of your credit report is the easiest first step to take control of your finances. A personal credit report contains details about your financial behavior and identification information. It is an easy-to-read summary of your credit accounts and total debt—both existing balances and available limits. Under federal law you are entitled to a copy of your credit report every twelve months. To obtain your credit report go to www.annualcreditreport.com. Check out this video and guide below with step by step instructions on how to check your credit report.

Did you know that April is the official month for promoting financial literacy? Being aware of your credit and where you stand is important all year long, but the next 30 days will be dedicated specifically to educating consumers on all aspects of personal finance from managing your credit, paying off debt and saving for your first home or child’s secondary education to how to invest and plan well for retirement. We know how these topics can be overwhelming and intimidating. It’s one of the reasons that our weekly #CreditChat on twitter and Ask Experian column focuses on these subjects all year round. We want to give consumers the right resources and access to experts in an effort to help consumers change their financial behavior – that is part of our commitment. Join us all month long in our special Google+ hangouts, tweet chats (#CreditChat), and visit our blog for some exciting new resources created just for you! April 2 – #CreditChat with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling April 4 – Google+ Hangout Q&A with Rod Griffin April 9 – #Creditchat with the Financial Literacy Congressional Caucus April 11 – Google+ Hangout Q&A with Rod Griffin and Becky Frost April 16 – #CreditChat with the National Jump$tart Coalition April 18 – Google+ Hangout Q&A with Maxine Sweet and Rod Griffin April 23 – #CreditChat with Betterment April 25 – Google+ Hangout Q&A with Maxine Sweet and Rod Griffin April 29 – Google+ Hangout Q&A with the National Jump$tart Coalition April 30 – #CreditChat with AARP

It’s no surprise that cybercrime and data breaches are hot topics for media and bloggers these days. Unfortunately, because of all the attention paid to these topics, we’ve seen some inaccurate information about Experian circulating in news outlets and other Web sites. I want to take a moment to clarify the facts and events, including Experian’s involvement in the case involving Court Ventures, a company that collects and aggregates information from public records; US Info Search, a company that provides location and other data for people and companies; and a criminal named Hieu Minh Ngo. In fact, you may have seen recent news reports that a number of states are looking into Experian as it relates to this issue that was originally raised last year. First, let me say that this is an unfortunate situation and one that we continue to take very seriously. And we of course will fully cooperate with investigators, and plan to provide any information that will assist them in their investigation. I also want to be very clear: No Experian database was accessed in this incident. In fact, the database that was accessed in this criminal scheme was owned and controlled by US Info Search, a company that is completely separate from Experian. How was Experian involved? In March 2012, Experian purchased the assets of Court Ventures, a company that focuses on collecting court records that contain limited personally identifiable information (PII). As a side to its primary business, Court Ventures, at the time of acquisition, had a contract with US Info Search. That contract allowed customers of Court Ventures to access US Info Search’s data to find the address of a person in order to determine which court records to review. After Experian’s acquisition of Court Ventures, the U.S. Secret Service notified us that Court Ventures had been and was continuing to resell data from a U.S. Info Search database to a third party, possibly engaged in illegal activity. The suspect in this case posed as a legitimate business owner and obtained access to U.S. Info Search data through Court Ventures prior to the time Experian acquired the company. Following notice by the U.S. Secret Service, Experian discontinued reselling U.S. Info Search data and worked closely and in full cooperation with law enforcement to bring Vietnamese national Hieu Minh Ngo, the perpetrator, to justice. Ngo pleaded guilty to his crimes several weeks ago and will be sentenced in June. Additionally, Experian has filed suit against the former owners of Court Ventures for permitting the sale of US Info Search's data to Ngo, and intends to hold those individuals fully responsible for their conduct in permitting the sale of data to an identity thief unbeknownst to Experian. We look forward to addressing this issue through proper legal channels. Was Experian’s credit data compromised? No Experian database was compromised. Some news reports and sensational headlines are saying that Experian lost 200 million consumer records. This is not the case, as it was not Experian’s database that was accessed, but rather US Info Search’s database was the original source of the consumer information. Although we do not know the exact number of records actually accessed at this point, we know that 200 million is false and that the actual number is much lower. What is Experian doing about it? In terms of notifying consumers, Experian does not know which consumers' information was disclosed as the data did not come from an Experian database and no other information now available to Experian would identify which consumers should be notified. Experian has engaged US Info Search to determine whether it is possible to identify the consumers who actually have been affected. Those efforts have not yet produced a reliable process for identifying consumers who appropriately should be notified but efforts are continuing. This is a situation that Experian takes very seriously and we acknowledge the concern consumers may have about this illegal access. We are actively pursuing the facts and we are working with investigators to help uncover what records may have been affected. You have our commitment.