Identity theft is one of the most rampant crimes in America today. It is simply too easy to commit, because so much of our personal information today is out there to be had by anyone willing to make the effort. Once they have it, they can open credit accounts without your knowledge for anything from a car to credit cards to even a house.

Over the last few years, new credit laws were enacted to protect consumers from the predatory practices by lenders and credit card companies. A lot of the momentum behind the creation of these laws can be found in the rash of toxic mortgages and shady dealings that cropped up a few years back and led to the beginnings of our current economic slump.

Sometimes, even computers can make mistakes. Not all of the data that is collected, calculated and put into your credit report will be accurate and it could cause errors to appear which will affect your final credit score. By keeping track of your credit and regularly checking your credit history, as it appears on the report, you can stay on top of things and correct any errors as they appear.