What are the downsides or limits of placing a fraud alert on my credit report?
Fraud alerts should only be placed after you have been, or suspect that you have been, the victim of identity theft. In addition, a fraud alert on your credit report will not prevent a thief from using your existing account information. Fraud alerts also may not stop a thief from opening new accounts in your name. Some accounts – like telephone, wireless, or bank accounts – may not require a credit check. Even when credit checks are required, creditors only have to take reasonable steps to verify your identity, and therefore, may not decide to access your credit report before issuing credit. If you have placed a fraud alert on your credit report, you should keep in mind that your legitimate requests for credit also may be delayed since creditors may need to complete additional procedures for security purposes before issuing credit.
