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The new federal law that came into effect on September 21 regarding the free free credit for all raises a lot of questions. Here are a few that I received last week:
Q: In your column last week, concerning the freezing of the credit reports, it was not clear that there was a cost to thaw them or there was a subsequent cost to refreeze them.
D.H., Cleveland
A: Under the new federal law, freezing, thawing, unblocking or refreezing is free. In most cases, you would probably talk about freezing your credit files initially and, when someone needs to check your files, you may thaw your file for a week to cover that request. You can, for example, temporarily defrost your file for a specified period of time if you are applying for a credit card or car loan.
Or if you prefer, you can freeze and thaw, then refreeze once your business is supported. You could do it if you were buying mortgages.
Q: One thing you might want to address in a column is whether a freeze affects the software requests. I am aware of two moderate requests for information during the past year. In both cases, it was about checking my identity online. Once, I took out Medicare and the other time, I wanted to reprogram a FedEx delivery.
In both cases, I received multiple-choice questions about previous addresses, previous employers, the banks I deal with, and so on. – information that could only be obtained in credit files.
Does a freeze prevent businesses and organizations from making these soft captures?
R.B., Parma
A: The short answer is yes, in most cases. We will come back to it.
It's not that Medicare or FedEx is getting your credit. But they use a third party to access your credit report to generate those non-wallet issues that are not easily known even by an identity thief or even people living under the same roof.
If your file is frozen, a third party will probably not be able to access it. I do not know FedEx or Medicare specifically. But I do know that the Ohio Taxation Department and the Social Security Administration rely on these non-portfolio questionnaires to verify the identity of people online. But if the person's credit record is frozen, the online process can not be completed. In the case of state taxes, this means that a person's statement can not be filed electronically; it must be sent to the old. And in the case of social security, if someone tries to create an online account, this must be done in person in a social security office.
The new law allows some soft practices, even if someone's file is frozen. This includes insurance underwriters, owners and employers. (A soft draw refers to cases where a credit account or loan is not actually open.)
Q: In the newspaper, you called the phone numbers to get a freeze on credit security, but not the phone number to unlock. Can you provide them?
W.A., Euclid
A: The phone numbers are the same to freeze or unblock. They are:
By telephone:
Equifax 800-685-1111 (Press 3 for a freeze)
TransUnion 888-909-8872 (Press 3 for a gel)
Experian 888-397-3742 (You must enter your SSN, your zip code and your date of birth at the very beginning.Then option 1 for fraud problems, then option 2 to order a freeze .)
Online (do not give your credit or debit card number or any banking information):
https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze
https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/
https://www.experian.com/freeze/center.html#content-01
Q: I went online to freeze my credit files. I did not know what to do when I arrived on the TransUnion website, which said: "Credit freezes are a great way to protect your information, but activating and removing a freeze does not take effect immediately, which limits your flexibility immediately take advantage of credit offers. "
P.E., Berea
A: This thing kills me so much. This is only TransUnion's attempt to make you flee a frost regulated by law. Perhaps TransUnion wants to talk to you about a credit lock or a fraud alert, which are very different and do not necessarily protect you much.
I'm not sure what TransUnion means by "right now".
The federal law, which came into force on September 21, requires offices to remove a freeze or temporarily "defrost" it at the request of the consumer within one hour if the request is made through the dedicated phone number or online. If the request is made by mail, the freeze must be removed or thawed within three business days.
So, if you like to join Lowe's or Kohl's and you spontaneously open a credit card in exchange for a 10% discount, a credit freeze is probably not for you.
But if you just bought a house and are doing a lot of renovations, then it may be wise to open a Lowe credit card in exchange for long-term discounts. This – the purchase of a house and the renovation – are not things that you woke up one morning and decided to do.
Q: I am worried because I ordered a copy of my credit report. Twice, at Experian and to date, I have not received anything. I am taking care of my elderly mother's and my sister's finances and have asked for a copy of their reports through Experian and I have both obtained them quickly.
I had frozen my credit due to a security breach at a former employer and I wonder if this is related to my inability to get my free annual credit report. I ordered all three at the same time from the number you indicated in a previous column. I appreciate any help and / or advice you can give me.
P.J., Cleveland
A: A credit freeze does not affect your ability to get your free annual credit report. The only time a credit freeze would prevent you from getting your credit report is if you go through a third party company to do it. So it's not necessarily considered a self-revelation.
If I were you, I would make your request by mail. You can print this form and post it:
https://www.annualcreditreport.com/manualRequestForm.action
If you can not access the online form and print it for posting, you can simply write a letter stating that you wish to obtain a copy of your credit report from the office where you wish to receive your report: Experian , TransUnion or Equifax, or two of them, or all three. In your letter, provide your name, address, date of birth, social security number and your previous address, if you live at your current address for less than two years.
Mail your letter to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
Case 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
Q: I tried to call to freeze my credit report, but I had a woman with a thick accent and I could not understand it. I was not comfortable giving my information, so I did not do it. What should I do?
R.S., Richfield
A: If you contacted a live person, you either called the wrong number or went unnecessarily into an automated maze of operators. When you call the numbers listed above, you can do this via the automated menu – a computer. You do not need to talk to a customer service representative.
To reach Teresa Murray, e-mail [email protected] or call or call 216-316-7064. She can not answer any questions or comments.
Previous columns: cleveland.com/moneymatters
On Twitter: @TeresaMurray
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