If you
live in California, you have the
right to put a "security freeze"
on your credit file. A security
freeze means that your file
cannot be shared with potential
creditors. A security freeze can
help prevent identity theft.
Most businesses will not open
credit accounts without checking
a consumer's credit history
first. If your credit files are
frozen, even someone who has
your name and Social Security
number would probably not be
able to get credit in your name.
A security freeze is free to
identity theft victims who have
a police report of identity
theft. If you are not an
identity theft victim, it will
cost you $10 to place a freeze
with each credit bureau. That’s
a total of $30 to freeze your
files.
How
do I place a security
freeze?
To place a
freeze, you must write to each
of the three credit bureaus. You
must provide identifying
information. If you are an
identity theft victim, provide a
copy of your police report (or
DMV investigative report) of
identity theft. Otherwise
provide payment of $10 to each
of the credit bureaus. Write to
the addresses below or use the
same letters on the
Identity Theft page of the
Office of Privacy Protection Web
site.
Equifax
Security Freeze
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348
- Send by certified
mail.
- Name, current and
former address, Social
Security number, date of
birth.
- Pay by check, money
order, or credit card.
Credit card (Visa,
Master Card, American
Express or Discover
only): Give name of
card, account number,
expiration date.
Experian
Security Freeze
P. O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
- Send by certified
mail.
- Full name, with
middle initial and
Jr./Sr., etc.
- Current address and
home addresses for past
five years, Social
Security number, birth
date, two proofs of
residence. (copy of
driver’s license,
utility bill, insurance
statement, bank
statement)
- Pay by check, money
order or credit card.
Credit card: give name
of card, account number
and expiration date.
Trans
Union Security Freeze
P. O. Box 6790 Fullerton
CA 92834-6790
- Send by regular or
certified mail.
- First name, middle
initial, last name, Jr.,
etc.
- Current home address
and addresses for past
five years, Social
Security number, birth
date.
- Pay by credit card
only: Give name of card,
account number and
expiration date.
Can
I open new credit accounts
if my files are frozen?
Yes. If
you want to open a new credit
account or get a new loan, you
can lift the freeze on your
credit file. You can lift it for
a period of time. Or you can
lift it for a specific creditor.
After you send your letter
asking for the freeze, each of
the credit bureaus will send you
a Personal Identification Number
(PIN). You will also get
instructions on how to lift the
freeze. You can lift the freeze
by phone, using your PIN. The
credit bureaus must lift your
freeze within three days.
The fee
for lifting the freeze
temporarily is $10 for a
date-range lift and $12 for a
lift for a specific creditor.
What is the difference
between a fraud alert and a
freeze?
A fraud
alert is a special message on
the report that a credit issuer
receives when checking a
consumer’s credit rating. It
tells the credit issuer that
there may be fraud involved in
the account. A fraud alert can
help protect you against
identity theft. A fraud alert
can also slow down your ability
to get new credit. It should not
stop you from using your
existing credit cards or other
accounts.
A security
freeze means that your credit
file cannot be shared with
potential creditors, insurance
companies or employers doing
background checks. Most
businesses will not open credit
accounts without checking a
consumer's credit history first.
How
long does it take for a
security freeze to be in
effect?
Credit
bureaus must place the freeze no
later than five business days
after receiving your written
request.
How
long does it take for a
security freeze to be
lifted?
Credit
bureaus must lift a freeze no
later than three business days
of receiving your request.
What will a creditor who
requests my file see if it
is frozen?
A creditor
will see a message or a code
indicating that the file is
frozen.
Can
a creditor get my credit
score if my file is frozen?
No. A
creditor who requests your file
form one of the three credit
bureaus will only get a message
or a code indicating that the
file is frozen.
Can
I order my own credit report
if my file is frozen?
Yes.
Can
anyone see my credit file if
it is frozen?
When you
have a security freeze on your
credit file, certain entities
still have access to it. Your
report can still be released to
your existing creditors or to
collection agencies acting on
their behalf. They can use it to
review or collect on your
account. Other creditors may
also use your information to
make offers of credit-unless you
opt out of receiving such
offers. See below for how to opt
out of pre-approved credit
offers. Government agencies may
have access for collecting child
support payments or taxes or for
investigating Medi-Cal fraud.
Government agencies may also
have access in response to a
court or administrative order, a
subpoena, or a search warrant.
Do
I have to freeze my file
with all three credit
bureaus?
Yes.
Different credit issuers may use
different credit bureaus. If you
want to stop your credit file
from being viewed, you need to
freeze it with Equifax, Experian
and Trans Union.
Will a freeze lower my
credit score?
No.
Can
an employer do a background
check on me if I have a
freeze on my credit file?
No. You
would have to lift the freeze to
allow a background check or to
apply for insurance, just as you
would to apply for credit. The
process for lifting the freeze
is described above.
Does freezing my file mean
that I won’t receive
pre-approved credit offers?
No. You
can stop the pre-approved credit
offers by calling 888-5OPTOUT.
This will stop most of the
offers, the ones that go through
the credit bureaus. It’s good
for two years or you can make it
permanent.
What law requires security
freezes?
The law on
security freeze is in the
California Consumer Credit
Reporting Agencies Act,
California Civil Code section
1785.11.2-1785.11.6.