Credit Report Freeze - Lock : Bad Credit Advisor

Credit Report Freeze - Lock

Unofficial Guide
A complete guide to Credit Report Freeze option or so-called Credit Report Lock-Down. Please note, that we try to keep this information up to date but the rules do change periodically so do your due diligence.

What is Credit Report Freeze

Credit report freeze is the latest measure introduced to combat a growing identity theft. Here we want to explain several important things and provide you with information on how to freeze credit reports.

Credit report freeze* also called a security freeze, bars identity thieves from getting credit in your name. It freezes access to the consumer credit report and credit score. Without credit report and score, no lender will issue new credit to anyone. So no identity thief can open fraudulent accounts using the name of a person who has frozen his or her credit reports. With a credit report lock-down, even if criminal obtains name, birthday and Social Security number, no credit will be issued.

How to Freeze and Unfreeze

To lock down or freeze a credit report, consumers must contact each of the three credit reporting agencies except Texas where you can contact either credit agency and the other two must follow. For the majority of states, there is no cost if you are a victim of identity theft, as long as you have a report from either the police or law enforcement agency. The freeze will be normally placed within three to five business days. Then, within 7 to 10 business days, you will be provided a personal identification number or a password to use when you want to unfreeze or lift temporarily the security freeze.

In most states, a freeze does not apply when you have an existing account relationship and a copy of your report is requested by your existing creditor or its agents or affiliates for certain types of account review, collection, fraud control, or similar activities.

When contacting credit reporting agencies, note the following:
- you will have to send very personal information, including social security number, driver license, birth date, address, etc; always use certified mail only.
- ID theft victim must include: valid copy of police report, investigative report or complaint filed with law enforcement agency.
- acceptable forms of payment are American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa, check, money order.
- before mailing always call to verify that the address(es) of the credit reporting agencies are still valid.

You will need to send:
- 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

Experian credit report freeze information:
Experian Security Freeze
P. O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
1-888-397-3742
Experian Security Freeze online

You can temporarily unfreeze your Experian report on line by following this link. This option may not be available for all states. Also see how to remove fraud alert.

TransUnion credit report freeze information:
Trans Union Security Freeze
P. O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
1-888-909-8872
TransUnion Security Freeze online

If you call TransUnion, it will send you a Security Freeze form. Please complete the Security Freeze form and return it to TransUnion at the address listed within the form.

Equifax credit report freeze information:
Equifax Security Freeze
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348
1-800-685-1111
Equifax Security Freeze online

More from Equifax on preventing id theft and fighting it.

Where Freeze (Lock Down) is Available

39 states and the District of Columbia enacted laws requiring the credit bureaus to allow consumers to protect their credit files with a security freeze. 4 states, Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, and South Dakota, have security freeze laws limited to identity theft victims. On November 1 2007, all 3 major credit bureaus made this protection available to all consumers in these states, even if they hadn't had their identities stolen. The 11 states that have not adopted security freeze laws are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia. For these 11 states without security freeze laws, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion provide the freeze at no charge to identity theft victims and charge non-victims $10 to initiate the freeze and $10 to lift it temporarily or remove it altogether.

Also, the credit bureaus must still offer the freeze at a lower cost and more favorable terms where required by state law. Lower fees are mandated by security freeze laws in the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Indiana (no fees allowed), Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, and West Virginia. The states with the most consumer-friendly security freeze laws typically charge $5 or less to initiate the protection.

The following table shows the state rules, fees, and limitations:

State	Law Effective Date	Eligibility	Cost of Freeze and Length if Available	Cost for Temporarily / Permanently Unfreeze
Alabama	Has not passed a law requiring the availability of the security freeze.	Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion freeze for all residents.	No fee for identity theft victims. All others pay $10 to place the freeze.	$10 to temporarily lift, or remove the freeze altogether.
Alaska	July 1, 2009	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims with a copy of a complaint to law enforcement. All others pay a $5 fee to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	$2 for a temporary lift.
Arizona	August 31, 2008	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims with police reports. All others pay a $5 fee to place the freeze. $5 PIN replacement fee.	You can have a security freeze lifted for a temporary period of time at no charge for victims of identity theft; for everyone else, there is a $5 charge for either temporarily lifting the security freeze or allowing a specific creditor to access your credit report.
Arkansas	January 1, 2008	State law is for identity theft victims only; Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion freeze for all residents.	$10 to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	$10 to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether.
California	January 1, 2003, subsequently amended to cap fees on non-ID theft victims.	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims; $10 for others to freeze at each credit agency. Indefinitely.	$10 for a temporary date-range lift per credit agency, $30 total; $12 to lift for each specific creditor per credit agency, $36 total.
Colorado	July 1, 2006	All consumers	No fees for first freeze; $10 to place a second freeze.	$10 to lift temporarily or permanently per credit agency, $30 total; $12 to lift for each specific creditor per credit agency, $36 total.
Connecticut	January 1, 2006	All consumers	$10 to freeze at each credit agency, $30 total.	$10 for a temporary date-range lift per credit agency, $30 total; $12 to lift for each specific creditor per credit agency, $36 total.
Delaware	September 28, 2006	All consumers	No fee for identity theft victims. All others pay $20 to place the freeze.	No fees to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether.
District of Columbia	July 1, 2007	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims. All others pay $10 to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	No fees to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether.
Florida	July 1, 2006	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims and seniors 65 years and older. All others pay $10 to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay $10 to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether.
Georgia	August 1, 2008	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims with police reports. No fee for placement of the freeze for seniors 65 or older. All others pay a $3 fee to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay a $3 fee to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether.
Hawaii	Original law limited to identity theft victims was effective January 1, 2007. All consumers became eligible for the security freeze on June 15, 2007.	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims. All others pay $5 to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay $5 to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether.
Idaho	July 1, 2008	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims with police reports. All others pay a $6 fee to place the freeze. $10 PIN replacement fee. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay a $6 fee to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether.
Illinois	January 1, 2006	Victims of ID theft only, with a police report or a complaint to a law enforcement agency.	No fees. Indefinitely.	No fees.
Indiana	September 1, 2007	All consumers	No fee to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	No fees to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether.
Iowa	Has not passed a law requiring the availability of the security freeze.	Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion freeze for all residents.	No fee for identity theft victims. All others pay $10 to place the freeze.	All others pay $10 to temporarily lift, or remove the freeze altogether.
Kansas	January 1, 2007	Identity theft victims only. Since November 1, 2007, the security freeze has been offered by all three major credit bureaus voluntarily to all consumers.	No fees permitted by law for identity theft victims. All others pay $10 to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay $10 to temporarily lift, or remove the freeze altogether.
Kentucky	July 11, 2006	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims who provide a police report. All others pay $10 to place the freeze. $10 to have PIN reissued. Security freeze automatically expires after 7 years from date of placement.	All others pay $10 to temporarily lift, or remove it altogether.
Louisiana	July 1, 2005	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims or persons age 62 or older; $10 for others to freeze credit at each credit agency $30 total. Indefinitely	$8 for a temporary lift per credit agency, $24 total.
Maine	February 1, 2006	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims; up to $10 for others to freeze at each credit agency, $30 total.	$10 to lift temporarily or permanently per credit agency, $30 total; $12 to lift for each specific creditor per credit agency, $36 total.
Maryland	January 1, 2008	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims who provide report of alleged identity fraud or with an identity theft passport. All others pay $5 to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay $5 to to lift temporarily, or remove it altogether.
Massachusetts	February 3, 2008	All consumers	No fee for identity theft victims or victim's spouse. $5 for others to freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	$5 for others to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether.
Michigan	Has not passed a law requiring the availability of the security freeze.	Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion freeze for all residents.	No fee for identity theft victims. All others pay $10 to place the freeze.	All others pay $10 to temporarily lift, or remove the freeze altogether.
Minnesota	August 1, 2006	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims who provide police report. All others pay $5 to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay $5 to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether.
Mississippi	July 1, 2007	Identity theft victims with a police report, investigative report or complaint filed with a law enforcement agency. Non-ID theft victims may use the voluntary program with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.	$10 to place a freeze for identity theft victims. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	No fees for identity theft victims, all others pay $10 to temporarily lift, or remove the freeze altogether.
Missouri	Has not passed a law requiring the availability of the security freeze.	Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion freeze for all residents.	No fee for identity theft victims. All others pay $10 to place the freeze.	$10 to temporarily lift, or remove the freeze altogether.
Montana	July 1, 2007	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims. All others pay $3 to place the freeze. $5 to have PIN reissued.	No fees for identity theft victims. All others pay $3 to lift it temporarily. No fee to remove the freeze altogether.
Nebraska	September 1, 2007	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims and minors. All others pay a one time $15 fee to place the freeze. Security freeze automatically expires after 7 years from date of placement.	No fee for lifting the freeze temporarily or removing it altogether.
Nevada	October 1, 2005	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims; $15 for others to freeze at each credit agency, $45 total.	$18 for a temporary lift per credit agency, $54 total; $20 to lift for each specific creditor per credit agency, $60 total.
New Hampshire	January 1, 2007	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims who submit a copy of a police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency. All others pay $10 to place the freeze.	All others pay $10 to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether.
New Jersey	January 1, 2006	All consumers	No fees for initial freeze.	Up to $5 to remove, temporarily lift or have PIN reissued, per credit agency, $15 total.
New Mexico	July 1, 2007	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims with a copy of police or investigative report and for residents over 65 years of age. All others pay $10 to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay $5 to lift it temporarily or remove it altogether.
New York	November 1, 2006	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims. All others can place the freeze for free the first time it is used. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay $5 to lift it temporarily or remove it altogether. If they wish to re-start the freeze after it is removed, they pay a $5 fee.
North Carolina	December 1, 2005	All consumers	No fees for ID theft victims with valid report/complaint with law enforcement agency. $10 to freeze at each credit agency, $30 total.	No fees for ID theft victims. Up to $10 to place, remove, temporarily suspend per credit agency, $30 total.
North Dakota	July 1, 2007	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims with valid copy of a police report or police case number documenting the investigative report or complaint to law enforcement agency. All others pay $5 to place.	All others pay $5 to lift the freeze. No fee for removing freeze.
Ohio	September 1, 2008	All consumers	No fee for identity theft victims. All others pay $5 to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay $5 to temporarily lift, or remove the freeze altogether.
Oklahoma	January 1, 2007	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims with investigative report or for seniors aged 65 years and older. All others pay $10 to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay $10 to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether.
Oregon	October 1, 2007	All consumers	No fee for identity theft victims. Others $10 to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer	All others pay $10 to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether.
Pennsylvania	January 1, 2007	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims or seniors aged 65 and older. All others pay $10 to place the freeze. Security freeze automatically expires after 7 years from date of placement.	All others pay $10 to lift it temporarily. No fee to remove the freeze.
Rhode Island	January 1, 2007	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims or seniors aged 65 years and older. All others pay $10 to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay $10 to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether.
South Carolina	December 31, 2008, until then Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion freeze for all residents	All consumers	No fees. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	No fees.
South Dakota	July 1, 2006	Identity theft victims with a valid police report. Since November 1, 2007, the security freeze has been offered by Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion voluntarily to all consumers.	No fees permitted by law for identity theft victims. All others pay $10 to place the freeze. Only freezes credit report and automatically expires after 7 years from date of placement.	All others pay $10 to temporarily lift, or remove the freeze altogether.
Tennessee	January 1, 2008	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims. All others pay $7.50 to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay $5 to remove it altogether. No fee to lift it temporarily.
Texas	September 1, 2003	Identity theft victims with police report.	$8 to freeze; placement at one credit agency must be honored by all. Indefinitely	No fees.
Utah	September 1, 2008	All consumers	Utah’s law allows credit bureaus to charge "reasonable fees", without specifying the amount that can be charged. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	Consumers will be able to temporarily lift or "thaw" the freeze within 15 minutes of electronic request.
Vermont	July 1, 2006	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims with police reports. All others pay a $10 fee to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay $5 to lift it temporarily or remove it altogether.
Virginia	July 1, 2008	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims with police reports. All others pay a $10 fee to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	No fees.
Washington	September 1, 2008	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims or seniors aged 65 years and older. All others pay $10 to place the freeze.	All others pay $10 to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether.
West Virginia	July 2, 2007	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims. All others pay $5 to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay $5 to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether.
Wisconsin	January 1, 2007	All consumers	No fee for an "individual who submits evidence satisfactory to the CRAs that the individual made a report to a law enforcement agency." All others pay $10 to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay $10 to temporarily lift, or remove the freeze altogether.
Wyoming	July 1, 2007	All consumers	No fees for identity theft victims. All others pay $10 to place the freeze. Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.	All others pay $10 to lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether. Requires electronic and telephone methods to lift, imposes the 15 minute lift timeframe.

Credit Report Freeze - Disadvantages

The biggest drawback is that it takes up to 3 to 5 business days to unfreeze your credit report. So if you are shopping for a mortgage or car loan, your credit won't available on the spot. Before going to dealership or a bank, make sure the potential lender will be able to pull your credit reports.

Few states had this law defeated by auto dealers which fret that credit freeze law will hurt their sales as consumers won't be able to close the purchase.

Department stores and other retailers are against this measure as well, as they routinely offer discounts to shoppers who agree to open a store credit card - which they hope will encourage the shoppers to spend more money.

More Info

- Consumer Union on states which passed security freeze laws and states which both, passed and in-process.
- State Public Interest Research Groups - Summary of State Security Freeze and Security Breach Notification laws.
- National Conference of State Legislatures - Consumer Report Security Freeze Legislation, 2005 Session.

*Important Disclaimer: This lock down or freeze procedure is rather new and very dynamic, with new states joining, state laws being reviewed and modified. We try to update this page as often as possible, but check the links above for important updates that may be coming to your state.

Mon Sep 29, 2008 12:09AM by Tony | More in Credit Repair | Comments (0)

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