The most recent weapon in the war against ID theft is to the ability to get a credit freeze. A credit freeze completely shuts down access to your credit report, leaving you with a PIN (personal identification number) that allows only you to access it. The intention of the credit freeze is to keep identity thieves from accessing your information or opening a new account under your name.
A credit freeze will not affect your credit score in any way, and will not keep you from checking or receiving your free credit report each year. However, the nature of a credit freeze means that once established, it will make getting credit much more difficult - not only for any potential fraud, but for you as well. The credit freeze is not perfect for everyone, but it promises to be the best method for preventing abuse of your good credit.
Steps to Get a Credit Freeze
- To get a credit freeze, you must make a written request to each credit bureau (Experian, Equifax and Trans Union) and each bureau has different requirements. RocketLawyer.com can help you automatically generate the necessary letters to send to each credit bureau which meet their specific requirements. Begin your Credit Freeze letters now.
- Laws for credit freezes vary from state to state, such that some states make credit freezes free, whereas others make consumers pay a fee, usually around $10. As these costs apply to every credit reporting agency, you need to pay the fee to all three agencies. RocketLawyer.com can help you find out about your state's security freeze fees when you complete the Credit Freeze letters.
Lifting the Credit Freeze
- If you want to provide access to your credit, such as when you are applying for a new loan or a job application that requires a credit check, you can “thaw” or lift your credit freeze for a specified period of time. You can lift your credit freeze by using the PIN number sent to you by each credit reporting agency, usually for three days.