In the first place, let's remember that a credit report is a sort of transcript that covers your finances. It tells the world (or at least those that have been granted access to it) how well you've managed your credit and debt. Lots of people are really surprise to find out just how many different organizations, businesses, and government offices have access to their credit report. And when they find out, they understand why it's really important to monitor their credit reports.

All credit reports begin with personal identification type information. Often times they include certain aliases that you may have used in the past. That doesn't mean you're some sort of secret agent or anything. The aliases I'm talking about here are the slight variations of your name that you might have used when you signed certain legal documents like loan applications. Of course your credit history is the really big thing on your report - it's the part that takes up the most space.

The truth is that your credit has never been as vulnerable as it is today. You may think I'm wrong but when you consider just how many different databases your personal information sits in right now, you may change your mind. Think of all the government agencies that store information about you and your family. Think about all of the different companies that you do business with - your doctor, your dentist. They all have pieces of your life stored away on computers. So it's really important for you to work up a regular routing of monitoring your credit report.