best ways to check your credit score from your phone or laptop Knowing your credit score is an important part of your financial picture. You'll need a credit check for loans and major purchases, like down payments on a new home or vehicle, and when opening some new credit cards. Being involved in your credit is another way to verify that your identity hasn't been stolen. Note that looking into your credit score will not affect your credit. With the new Apple Card coming out this summer, it may be time to do a checkup on your credit score before you apply. You need to be a well-qualified customer to be approved for the new credit card. Apple hasn't exactly explained what that means, but knowing your standing is never a bad thing. If you haven't checked your credit score lately, start with a well-known company like Experian and Credit Karma (full list below). There are several that offer a range of services at different price points, including a free online check and free 30-day trial. Keep in mind that some companies require your credit card information, but they typically provide additional services, like insurance against identity theft and flagging suspicious use of your Social Security number. So how does a credit score work? Everyone starts out with a FICO score, which is your creditworthiness number that can range from 300 to 850. The higher the number, the better. Some factors that affect your FICO score include "hard inquiries" like applying for credit (your credit is under review); "derogatory marks" like paying a bill late (these can keep your score down); and how much of your total credit you're using (the less you use, the better). You get a FICO score from the three major US credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. Here's how these services break down. Read: The best identity theft monitoring services for 2019 Experian Free 30-day trial Price: $20 per month Offers tool to help boost your credit score Includes identity theft monitoring
Says it will address fraud if your identity or personal information is stolen Shows your FICO scores for all three bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax) Monitors your credit
Experian credit score checker. Screenshot by Katie Conner/CBS Interactive Experian (or download the app for iOS or Android) is one of the major credit monitoring services that offers your FICO scores for the three bureaus. Experian can help you boost your FICO score by using utility bills that you're already paying to apply to your credit. Your new credit scores will immediately take effect. The company monitors identity theft and conducts daily scans of dark web pages to detect if your information has been stolen. If anything is detected, Experian says its support team will help. TransUnion $25 per month Includes free identity protection Unlimited score and report access Credit Lock Plus
 Up to $1,000,000 in ID theft insurance Also among the top three major credit monitoring services is TransUnion (or download the app for iOS or Android). With TransUnion, you can check your credit score report as often as you'd like to see if your score has changed. Identity protection is included through Javelin, an identity protection service provider. Your monthly fee includes credit monitoring, instant alerts if someone applies for credit in your name and up to $1,000,000 in ID theft insurance. TransUnion Credit Lock is a service that keeps your credit profile on lockdown until you unseal it. For example, if a criminal applies for credit in your name, the lock will prevent them from stealing your credit information.
TransUnion credit score checker. Screenshot by Katie Conner/CBS Interactive Equifax $5 for a 30-day trial $20 per month Shows your three-bureau FICO scores Includes identity protection Sends alerts about suspicious activities Monitors credit and social security number The third main credit bureau in the US, Equifax (or download the app for iOS), suffered one of the worst data breaches in 2017 affecting more than half of all Americans. Equifax has a three-year plan to earn back your trust. If you're feeling forgiving, Equifax's services are on par with competitors. It provides a copy of your Equifax credit report and monitors your credit and Social Security numbers by scanning websites where consumer information has been sold. Equifax also sends alerts about suspicious activities, like someone applying for credit in your name on the other side of the country.
Equifax monitors your credit and social security number. Screenshot by Katie Conner/CBS Interactive Read: How the Equifax hack happened, and what still needs to be done Credit Karma Free Check credit score for free Monitors credit Shows credit factors and how they affect your score
Credit Karma (or download the app for iOS or Android) is a personal finance company. You can use it to check your credit scores as often as you'd like for free. You can also access your credit scores from TransUnion and Equifax, but not from Experian. Credit Karma monitors your credit and sends weekly updates and will notify you if there's any change to your credit score. The site also shows you your score and credit factors that affect your score, like if you're using too much of your credit card limit, derogatory marks and hard inquiries.
Credit Karma shows your TransUnion and Equifax scores. Screenshot by Katie Conner/CBS Interactive Mint Free Check your credit score for free All personal information is encrypted Mint (or download the app for iOS or Android) is a free service for managing your personal finances. In addition to tracking your payments, you can use it to find out where your credit score is lacking, like not having a long credit history, and where it's doing great, like paying bills on time. Mint shows you your on-time payments, credit usage (so you can see if you're reaching your limit) and average age of credit on one screen.
After you verify your identity, Mint will send your credit report summary and credit monitoring alerts if your score goes up or down.
Mint shows your credit information all on one screen. Screenshot by Katie Conner/CBS Interactive FreeCreditReport.com Free Check your Experian credit score Score information updates every 30 days
 Monitor credit usage, hard inquiries and late payments
FreeCreditReport.com shows your Experian credit report. Screenshot by Katie Conner/CBS Interactive FreeCreditReport.com is a pared-down service provided by Experian to access your credit report for free. The company provides you with an updated credit report every 30 days. You'll have access to your account history, like real estate and credit accounts. FreeCreditReport.com shows you hard inquiries on your account, tracks your credit usage and shows any potential marks against you, like late payments.
Mix and match services may help cover more ground When it comes to checking your credit, there are a lot of ways to go. You can select one service, or pair free services together to access your FICO score from all three major bureaus. However, if you go that route, keep in mind that you won't have the promised credit protection and monitoring that Experian, TransUnion and Equifax offer. Published March 31 at 7 a.m. PTUpdate, April 2 at 3 a.m. PT: Added more details Now playing: Watch this: Apple Card FAQ: What you need to know 4:02
02 HP Days Sale takes $300 off Spectre X360, Omen 15 gaming laptop, more Mark Coppock/Digital Trends To celebrate its 80th anniversary, HP is running a special sale, and that means now is your big chance to save on some of the most popular Windows 10 laptops. Some of the best deals include a $300 savings on the 13-inch HP Spectre X360, the HP Omen 15 laptop, and more. It is not immediately clear how long this sale will last, but a leading deal is bringing the price of HP Spectre X360 down from $1,430 to $1,130. Though this might be a slightly older version of what we now consider one of the best Windows 10 convertibles, the specifications under the hood make it valuable for the money. It comes equipped with an eighth generation Intel Core i7-8550U processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of solid-state drive storage. When we reviewed the 13-inch Spectre X360, we liked its outstanding performance, great battery life, and excellent keyboard. The well-built chassis and the active pen support were also highs for us.
Also covered in HP’s deal is a significant $300 savings on the new Omen 15 gaming laptop. Usually priced at around $1,500, it is now on sale for $1,200. This sale model comes with the Intel Core i5-8300H processor, as well as 8GB RAM, a 1TB HDD, and Nvidia’s Geforce RTX 2060 graphics. With the power of ray tracing inside the RTX 2060 graphics card, this laptop is an excellent way to get the most out of hit games like Battlefield V. We recently went hands-on with this laptop and liked the port selection, redesigned thermal system, and its fast processor. A separate deal also part of the HP Days Sale is bringing the price of the Spectre Folio laptop down from $1,300 to $1,150. This is a truly unique Windows 10 convertible, as it is crafted out of 100 percent leather. The model HP is discounting comes configured with an eighth generation Intel Core i5-8200Y processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of solid-state drive storage. When we reviewed it in late 2018 and we liked its luxurious feel, as well as the outstanding battery life, precise keyboard, and the low-power display. If you’re looking for more savings on all things technology, our curated deals page has you covered. We also have a weekly-updated collection of the best laptop deals right here. We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and choose what we cover carefully and independently. If you find a better price for a product listed here, or want to suggest one of your own, email us at dealsteam@digitaltrends.com. Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.
03 Laptop, phone, $7k – Uber drivers accused of theft by clients Video provided by A Current Affair An Uber driver accused of stealing a laptop from a client has handed himself in after the alleged victim spoke out on A Current Affair. The development comes as other Uber customers have come forward with their own theft claims.
A group of Brisbane uni students managed to track down driver Zihong after they were convinced he had stolen a laptop belonging to one of them, which was accidentally left in his car. Days after their story aired on A Current Affair, Zihong turned himself in to police and will face court on a theft charge. "Obviously after your face is on national TV, you can't really hide and say that you don't have it anymore," laptop owner Kathryn Mayanja said. "After he was so adamant he didn't have and then it gets handed in, I was just very surprised."
Š A Current Affair Laptop owner Kathryn Mayanja said she had been Another alleged victim, Fiona Meadows, contacted A Current Affair to claim she lost her mobile phone in Zihong's Uber. "I had left my phone in his car, called it straight away, and all of the responses that the people in the story had were exactly the same," she said. "I had a conversation with him ... he remembered me and he remembered the trip apparently, and then denied knowing about the phone.
Š A Current Affair Fiona Meadows claimed she lost her phone in Zihong's Uber. Ms Meadows has since gone to the police after reaching out to Zihong and Uber. Meanwhile, another driver has been accused of stealing thousands of dollars in a "wishing well" from a newlywed couple. Jade May and her husband, who married 18 months ago, took a luxury Uber black from the venue to their motel, with the wishing well among the luggage in the back of the car. "Got to the hotel and he stopped out the front and Sam was helping me with my dress, and by the time we had got out of the car, he was sort of at the boot and all of our stuff was already on the ground and he was going 'yep, it's all there', (and) closed the boot," she said. But, Ms May said, the wishing well box was absent - along with the cards and thousands of dollars it contained. She said the money was meant to pay for their honeymoon. "A lot of my family put in a couple of thousand each, so as an estimate, maybe $7000," she said. She claimed she contacted the driver, who told her nothing had been left in the back of the car. Ms May went to police, who interviewed the driver, but he denied the allegations.