Law and Rights
For several years we've been advocating that giving consumers the right to "freeze" their credit record would go a long way to stop identity theft. After all, your credit record is what most identity thieves want to get at.
Now, more and more states are passing laws that require credit reporting agencies to do just that. Ohio has now joined the list.
For $5 you can lock your credit record down so that no one can get at it. If the thief can't use your personal info to open up a charge account and rip you off, then you have that much more protection.
This kind of freeze is different from a fraud alert because it does not have a time limit and is available to anyone, not just people who have become an identity theft victim. With the new law you can get a personal identification number to use so that you can remove or temporarily authorize the release of your credit file when you really do want to open up a new account, etc.
To take advantage of the new law and freeze your credit file, or to put a fraud alert on your file, just call the credit agencies at the numbers below or go online.
Equifax: 1.877.576.5734, www.equifax.com
Experian: 1.888.397.3742, www.experian.com/fraud
TransUnion: 1.800.680.7289 www.transunion.com
Protect yourself. Don't let credit thieves ruin your life.
Subscribe in a reader
- National Consumer Protection Week, Day Three
Identity thieves are out to steal from you. And they are very good at it. More about that in a minute. This is day three of National Consumer Protection Week and we are continuing our week-long series on common consumer frauds and scams, with tips on...
- Credit Records And Credit Rights, An Fyi Word For Consumers
Akron.com, a news outlet on the internet for the Akron Ohio area, recently published an article on Credit Rights and consumer rights about their credit record, authored by Dayton attorney Ron Burdge and now being circulated by the Ohio State Bar Association."Most...
- Who Owes The Most?
There's a new study out that tells what area of the country is in hock the most and who owes the least Analysts at Experian (one of the 3 national credit reporting agencies) conducted a nationwide study of consumers debt habits and turned up some...
- Your Credit Score, Understanding It
A study in 2007 by Bankrate showed that 45% of US consumers don't know their own credit score and 32% have never even looked at their credit report. The current numbers are probably not much better and it's no wonder. Everyone may be in debt,...
- Block Your Credit Records
Did you know that a guy working for a mortgage company thousands of miles from you can open your wallet or purse and look at everything? They can get your credit card names and balances, even your mortgage info. It's a little known loophole in the...
Law and Rights
Frozen Credit Records Equals Protection
For several years we've been advocating that giving consumers the right to "freeze" their credit record would go a long way to stop identity theft. After all, your credit record is what most identity thieves want to get at.
Now, more and more states are passing laws that require credit reporting agencies to do just that. Ohio has now joined the list.
For $5 you can lock your credit record down so that no one can get at it. If the thief can't use your personal info to open up a charge account and rip you off, then you have that much more protection.
This kind of freeze is different from a fraud alert because it does not have a time limit and is available to anyone, not just people who have become an identity theft victim. With the new law you can get a personal identification number to use so that you can remove or temporarily authorize the release of your credit file when you really do want to open up a new account, etc.
To take advantage of the new law and freeze your credit file, or to put a fraud alert on your file, just call the credit agencies at the numbers below or go online.
Equifax: 1.877.576.5734, www.equifax.com
Experian: 1.888.397.3742, www.experian.com/fraud
TransUnion: 1.800.680.7289 www.transunion.com
Protect yourself. Don't let credit thieves ruin your life.
Burdge Law Office
www.OhioFairCredit.com
Helping consumers protect themselves since 1978.
www.OhioFairCredit.com
Helping consumers protect themselves since 1978.
Subscribe in a reader- National Consumer Protection Week, Day Three
Identity thieves are out to steal from you. And they are very good at it. More about that in a minute. This is day three of National Consumer Protection Week and we are continuing our week-long series on common consumer frauds and scams, with tips on...
- Credit Records And Credit Rights, An Fyi Word For Consumers
Akron.com, a news outlet on the internet for the Akron Ohio area, recently published an article on Credit Rights and consumer rights about their credit record, authored by Dayton attorney Ron Burdge and now being circulated by the Ohio State Bar Association."Most...
- Who Owes The Most?
There's a new study out that tells what area of the country is in hock the most and who owes the least Analysts at Experian (one of the 3 national credit reporting agencies) conducted a nationwide study of consumers debt habits and turned up some...
- Your Credit Score, Understanding It
A study in 2007 by Bankrate showed that 45% of US consumers don't know their own credit score and 32% have never even looked at their credit report. The current numbers are probably not much better and it's no wonder. Everyone may be in debt,...
- Block Your Credit Records
Did you know that a guy working for a mortgage company thousands of miles from you can open your wallet or purse and look at everything? They can get your credit card names and balances, even your mortgage info. It's a little known loophole in the...