The terms of prescreened offers also may be more favorable than those that are available to the general public.In fact, some credit card or insurance products may be available only through prescreened offers. You'll need to supply your name, address, date of birth, Social Security number and other personal information.

Also known as a security freeze, this tool lets you restrict access to your credit report, which in turn makes it more difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name. If you want to stop getting prescreened offers of credit, call 888-5OPTOUT (888-567-8688) or go online.Information about you and your credit experiences, like your bill-paying history, the number and type of accounts you have, whether you pay your bills by the date they’re due, collection actions, outstanding debt, and the age of your accounts, is collected from your credit report.