Majority of Americans not checking credit reports

In order to maintain a respectable credit score, consumers must first recognize any negative tendencies - such as consistently late payments - which may impede their ability to improve their number. It's also important to understand how poor habits or behaviors are represented on documents such as credit reports for employment to find out exactly how they affect scores. However, a recent survey from credit reporting bureau TransUnion revealed that 56 percent of Americans haven't checked their credit score in 2011, WXYZ-TV reports. While TransUnion recommends checking credit scores once every three months, it offers consumers one free report per year. Getting a credit score checked can also aid in the defense against identity theft. According to Reuters, elderly citizens are more susceptible to identity theft from their adult children because in their advanced age it's "unlikely (they're) going to be checking (their) credit report all the time, so they remain blind to the crime," ID theft expert Linda Foley tells the news source. However, she adds many of these crimes go unreported because it's difficult for victims to turn in family members.