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Security Freeze Links

If you are worried about or have been a victim of identity theft, freezing your credit reports is a much better alternative credit monitoring. With a security freeze (sometimes referred to as a "credit freeze"), you essentially lock your credit reports with a secret PIN code. You can read more about it in ourarticle, "Free and Low-Cost Alternatives to Credit Monitoring."

Below are some links to help you learn more about this extremely effective identity theft prevention tool, including whether or not this option is available in your state.

 

Security Freeze

Security Freeze Puts Identity Thieves on Ice (Yahoo! Finance, Dec. 29, 2006)

Personal finance expert Suze Orman writes an excellent introduction to the concept of freezing your credit. Includes a list of states with credit freeze laws (as Dec. 2006) and relevant links for signing up on each credit bureau's web site.

 

State Security Freeze Laws (Consumers Union, Updated Frequently)

From the people behind Consumer Reports, this page is constantly updated with the latest US states enacting security freeze laws. Find out here if your state is one of them. Also includes the specifics about the security freeze laws in your state, such as costs and discounts for senior citizens and identity theft victims.

If your state does not have a credit freeze law, you can see if your state is considering such legislation.

In addition, you can get involved by sending a letter to your member of congress. Their home page at FinancialPrivacyNow.org, has a sample letter that you can personalize.

 

Credit Freeze Can Save You in the Long Run, Cost You Now (The Florida Times-Union, Feb. 14, 2007)

A great write-up on what security freezing is about. Includes a how-to guide for Florida residents. Discusses discounts for senior citizens (it's free to freeze, $10 each time you "thaw").

 

Putting a Freeze on Identity Theft (Washington Post, Feb. 8, 2007)

This article starts by talking about the TJ Maxx data breach case where their customer's credit card numbers were stolen. Columnist Michelle Singletary makes a compelling point: "Rather than complain that companies can't protect our information, we need to push our state lawmakers to enact legislation that makes it easier for us to protect ourselves." The article goes on to talk about the option of credit freezing now available in more than half of the states in the US.

 

Originally Published:  Saturday, March 10, 2007, 4:00 PM PT

Last Updated:  Saturday, July 16, 2011, 6:53 PM PT

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