The interim CEO for credit bureau Equifax is finally issuing a full-throated mea culpa for the massive data breach that compromised sensitive personal and financial information for about half of the adult U.S. population. In addition to extending the deadline for hack victims to freeze their credit free of charge or sign up for the company’s not terribly enticing anti-ID theft program, Equifax is also promising to offer something new: A way to “lock” your credit file (sort of, maybe, and only partially) for free (possibly). [More]
credit freeze
Is Experian Letting Anyone Access Your Credit Freeze PIN?
By 9.21.17 — Updated: 9.22.17
UPDATE: Experian tells Consumerist that its authentication processes go farther than previously identified steps. The company regularly reviews its security practices and adjusts as needed.
Placing a credit freeze on your accounts following a hack or issue with identity theft is only effective if the credit reporting agency you’re working with doesn’t give ne’er-do-wells the ability to unfreeze the accounts by providing the same information that any good ID thief already knows about you. This is a lesson some victims of Equifax’s recent data breach are learning after freezing their accounts with fellow credit reporting agency Experian. [More]
Did TransUnion Increase Cost Of Credit Monitoring In Wake Of Equifax Breach?
By 9.14.17 — Updated: 9.15.17
With more than 143 million consumers’ personal information now circulating on the dark web thanks to the massive Equifax data breach, there’s no doubt many of these victims are turning to the other two major credit bureaus — TransUnion and Experian — for credit freezes and monitoring services. But is one of these agencies cashing in on the Equifax hack by raising the price for its services? [More]
My Identity Was Stolen, Then TransUnion Let The Fraudster Unfreeze My Accounts
By 2.8.17
One of the smart things to do when your identity has been stolen is to contact the three major credit reporting agencies — TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian — to discuss placing a temporary fraud alert and credit freeze on your accounts. But as one Consumerist reader found out, all it takes to remove those restrictions is the same information that any good ID thief already knows about you. [More]
Five Things To Do Before Losing Your Wallet
By 7.24.10
Look, it’s going to happen eventually. Whether it’s pickpockets or carelessness, you’re going to lose your wallet. When you do, you’ll be glad you took these five steps to make recovery simple and painless. [More]
Advanta Notifies Customers About Impending Credit Shutdown
By 5.26.09
T-Minus four days to the closing of Advanta accounts to new charges this Saturday, the small business credit card issuer sent an e-mail out to customers explaining the situation and how it will affect them.
DIY ID Theft Protection
By 12.14.08
Do you want to be one of over eight million identity theft victims? No, but most of the services sold by “identity theft protection” companies you can get for free. Here’s how.
Russian Mobsters Steal 8 Million Customer Records From Best Western
By 8.24.08
If you stayed at one of Best Western’s 1,312 European hotels since 2007, the Russian mafia now has your credit information! In a nightmarish globalization fairy tale come true, an Indian hacker successfully planted a virus in Best Western’s European computer systems that fed addresses, phone numbers, and credit card details to mobsters in Russia.
Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion To Offer Credit Freezes
By 10.7.07
All three credit reporting agencies recently announced plans to let consumers freeze their credit files. Credit freezes provide security at the cost of convenience: access to credit reports and scores is prevented without the consumer’s express authorization, making it difficult to open new accounts or lines of credit. Freezes are considered one of the best, albeit drastic, ways to guard against identity theft.
TransUnion Will Let You Freeze Your Credit Report
By 9.25.07
Beginning October 15th, credit reporting company TransUnion will let consumers freeze their credit reports, which means imposters will not be able to use your credit to do things like open new phone accounts or sign up for credit cards. While this is great news, the other two major credit reporters, Experian and Equifax, are so far not offering a similar feature, although they say they’re considering it.
What's A Credit Freeze And How Can I Get One?
By 7.5.07
A credit freeze is a tool to prevent ID theft for those people who believe that their information has been compromised. If an ID thief applies for credit and your report is frozen, the thief will be denied.
