 TITLE: How Does a Natural or Declared Disaster Impact My Credit? CONTENT: Tips for Protecting Your Credit During a Disaster\n-------------------------------------------------\nOnce you've made sure you and your family's immediate needs are squared away, and you start thinking about what it will take to get your life back to normal, it's a good idea to keep an eye on your credit, too.\nUnfortunately, thieves and scam artists often take advantage of disasters to prey on people who are seeking help to rebuild their lives. That's why it's critical to monitor your credit in the aftermath of a disaster. Checking your credit report can help you prevent crimes such as identity theft or fraudulent use of your credit cards. It also helps to protect your credit score.\nBe sure to check your credit with all three major national credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax). You can get a free credit score and a free credit report from Experian. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, you also can request a free credit report once a week from each of the national credit reporting companies through April 20, 2022.\nReview your credit report carefully, looking for any inaccuracies or suspicious activity. If you find anything you believe to be inaccurate, you can dispute the information with the credit reporting agency where you found the information. Disputing information on your credit report is free and easy to do online, by phone or by mail.\nContinue to monitor your credit on a regular basis. Experian's free credit monitoring service is an easy way to get alerts of any suspicious activity on your credit report. END