Here are the top credit reporting services that you can use to stay on the top of your credit score at all times:

1. Equifax: Equifax gives you immediate access to your 3 nationwide credit reports and daily monitoring of all 3 credit reports with customizable alerts. You are also guaranteed by up to $1,000,000 dollars in insurance.

2. MyFico: MyFico is the top dog in the credit reporting category. It monitors your credit report at Equifax on a daily basis and your FICO^® score on a weekly basis and lets you know when you reach your target score or when you qualify for a better interest rate. You’ll also get alerts if there are any major changes in your credit report. A great way to keep up with your credit history without having to spend too much on it on a consistent basis.

3. TrueCredit: TrueCredit is another top credit reporting service that lets you keep up with your score and protect yourself against errors and ID theft. TrueCredit gives you 3-Bureau Credit Reports & Scores that can be  updated every 30 days plus alerts once major changes have happened in your credit report. You also get $25,000 ID theft insurance as a part of this package.

4. Free Score 360: one of the best ways to protect your identity is by keeping on top your credit record. And what a better way to do that by getting your credit information from credit bureaus. Free Score 360 gets you all 3 credit reports from TransUnion, Equifax & Experian, and it monitors them for you as well. This service allows you to stay on the top of your credit history at all times and avoid major errors or issues on your report.

5. CreditReport.com: another credit monitoring service that monitors your 3 credit reports and makes sure you are in the know when a change happens in our credit report. CreditReport.com alerts help you keep an open eye and defeat ID thefts before they can do any major damage.

Whether you decide to go with one of these premium services or just stick with your free credit scores, you want to make sure you read your reports carefully to identify any errors or suspicious entries. The last thing you want is not getting the deal or the job you deserve because of an error in your credit report.

There are many ways to find out whether your identity is stolen and protect yourself against further attempts, which is why keeping track of your credit information is important. By knowing what’s in your credit and how it’s changed, you can foil the ID thieves easier. Thankfully, there are various tools that let you track your credit and get alerts in case of a suspicious activity. Here are the top credit protection tools that you can use to protect your ID like a pro:

1. LifeLock: LifeLock really needs no introduction. You have probably seen those commercials about the CEO of LifeLock giving his social security to everyone in a street. Now, you don’t want to do that, but it’s good to know that you are protected by a company that constantly monitors your information to make sure everything is in order. With LifeLock, you get $1,000,000 service guarantee backed by XL Capital, and your fraud report stays in the system for 90 days. With LifeLock, you also get credit reports. These guys remove your name from the list of pre-approved credit offers. eReco (another LifeLock service) goes through known criminal websites for the illegal selling or trading of your personal information (including your Social Security number, credit card number, driver’s license and email address, if provided) and informs you when something is found. TrueAddress notifies you when we detect any new address information associated with your name in address databases nationwide. Overall, LifeLock is one of the best ways to protect your identity at all times. No system is foolproof, but it’d be awfully tough to fool LifeLock.

2. TrustedID: TrustedID is another great ID theft protection solution for individuals and families. IDFreeze helps you protect yourself against ID theft before they happen. CreditLock makes sure your credit report is not available to anyone without your permission. Overall, TrustedID is a great choice for families. Here are some of the other services that you get with TrustedID ID Theft protection service:

• Fraud Flags
• Public Database Scanning
• Credit Card Scanning
• Social Security Number Scanning
• Name & Address Scanning
• Bank Account Number Scanning
• Lost Wallet Protection
• Medical Benefits Protection
• Annual Credit Reports
• $1,000,000 Warranty Protection
• Family Protection

3. ID Watchdog: ID Watchdog is another great tool to protect your identity against hackers and thieves. The company monitors your credit and private information on a monthly basis to protect you against hackers and thieves. You can also refer to ID Watchdog if your ID is already stolen. ID Rehab helps you get your ID back without you having to do too much work. The ID Watchdog agents contact the financial companies on your behalf and fix things that have been damaged by the thieves.

4. Equifax: Equifax provides you with more than just your credit report and credit score. It also protects your identity against theft as well. Equifax ID Patrol is a tool that protects you against theft attempts against your identity. The system alerts you if your personal information is found on Internet trading sites. You are also protected up to $1,000,000 identity theft insurance and 24/7 access to ID Theft Resolution Specialists that are there to help you address issues with your credit issues. You can also lock and unlock your Equifax credit file to protect yourself. And it does help that Equifax monitors all credit bureau institutions  to help you find and solve any issues with your credit reports.

5. IdentityTruth: IdentityTruth is an interesting VC-funded credit protection service that lets you monitor your credit information and prevent ID theft. IdentityTruth protects you by:

• providing you with Alerts notifying you of breaches, potential risks, offering “what’s next” advice.
• letting you know if someone is currently misusing your identity.
• alerting you about potential threats before you become an identity theft victim.
• providing fraud alerts on your credit accounts to foil criminals.
• monitoring of your consumer credit report including alerts to critical changes and updates to your credit history.
• managing your online reputation.
• managing your junk mail and protecting you against bogus offers.

6. ReputationDefender: another great tool that protects you against identity thieves. What I like about ReputationDefender is that it offers an ID protection service for your kids as well as yourself. If you want to protect your child’s ID, you’ve got MyChild. You can also protect your privacy online and even have ReputationDefender monitor the search engines and remove your personal information. In summary, here is what you get:

• MyChild
• MyReputation
• MyPrivacy
• MyEdge

7. Free Score 360: one of the best ways to protect your identity is by keeping on top your credit record. And what a better way to do that by getting your credit information from credit bureaus. Free score 360 gets you all 3 credit reports from TransUnion, Equifax & Experian, and it monitors them for you as well. So you are never left out in the cold.

8. CreditReport.com: another credit monitoring service that monitors your 3 credit reports and makes sure you are in the know when a change happens in our credit report. CreditReport.com alerts help you keep an open eye and defeat ID thefts before they can do any major damage.

I never thought my identity would be and could be stolen. But it happened. There is no fool proof way to protect your identity. Hackers and thieves are constantly getting better and are on the lookout to get their hands on your private information. By using the above service, you won’t have to go at it alone. Ignoring this risk is not going to keep you protected. The sooner you get started with the above service, the better chance you have of avoiding your sensitive information from becoming compromised.

If you are new to the credit card game or just haven’t spend time to find out what you need to do to better manage your relationships with credit card companies, here are 5 books that you should read:

How You Can Profit from Credit Cards: shows you the right way to manage your credit cards and take advantage of low interests to save money and get everything you need for less.

BestCredit – How to Win the Credit Game: if you think credit card companies are the most honest folks around, think again. While they may not want to trick you, they do bank on you missing the smallest details. Read this book to find out how to deal with them properly.

How to Take Advantage of the People Who Are Trying to Take Advantage of You: find out how you can make money from credit cards and use their tactics against them.

Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill with a Credit Card?: a beginner’s book designed to help you get answers to those burning questions that you don’t feel like asking in public.

The Skinny on Credit Cards: another great book that shows you how to play with credit card companies on a level footing. You certainly don’t want to be taken advantage of by them.

There you have it. These books are not the only resources you should refer to but they are a good start. The key here is not to engage in a relationship with credit companies without knowing the game.

As the times get tough, many folks realize the importance of having a good credit history. If you haven’t been taking care of your credit in the past, now’s the time to start doing it. Credit repair doesn’t have to be difficult. A lot of consumers assume that you have to jump through hoops to repair your credit. That is partially true. But it always helps when you have someone who can tell you which pitfalls to avoid and how to properly go about repairing your credit.

The Insider’s Guide to Credit Repair is a cool little book that teaches you how to repair your credit score fast. You may ask, “I don’t need to repair my credit. I have an excellent one already.” You may now, but you never know what could happen in the future. So regardless of where you are with your credit, you need to stay informed to save yourself time and headaches in the future.

Here is what’s covered in this book:

• Credit score: you’ll finally figure out how you credit score is calculated. It’s not that difficult to figure out, but the small details here or there make all the difference. Knowing what affects your credit score can help you avoid things that affect it in a negative way.
• Credit report: you want to stay on top of your credit history? Do you know where to get your credit report or how to read it? Sounds simple, but a lot of people get this wrong.
• Dealing with creditors: let’s say you are in big trouble. There is a right way and a wrong way to deal with creditors. By knowing how to deal with these guys, you can get back on the right path faster.
• Credit theft: as someone who’s been a victim of identity theft, I know it’s something you don’t want to deal with. That’s why you should keep your eyes and ears open and protect your information at all times. But what if your identity is stolen? Do you know how to go about fixing it? That’s all covered here.
• Credit laws: knowing the laws can help you figure out what rights you have. You should always know your rights to protect yourself against unjustified action by creditors and credit card companies.
• Litigation: nobody wants to get here, but some end up here eventually. If you are in this tough spot, you are probably interested to know what’s next and what you can do to get out of trouble. That is all covered in this book.

The Insider’s Guide to Credit Repair is a very informative book that teaches you how to deal with all kinds of situations in regards to your credit. Whether you are a victim of financial fraud or in big trouble with creditors, this book has something for you. I was impressed with credit repair tips offered in this book. You’re obviously in charge, and it’s up to you whether you want to take advantage of these tips. But it’s always nice to have all the cards on the table so you can make a more knowledgeable decision.