Try Aura's Credit Monitoring for real-time fraud alerts

Federal law allows you to get a free credit report from each of the three nationwide bureaus every 12 months. Aura will help members request these credit reports:

• Go to https://my.aura.com/sign-in and sign in to your Aura account.
• In the top menu, hover over Me and select Credit.
• Click on the Your credit report icon (hover over it to see the label).
• Select Request Report.

If you suspect identity theft, Aura’s Expert Fraud Remediation team will monitor your credit report every 24 hours.

• Dark Web monitoring: Aura will send alerts if any online accounts tied to your email addresses are found on the Dark Web. Monitor up to 10 email addresses per user.
• Personal information and Social Security number (SSN) alerts: If your registered phone numbers, passport numbers, driver’s license information, SSNs, or health insurance IDs are found online, you’ll receive an alert.
• Identity monitoring: Alerts you when Aura finds that your identity (for example, past addresses, SSN, or security questions) was used for verification during transactions, like opening bank accounts or wire transfers.
• Home title monitoring: Notifies you if Aura finds unauthorized changes are made to your property title, such as adding co-owners or removing your name.
• Criminal and court records monitoring: Sends alerts if Aura finds your identity is used in criminal activities, traffic violations, or appears on sex offender registries.
• Financial transaction monitoring: Tracks your credit cards, bank accounts, 401(k), and investment accounts, alerting you to transactions over thresholds you set.
• Bank account monitoring: Alerts you if Aura finds someone attempted to change your bank account details or add new account holders.
• Credit monitoring: Besides near-real-time alerts about new credit accounts, also receive notifications if a creditor tries to locate you or logs a debt settlement.

For an annual or monthly fee, Aura's identity monitoring tracks your personal information across credit files, the Dark Web, data breaches, and public records. However, Aura may not catch all forms of fraudulent activity. As a precaution, you should actively monitor your:

• Bank statements: Are there unfamiliar charges on your checking or savings accounts? Pay attention to unexpected ATM withdrawals, online purchases, or new automatic payments.
• Unfamiliar bills or debt collection notices: Look for bills or debt collection notices for accounts or services you didn’t open. Recent debts may not immediately appear on credit reports.
• Tax filing: If the IRS rejects your tax return because one has already been filed, or you get calls asking for personal or financial information, someone may be trying to commit tax fraud.
• Medical statements and bills: Do your medical bills and insurance Explanation of Benefits (EOB) list treatments or prescriptions you didn’t receive? Errant doctor visits, lab tests, or surgeries could also point to identity fraud.
• Social Security statement: Check your Social Security earnings record for incorrect income. If you get notices about benefits applications or are denied benefits, someone may be misusing your SSN.

When your credit is locked, financial institutions can’t access your credit report to approve new credit applications. This reduces your chances of being a victim of identity theft.

Aura members can lock their Experian credit file for free using the Aura app. Only you can initiate this lock after you verify your identity using your name, address, SSN, and other identity-verification questions.

Yes. While free credit monitoring services exist, they almost always include limitations in the number of credit bureaus they monitor, types of alerts sent, frequency of updates, and speed of notifications.

Aura’s credit monitoring service tracks your credit report across all three major credit bureaus and provides the industry’s most helpful fraud alerts.³

Here’s why you might want to choose a paid credit monitoring service, such as Aura:

• You want full protection: Coverage across all three credit bureaus, along with identity monitoring, remediation services, and insurance.
• You've been a victim of identity theft: Faster alerts and access to Aura’s Expert Fraud Remediation team can help you limit future fraud.
• You have significant assets or many accounts: Protecting multiple accounts, retirement savings, or home equity might justify the extra cost.
• You want proactive monitoring: Alerts beyond just credit report changes can help you spot fraud early.

If you only need basic monitoring and you’re on a tight budget, a free credit monitoring service may be more suitable.

Aura alerts you to all changes to your credit report, which means it’s less likely that fraudulent activity or incorrect information goes missed. This includes:

• New inquiries ("hard pulls"): When a lender or creditor reviews a consumer's credit report in response to an application for new credit, it generates a "hard inquiry." An alert for an inquiry that you did not authorize is often the earliest indicator of attempted identity theft.
• New accounts: The service will send an alert when a new credit card, loan, or other line of credit is opened in your name and reported to a monitored bureau.
• Changes to personal information: Alerts are triggered by modifications to key identifying data on the credit file, such as a change of name, address, or telephone number.
• Negative information: You may also be notified of newly reported negative events, such as delinquencies, late payments, or accounts being sent to a collection agency.
• Public records: New public record information, such as filings for bankruptcy, tax liens, or civil judgments, may also generate an alert.

Aura's Expert Fraud Remediation team holds Certified Identity Protection Advisor (CIPA)® certification. They can also guide Aura members on their rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA), and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).

If you receive a credit alert about an unfamiliar inquiry or account, you may reach out to Aura's U.S.-based support team. This team can assist you through every step of the fraud resolution process including closing any accounts that you didn’t open.

For more information about Aura's financial transaction monitoring, fraud or credit alerts, call 833-552-2123.