While you can never definitively protect yourself from identity theft, there are steps you can take that make it harder for criminals to access and use your sensitive information. One such step is placing credit freeze requests with all three credit bureaus.
Credit Freeze vs. Monitoring
Credit monitoring involves scrutinizing your credit report for changes. These changes could include legitimate and/or fraudulent credit inquiries, new credit accounts, a new reported address or an account that has been turned over to collections.
There are credit monitoring services that will automatically notify you of changes to your report for a fee, or you can monitor your credit for free by requesting and reviewing your reports regularly. However, the disadvantage is that both these approaches are purely reactive. Monitoring only notifies you that you have already fallen victim to identity theft.
Preventive measures, such as a credit freeze, provide much better protection. Also known as a security freeze, this measure blocks access to your credit report and other information, thereby preventing new account fraud, which occurs when someone applies for new credit using your identity.
When someone submits a tenant application or credit application (for a loan or credit card), the creditor will request a copy of the applicant's credit report. If the credit report is blocked, then the creditor is unable to review it and will typically deny the application. Therefore, a credit freeze is a method of stopping fraudulent activity before it occurs.
Who Should Freeze Their Credit?
Data breaches are increasingly common and the likelihood that a person’s credit report and other sensitive information have already been exposed is high. Regardless, it is best be proactive about preventing identity theft, especially if you rarely need to grant a new creditor access to your credit activity and history. I strongly recommend that all consumers consider placing security freezes on their credit since recovering from identity theft can be a long and difficult process, and though there may be little expense resulting from a breach, whatever expense there is is almost certainly greater than the time expense necessary to implement a freeze.
When it comes to seniors and their family caregivers, extra protection is crucial. Seniors may suffer periodic long or short term incapacity or illness, during which they are unable to monitor their own credit report. Seniors may be more distracted by grief and loss and are more susceptible to periodic or sustained cognitive impairment. Caregivers, too, deserve attention. A busy family caregiver may not have the time or energy to monitor their own credit report, let alone their loved one’s credit activity. A credit freeze provides invaluable peace of mind.
A certain group of vulnerable consumers, regardless of age, which includes incapacitated individuals and those who have been appointed a guardian, should absolutely be protected by a credit freeze. Since these consumers are unable to monitor their own credit or protect themselves from fraud, caregivers with durable financial power of attorney (POA) or court-appointed guardianship can request security freezes for their on their behalf.
How to Freeze Your Credit
The three nationwide credit reporting companies are Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. You must contact each of these bureaus to request separate freezes. Freezing security freeze with one of them is not sufficient, since creditors do not report to all three.
Each credit bureau permits consumers to request a security freeze online, by phone or by mail. You may also temporarily lift a freeze (aka “thaw” your credit) and permanently remove a freeze via these methods using the account and/or personal identification number (PIN) you have established with each bureau. To help you get started, the webpages and contact information for the three bureaus are listed below.
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Experian Credit Freeze
1-888-EXPERIAN (1-888-397-3742)
Experian Security Freeze
P.O. Box 9554 Allen, TX 75013
Experian Credit Freeze Application
You can find a complete list of information/documentation that must be submitted with your written request at Experian.com.
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Equifax Credit Freeze
1-888-EQUIFAX (1-888-378-4329)
1-800-349-9960 (automated line)
Equifax Information Services LLC
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788
Equifax Credit Freeze Application
When submitting a request by mail, you’ll need to fill out an Equifax Security Freeze Request Form and include copies of proof of identity and proof of address documentation.
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TransUnion Credit Freeze
1-888-909-8872
TransUnion
P.O. Box 160
Woodlyn, PA 19094
Transunion Credit Freeze Application
Written requests should include your name, address and Social Security number as well as a six-digit PIN to associate with your TransUnion freeze.
