Question about my kids credit.

[Atrain1]

Someone went through my documents that had some of my kids info on them. This person took out a credit card with another family members info that was there as well. My question is can I check to see if anything has been put in my kids name? Credit card, cell phone ECT without putting a mark on their credit? I want to do a credit check on my kids and have them monitor their credit as well, without putting a mark on their credit for checking. This person deserves some Jail time and if my kids credit has been messed with I intend to see it happen. The family member that has the 3000 CC in their name does not want to see this scumbag go to jail for some reason, I on the other hand have no problem doing it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[ruthabagah]

if your kids are legally minors, you can use a credit monitoring service. I personally use Identityguard.com and I have both my kids enrolled.

It was interesting for me to see that my SS number was used in the 70' before it was assigned to me....

[Atrain1]

if your kids are legally minors, you can use a credit monitoring service. I personally use Identityguard.com and I have both my kids enrolled.

It was interesting for me to see that my SS number was used in the 70' before it was assigned to me....And it will not hurt their credit score? Does it cost anything? And will it tell me if there is anything on prior to their service? Thanks.

[two shoes]

I would try these guys: Zander (http://www.zanderins.com/idtheft/idtheft.aspx) They not only prevent, they will right all of the wrongs... Don't know what they could do "after the fact", but they are a great company.

[ChunkyMonkey]

And it will not hurt their credit score? Does it cost anything? And will it tell me if there is anything on prior to their service? Thanks.

3rd party credit pull will affect your credit score. A direct credit pull through credit bureaus does not affect it. Use truecredit.com which is Transunion.

[Ridge]

I've heard you can pull credit a couple times a year without getting dinged for it.

[OneGuy67]

You are entitled to one free credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies per year. It doesn't affect your credit score or rating to obtain your credit report.

Here is the link:

https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp

[Sawin]

I've heard you can pull credit a couple times a year without getting dinged for it.

^I believe this to be correct. Additionally, any credit checks performed within a 30 day period are lumped together, so if you're shopping for a new car and look at a few dealers, do it within a month or you might inadvertantly ding your score. Also, check it yourself before you go to the first dealer so you know the score and can use it as a bargaining chip for a better interest rate.

[ChunkyMonkey]

I've heard you can pull credit a couple times a year without getting dinged for it.

Checking your own credit reports and scores does not affect your scores. In fact w/ trucredit/transunion, I pull them every month. It's free w/ the membership.

3rd party credit inquiry is a whole different story. If you sign up for non bureau agencies, excessive inquiries will affect your score. Never have a car dealership to pull your credit - they will shop your profile around. Typically you will have 4-5 hits on your credit at once - this will affect your score. Get your own pre approval through your own bank/credit union etc - and walk into the dealership w/ a check or approval letter.

[ruthabagah]

And it will not hurt their credit score? Does it cost anything? And will it tell me if there is anything on prior to their service? Thanks.

Nope it won't hurt your credit or your child credit, and yes, it will tell you if there was any inquiry/record. It does cost something (not sure how much) but it cheap enough that I forgot how much it is!

[Circuits]

The one per bureau per year free is federal. Some states mandate additional free reports, and I believe Colorado is one where you can get two free per year from each reporting bureau.

The bureaus maintain a clearinghouse website at https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp

[hammer03]

Creditkarma.com lets you monitor things for free. I've used it for a few years now, and nobody has bought my information since.

When I was still in HS, some jackass in Denver used my ss to get his gas turned on...

[Atrain1]

Thanks for the help guys but there are a few different ways that have been posted to go about it. Which is the best and most secure way to do it? And if I do find something can I do something about it? I know who has the info and this is not the first or second time this person has done this. I have someone in the family that takes advantage of my parents and has ripped them off numerous times. This scumbag burned my 71 year old Father for 3000.00 right after he had a heart attack. Being that she is their only daughter left (lost one to cancer and the other to suicide) they do not want her to go to jail. She knows this and takes complete advantage of it. When she ripped my Father off his info was with my kids, so I am thinking she has their info as well. This loser has the bills go to her loser boyfriends house so I would have no idea. I did not want to put this out in public cause people have a way of judging other people without knowing the whole story. Now that being said everyone in my family are very respectful and honest hard working people with the exception of this loser. I have disowned this person and do not consider them family, which has taken years to do as I am a very forgiving person. Now I just put this out cause I do not want people to think that I am not being a good Christian about it. I have struggled with it for along time and understand that I should not judge anyone, if you met this person you would understand were I am coming from. Sorry for the short novel just trying to explain my situation. Again thanks for your help.

[mevshooter]

Wells Fargo is offering free soft pull credit checks for their members. I'm not entirely sure what all it gives you as far as info, but I know it is a soft pull. You can give it a shot even if you are not a Wells Fargo customer. I believe it is technically for everyone.

I know it is legitimate and not a scam because I recently did it. Quick and painless.

[SideShow Bob]

Jezz Atrain,
your road of life is full of potholes. You swerve to dodge one, only to hit another !
Hope your kids credit isn't jack up by that scumbag.
If it was another member of the family that did this, and the victim doesn't want them prosecuted,
I think a visit out behind Grandpa's woodshed is in order. and the only way he returns is crawling on
his knees after you have sledgehammered both his feet.

[Atrain1]

Jezz Atrain,
your road of life is full of potholes. You swerve to dodge one, only to hit another !
Hope your kids credit isn't jack up by that scumbag.
If it was another member of the family that did this, and the victim doesn't want them prosecuted,
I think a visit out behind Grandpa's woodshed is in order. and the only way he returns is crawling on
his knees after you have sledgehammered both his feet.Yeah but the only problem is she is a girl and it would cause stress to my dad. I am not even sure what he is going to do if I have to have her put in jail.

[brutal]

You can do a free credit check, with no "ding" at each of the three credit bureaus annually AND any time you are denied credit. http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre34.shtm

The official gov source is

https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp


Or you can go to each bureau

http://www.transunion.com/

http://www.equifax.com/home/en_us

http://www.experian.com/

Just be careful you are following the links to FREE reports and avoid the traps into paid scores, etc.

I use one of these sources and pay $14.95/month for active monitoring. I also have credit "locks" with all three. I had to recently unlock one for a refresh background check for a client as they couldn't pull one when needed. I unlocked it for a matter of minutes, let them run their check, and relocked when they said they were done.

Atrain, you're doing the right thing. Being an enabler of habitual and criminal activities does no one; least of all the misguided, any good.

[Irving]

Why are you worried about your kids credit? A ding from a credit pull is not at all permanent, nor even unusual. Aren't your kids only like 5 or 10 years old? This wouldn't even show on their credit by the time they ever need to use it. Plus, they don't really have any credit to ruin as it is.