Credit Reports

Orwell was right when he said the Big Brother is watching. More and more our lives are structured around the footprints we leave that can be tracked. If you don't believe this is true, just watch some of the television programs that show how our cell phones, credit cards, and GPS on our cars can help to locate us.

Many of us use our ATM cards when shopping instead of carrying cash. We go to the gas station, grocery store, order items online, etc. all with the use of an electronic card. It leaves a track of all our activities. I like to use the ATM card so I can account for how I spend my money. Having cash in my pocket always makes it go faster. It's also convenient, I don't have to go in to the gas station, just swipe my card, pump the gas, and I'm on my way. No fumbling around for change when checking out. You have a record of who you paid when, and if there is any problem you can actually access that information.

Many stores frown on cash, and a card is certainly safer than carrying money.

Many jobs now check your credit - which I think is an invasion of privacy since most jobs don't require you to handle large amounts of money. An employer has no reason to access your credit report, it does not show how well qualified you are for a job. In this economy, many people are struggling to pay bills, and the banks are no help. They will report you if you are a day late (and it comes out on the report as 30 days). One of my credit card companies says I am late if I pay ON THE DAY the payment is due! With the use of money transfers - these payments are recorded immediately and the money is then transferred from one institution to another in a matter of minutes - all electronically.

With identity theft an ever-increasing problem, access to your credit report should be allowed ONLY if the individual wants that person to have access. Right now, every Tom, Dick and Harry can get a credit report on you - without your knowledge, yet you get points deducted if too many people are checking out your report. There is no reasoning to this!

If our lives are to be governed by credit reports, then we should have free access to our own report at all times - and delete or challenge the activity as we want. That is our right!