Do you keep an eye on your financial accounts? I hope so. Watching your bank and credit card accounts for fraudulent transactions can prevent financial loss.

When thieves steal your info, they make a small test purchase. If the purchase goes through, the thieves know the account is valid. They then make larger purchases.

What else can you do? Watch your credit report. It shows where you live, how you pay your bills and more. The 3 credit reporting agencies let you get free credit reports weekly until April 20, 2022.

Free credit reports weekly helps those who are struggling to pay their bills due to covid. The CARES Act is meant to protect the vulnerable. Creditors must report accounts as “current” as long as they have payment arrangements or with temporary forbearance.

Those without financial hardships can use the free reports to spot identity theft.

Look for accounts opened in your name by thieves. New accounts show in a month. Checking once a month is probably enough.

Request your report ar www.annualcreditreport.com or calling 1-877-322-8228. They will ask your name, address, social security number, and birth date.

What if you see a fraudulent account? I’ll go in-depth next week. If you can’t wait visit: https://identitytheft.gov for official tips.