Credit Freeze: Just One Thing To Do

This month, we’ve been talking all about protecting yourself, and your money, from fraud and scams. Today, we’re focusing on one of the most effective preventative methods: freezing your credit.

What is a credit freeze? It’s a free process that prevents new creditors from accessing your credit report, making it harder for identity thieves to open accounts in your name. The most important things to know are…

– It’s free and doesn’t affect your credit score

– You can easily unfreeze and refreeze as needed

– It only blocks new credit applications, not existing accounts

Is it right for you? If you’re not planning to apply for new credit soon (e.g., mortgage, car loan, apartment rental), consider freezing your credit now. (If you’ve heard the recent news about the massive data breach containing an untold number of Social Security Numbers you may have also seen recommendations to freeze your credit, so this is a good time to consider it)

If you need your credit accessible in the near future, wait until after your applications are processed.

Ready to freeze? Here’s how.