Getting your credit report can help protect your credit history from mistakes, errors, or signs of identity theft.

The biggest threat to your credit is identity fraud. Identity theft can happen to anyone, and often it’s not just strangers that steal your information. Sometimes family members, caregivers, or close friends steal your personal details. Using your information, they can impersonate you to open new accounts, apply for loans or credit cards, steal money, sign up for services like utilities and new cell phones, and take over your accounts.

Your personal information is the key to your credit file, and once unlocked, your financial security could be at risk. The pieces of information that are most critical to protect are your social security number, driver’s license number, date of birth, mother’s maiden name, passport number, and other details. In addition, when protecting your financial health, other things to keep safe are usernames and passwords, credit card numbers, and bank account details.