Credit freezes (also called security freezes) prevent fraudulent accounts from being opened in your name by not allowing anyone to check your credit report. Most creditors won’t issue new credit if they can’t see it, so with a freeze in place, no one (not even you) can open a new credit account in your name until you unfreeze it.
You can get a free copy of your credit report weekly from each of the three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
The official website for obtaining your free credit reports is annualcreditreport.com.
If you ordered a copy of your credit report and found negative or incorrect information, you have options and rights.
A credit score is a numerical value or categorization a lender uses to predict the likelihood of certain credit behaviors (i.e. default). A credit score may also be used to determine the credit terms or rate a person pays for a loan. People with a low score (or no score) may not be able to obtain credit or only receive credit offers at very high interest rates.
Many of the unwanted calls you receive are likely illegal robocalls—unless you've given permission or the call is informational (prescription refill, appointment reminder)—and you can take steps to stop (or at least minimize) them.
Signing up for the Do Not Call Registry should stop calls from most legitimate telemarketers and businesses.
Yes, it can. When an employee’s claim goes through the state system or the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB), the case becomes public record. In California, employers can access workers’ compensation records only after making an offer of employment, and can only use this information if an injury might interfere with your ability to perform required duties. Employers can't use medical information or the fact that you've filed a workers’ compensation claim to discriminate against you.
A former employer can say anything truthful about your performance. However, most employers have a policy to only confirm dates of employment, final salary and other limited information.
An exception to this are jobs such as truck driver positions, which fall under Department of Transportation regulations where employers are required to accurately respond to an inquiry from a prospective employer about whether you took a drug test, refused a drug test or tested positive in a drug test.
Yes, if the background check is conducted by a consumer reporting agency (not an FBI background check), you do have rights. You can learn more about them in our Background Check Basics.
Sometimes. The Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) National Crime Information Center (NCIC) criminal records database may be accessed for some criminal history checks, depending on the kind of job involved. The National Child Protection Act authorizes states to establish procedures for criminal history checks using the NCIC for employees and volunteers who work with children, elderly individuals and persons with disabilities.