How to Freeze Your Credit After a Social Security Number Breach

Freezing your credit is one of the most effective and cost-free methods to protect yourself from identity theft, especially in light of the increasing frequency of cybersecurity breaches. In the wake of a recent lawsuit revealing that hackers accessed Social Security numbers of potentially billions of individuals, cybersecurity experts are urging all Americans to take this crucial step.

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David Malicoat, a cybersecurity expert, emphasizes the importance of freezing your credit at the three major credit bureaus—Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. “The options are there for a reason. I think everyone should have their credit frozen until such a time as you need it,” Malicoat advised. He explained that freezing your credit locks your file, preventing any changes until you decide to unfreeze it, making it an essential safeguard in today’s digital age.

On Friday, National Public Data confirmed a security breach that may have compromised personal information, including Social Security numbers. In response, they recommended that individuals take several protective measures, with freezing their credit being one of the most important. By freezing your credit, potential creditors are unable to access your credit report, significantly reducing the likelihood of identity thieves opening new accounts or making transactions in your name.

If a legitimate creditor needs to access your credit report and encounters a freeze, they will likely contact you to request that you temporarily lift the freeze. Malicoat reassures that the process is straightforward: “If someone tries to run it and it’s a valid thing, they’ll say, ‘Your credit file is locked, can you unlock it?’ The whole point of locking it is to prevent unauthorized access.”

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To freeze your credit, simply visit the websites of the three credit bureaus. You will need to create a username and password to log into your account. Once logged in, you can easily freeze your credit by selecting the appropriate option. Malicoat encourages everyone who hasn’t yet taken this step to do so immediately: “At this point, if you haven’t gone to the credit bureaus, go to their websites, log in, and access your credit report for each one. It’s free, and you’ll have the option to say, ‘freeze my credit report’ with that specific credit bureau.”

By taking these precautions, you can significantly reduce your risk of identity theft and ensure that your personal information remains secure.

Key Points:

i. Freezing your credit is a vital step in protecting against identity theft, especially after cybersecurity breaches.

ii. The process is straightforward and free, requiring only a few minutes to complete with the three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.

iii. Freezing your credit prevents unauthorized parties from accessing your credit report, thus blocking potential identity theft activities like opening new accounts or taking out loans in your name.

iv. If a legitimate creditor needs to run a credit check, they will inform you, allowing you to temporarily lift the freeze.

v. To freeze your credit, visit the respective credit bureau websites, create an account, and select the option to freeze your credit report.

RM Tomi – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News