monitoring-alert-review-checklist.md

Monitoring alert review checklist

When you receive an alert, slow down and verify.

Understand the alert

• I know which company sent it (bureau, app, bank)
• I know what changed (score, inquiry, new account, address)
• I know the date of the underlying data if shown

Verify on reports

• I pulled my credit reports (free report guide)
• I read the full tradeline or inquiry section (how to read a report)
• I compared other bureaus if the account should appear everywhere

Decide next step

• Legitimate activity I forgot → no dispute needed
• Possible error → error checklist
• Possible fraud → Identity theft on credit report and IdentityTheft.gov
• Unfamiliar address only → wrong address guide

Avoid

• I am not applying for new credit based only on a score tick
• I am not paying for a repair service out of panic

Freeze/alert decisions: see monitoring vs fraud alert vs freeze.