Keeping Up with Credit Scores: 2010's Big Winners and Losers

Despite a heightened awareness in the past year, American consumers are still rather apathetic about checking their credit score. According to a recent survey by Credit.com, only half of the survey subjects had checked their credit score in the past year. The survey also gave a breakdown of who was most likely to check their credit report based on age, income, and gender. Who were credit savvy in 2010? The results might surprise you.

AGE

Young people won out this year, though they certainly could have pulled better numbers. About 60 percent of people ages 25 to 49 took a look at their credit score compared to 51 percent of people ages 50 to 64. My guess is that young people are thinking more about buying a new car, getting a good interest rate on their credit card, or buying a home if they are married and thinking about having kids.

It is important for people of all ages to check their credit score. At age 50, your needs and dreams are different from when you are 30, but you still need good credit if you are thinking of retirement. A problem on your credit report or a few points on your credit score can keep you from buying that beautiful dream home on a lake.

GENDER

Women were the winners this year with 50.6 percent, inching out ahead of the men at 49.6 percent. Those are still pretty poor numbers, though, hovering just over and under a half of respondents. This might be a victory for the ladies, but it is a poor showing for both genders.

INCOME

Income came out pretty evenly. 64 percent of respondents with incomes between $30,000 and $39,999 per year had checked their credit report, and the results were the same for respondents with incomes of $50,000 and more per year.

This was kind of a surprise for me. I expected that consumers with incomes of $50,000 or more would have been more likely to check their credit report, and I'm glad to see that even though the numbers could be better, at least it is the same across the board for different income levels.

THE LOSERS

Yes, there were winners and losers in each category, but the biggest losers of Credit.com's survey were the 22 percent of respondents who said that they had never checked their credit score. They hadn't simply forgotten this year, they had just never checked their credit, ever. These 22 percent are the real credit losers of 2010.

When was the last time you looked over your credit report or checked on your credit score? Do you know how your credit score is calculated? If you aren't sure, check out My Credit Specialist's Credit Classroom at http://mycreditspecialist.com/educate.html, and go to http://www.mycreditspecialist.com to sign up for a free credit evaluation today.

Pastor Steals Church Elder's Identity, Charges $21 Thousand

There are very few people that I fully trust. My husband, my immediate family, and some of my closest friends are among them. One entity that people still trust, no matter what their religious beliefs, are people who have dedicated their lives to worship and serving their congregation. When someone betrays that trust, it can destroy that person's religious faith and make it more difficult for them to believe anyone again. I think that is why the story of former pastor Bruce Stutzman has shocked people both in the Christian community and beyond.

In 2009, Pastor Bruce Stutzman opened a MasterCard account under the name of Donald Ewan, an elder at New Hope Alliance Church, and he quickly started using the card to pay his bills and get large cash advances. In the first week Stutzman had the card, he took out $12,000, eventually racking up $21,816 by the time he was caught.

What Bruce Stutzman did was unbelievably hypocritical from someone who is meant to be held up as a leader and an example in morality, and it really proves that you need to be on your guard. A surprising percentage of identity thefts are done by people that the victim knows, so just because you know this person and think they are trustworthy or they are in a position of power or moral authority, you should still be careful who you share your personal information with.

I have two lessons that I want people to take away from the story of Bruce Stutzman. First, for all the concerned consumers out there, remember that it is not stupid to place your trust in people. You cannot live your life constantly being paranoid and believing that everyone is going to betray you. The best advice I can give is to be smart and let people earn your trust. My second lesson is for priests, parents, rabbis, and other religious leaders. You need to earn your congregation's respect through honesty and living what you preach. The last thing people need is to suspect their religious leaders of wrongdoing. Do you want your congregation thinking twice before putting their tithe in the offering plate?

To learn more about responsible credit card use and protecting your identity, check out http://blog.mycreditspecialist.com, and go to http://www.mycreditspecialist.com to sign up for a free credit evaluation today.