In 2014, 38,313 men in the United States shared the name “James Smith.” It’s impossible to know if any of them were related to each other, or the 34,810 Michael Smiths and 34,269 Robert Smiths also walking around. But we can expect that they, and the 32,092 Maria Garcias and 30,507 Maria Rodriguezes, all have […]
What’s in a name? There is a great deal of frustration, confusion, and even difficulty navigating normal life if you are among the 38,000 Americans named James Smith or one of the 32,000 Maria Garcias in the United States. If you have a common first- and surname combination, it’s likely that you’ve been misidentified as […]
Is your name James Smith? If so, you’re not just not alone, but as far from alone as it’s possible to be. That’s because this is the most common combination of first and last names in the world. And chances are you’ve developed a way to distinguish yourself, at least in your social circle or […]
Have you ever been denied a bank or credit union loan, had an apartment application denied, or stood red-faced and sweating as the supermarket cashier says your debit card has been declined? If so, you know that financial and credit-related issues can be embarrassing and anxiety-inducing. But did you realize that you could be compensated […]
If you are a victim of identity theft, you already know, all too well, that it can impact your entire life, from reducing your credit score to having to spend your days fighting with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or others who may institute collection efforts against you for debts that aren’t yours. As difficult […]
At this point, it may seem that identity theft is so pervasive that it’s becoming less serious: It seems as if all you have to do is notify your bank of any fraudulent credit card charges and then move on with your life. However, consider these recent instances of identity theft to see how these […]
Your credit score wields a lot of influence over your life. It can be the make-or-break determinate when buying a car, securing a mortgage, or accessing a line of credit for a new business venture. We’d like to think the logic behind our score is pretty bulletproof, but that may not be the case. In […]
Risk Factors for Mixed Files—Names and Neighborhoods One of the major types of credit report errors is a mixed file, which occurs when the credit reporting agencies combine information from multiple individuals. This error often occurs when individuals share similar names, social security numbers, addresses, birth dates, or other demographic details. The credit reporting agencies […]
America runs on…data? If you stopped in at a Dunkin’ Donuts location between 2015 and 2019, there’s a good chance that you paid a hefty price for that cold-brew coffee or glazed kruller. That may be in part because the popular pastry chain was targeted by hackers who gained illicit access to customers’ Dunkin-branded payment […]
Twinning equals winning, at least much of the time. Ask a twin whether they enjoy being irrevocably linked to an identical or very similar sibling, and you’ll probably hear some crazy twin stories about fooling friends, tricking teachers, and having a built-in best friend. But there are some occasions when being a twin is a […]