It’s a good idea to check your credit status occasionally and doing so
on the web is very convenient. You need to be aware of a new Cyber
Scam where crooks set up false credit reporting sites just to steal
your information. How can you tell if the site is legitimate?
Web Page Encryption
All legitimate credit reporting sites will only ask for your personal
information on a page that is encrypted. Never, never, never give
any personal information, especially your SSN (social security number) on
a page that is not encrypted!
Check for Encryption
A few ways you can check to see if the page is encrypted are:
Look for a small padlock in the lower right hand corner of the
Internet Browser window. Is it open or locked? Locked means you’re safe.
Check the Internet address in the long white rectangle at the top
of the browser. If the address starts with “https” it is
encrypted. If the address starts with “http” then it is NOT encrypted.
Right-click (with your mouse) somewhere on the page. Click on
“View Properties” and then look for what type of “Connection”. It should
show as “SSL” or “using encryption.”