Help protect your credit with a security freeze

MediaPhile@evpl — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:22:00 GMT

Here's a tip from Indiana State Senator Vaneta Becker:

Hoosiers can help protect their credit with one of the strongest security freeze laws in the nation.

Consumers can freeze access to their credit reports. When the consumer wishes to release their credit report, they use their personal identification number to temporarily allow access to the report.

Security freezes work because they prevent criminals from falsely obtaining credit through someone else's name.

When you are shopping for credit, you can 'thaw' the freeze by making a simple phone call or sending an e-mail and then re-freeze the credit when you want. Freeze and thaw requests are honored within 15 minutes of their receipt.

Placing a security freeze does not hurt a consumer's credit rating and the service is free to everyone in Indiana.

Criminals will go to great lengths to steal a consumer's credit because obtaining good credit is highly difficult. People are struggling as it is and the last thing a consumer needs to deal with is having their credit stolen. By following a few simple steps, Hoosiers can help protect the credit they've established.

Free Security Freeze Kits can be obtained by calling AARP Indiana toll free at 866-448-3618 or by sending an electronic mail message to inaarp@aarp.org .

Beginning January 1, 2009, consumer reporting agencies made electronic security freeze requests available online. More information can be found at www.indianaconsumer.com .

Indiana lawmakers overwhelmingly passed the security freeze law in 2007.

Research Blog : security freeze

Help protect your credit with a security freeze