Conducting a periodic credit check is your ultimate weapon of fraud destruction, the dreaded a-bomb that’s stopped many identity thieves in their tracks and caused them to rethink their line of work.

Many lenders have changed their strategies, making credit available to people who might not have qualified before. Needless to say, these high risk loans are offset by equally high interest rates.

Each of the three bureaus collect performance data from your trades, and assign a rating based on that data. But because they don’t share this information, they can frequently return varying results.

There are steps that you can take to ensure your spouse’s derogatory credit debt doesn’t hurt yours. Keeping separate checking accounts is one way. Avoiding applying for joint accounts is another.

To get an idea of how much you can save by having a good credit score, consider the extra money you’ll spend on finance charges if you’re stuck with an interest rate of 30 percent, instead of five.

Are you considering a 90-day interest-free loan? Learn why instant gratification may not be such a good thing when it comes to quick cash.