It is a good idea to get a MIB report if you’re applying for private life, long-term care or disability insurance. MIB reports contain medical and prescription drug history information and may affect the the price you pay for insurance (or even your ability to get it).

CLUE reports contain homeowner and automobile insurance claims history, and can affect the the price you pay for insurance (or even your ability to get it). It’s good to get one if you

A ChexSystems report contains information on banking/check writing history, so it’s a good idea to get one if you’ve had problems with your checking/savings accounts or are a victim of identity theft and someone else has written/cashed checks on your account.

If your credit card number is stolen (not the actual card), you aren’t liable for the unauthorized charges. Just dispute the charges with your credit card company. You can do this in a number of ways

No, only information about property loss claims made against homeowner or automobile policies are included in these reports. However, these aren’t the only tools insurers use. Your credit history can still play an important role in an insurance company’s decision to insure you and determine your cost.

You can complain about a credit card company’s privacy practices by filing a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) payment services (PayPal, Venmo) enable you to easily send, receive or request payments to or from others. Originally intended for small payments between people who know each other (splitting a restaurant bill, sending gifts, paying a babysitter), P2P payments have expanded to new contexts—bringing added risk. However, there are a number of things you can do to reduce that risk.

When you realize that you’ve lost your card or it's been stolen, you’ll want to notify your bank or credit card company as soon as possible. If you’re not satisfied with their response, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

As data breaches exposing payment card information continue to make headlines, there are a couple of things you can consider to reduce their potential impact on you.

When you pay with your debit card, you're taking more of a ris