topic Re: Locking TU and EQ via CK? Better way? in General Credit Topics

Locking TU and EQ via CK? Better way?

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 19:04:11 GMT

So myself and others have recently gotten an email from CK stating that they will now offer the ability to lock and unlock your TU and EQ credit reports instantly with a switch just like Experian does for Experian credit reports. I don’t think this is live yet, they were trying to get us on a waiting list for the new feature.
Whats the consensus here on the best way to lock and unlock your credit reports quickly? I do the Experian credit works and that allows me to lock and unlock my Experian report. I have been debating the best way to lock and unlock my TU and EQ reports....comments, distinguished members?

Re: Locking TU and EQ via CK? Better way?

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 19:25:15 GMT

The email makes it seem like it’s Transunion only and you can already do that yourself with the myTransUnion app only the myTransUnion app is an actual security freeze.

People should not be relying on locks, however, whether directly from the CRA or from a third party. Locks are not legally the same as freezes and if a lock can’t be removed, you’re going to be forced into arbitration as your maximum legal recourse. There have already been examples of Equifax reports getting locked to the point Equifax can’t even get them and if the online system is down that you used to lock your report, your report is stuck whereas a freeze can be removed over the phone with your PIN.

I would do the method that is mandated and regulated and that is the security freeze and before anyone says that the chances of a site being down are slim, I had to go through this with Transunion already when trying to remove my security freeze earlier this month when I ordered myFICO. Their login website was down and I ended up having to call them and use my PIN to get my freeze off.

Re: Locking TU and EQ via CK? Better way?

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 19:46:20 GMT

TU - Truidenty

EQ - Lock&Alert

Re: Locking TU and EQ via CK? Better way?

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 21:56:38 GMT

Saeren you wrote well some concerns and an actual life situation. Thanks for the insight!

Re: Locking TU and EQ via CK? Better way?

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 22:10:26 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Saeren you wrote well some concerns and an actual life situation. Thanks for the insight!

No problem!

I was extremely annoyed with the whole ordeal with TransUnion so I now have myTransUnion on my phone. It works when the website doesn’t and it’s the actual security freeze.

Theres nothing like signing up for a credit monitoring product and then getting flagged for fraud, calling and answering their questions just to get a system error and remember that your reports are frozen, have the rep be patient enough to all you a few minutes to unfreeze your reports just to get through two and not be able to unfreeze the other. I had to call TU then call myFICO back and answer a whole new set of security questions.

But as annoying as that was, knowing that I could actually get locked out of my file altogether with a lock? Forget about it. Takes me 5 minutes to fill the form out on Experian, open the myTransUnion app on my phone and tap the button to unfreeze, and log into Equifax to lift that one and that’s worth the peace of mind of knowing that if something goes wrong, I have a PIN I can call the automated system for each bureau with.

Re: Locking TU and EQ via CK? Better way?

Anonymous — Sat, 26 Jan 2019 04:19:03 GMT

@Saeren: thank you for your excellent answer. I intend to download the app and freeze my TU report ASAP. Now, you say there’s a form to fill out with Experian to freeze their report? And how is it set up with Equifax? I am glad to hear about the PIN, because I have heard horror stories about people being permanently locked out of the Equifax reports. This would actually be an excellent guide for someone with the knowledge to create.
Why did signing up for my MF require you to unfreeze your reports? If I may ask ... or do I misunderstand?

Re: Locking TU and EQ via CK? Better way?

Anonymous — Sat, 26 Jan 2019 16:09:56 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Saeren: thank you for your excellent answer. I intend to download the app and freeze my TU report ASAP. Now, you say there’s a form to fill out with Experian to freeze their report? And how is it set up with Equifax? I am glad to hear about the PIN, because I have heard horror stories about people being permanently locked out of the Equifax reports. This would actually be an excellent guide for someone with the knowledge to create.
Why did signing up for my MF require you to unfreeze your reports? If I may ask ... or do I misunderstand?

You can freeze each report by following the instructions here

Equifax -

https://help.equifax.com/s/article/How-do-I-place-temporarily-lift-or-permanently-remove-a-security-freeze just create a myEquifax account.

TransUnion -

https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze just follow the instructions for freeze my credit. Then you can get the myTransUnion app to manage it.

Experian -

https://www.experian.com/ncaconline/freeze just fill out that form.

Both TU and EX will let you pick a PIN, EQ generates a PIN for you so save it somewhere.

When your credit is frozen, nobody can pull your reports unless they have an existing credit relationship with you (and I have found that this doesn’t always work either - for example in order to get my TU score from Sync I had to unlock the first time, same with Disco score card (the free one from Experian, not the one that comes with your card)).Basically the freeze prevents third parties from pulling your credit, even for monitoring, but the need to lift is only the first time. I put my freezes back on after getting myFICO setup and I’ve been getting alerts just fine.

Re: Locking TU and EQ via CK? Better way?

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 03:31:11 GMT

@Saeren: awesome information, thank you! I succeeded with Equifax. Trans Union, I made the account, but it seems to be off-line, the service at the moment.

I unlocked my Experian via app and then when I attempted to freeze the Experian, it told me it was unable to verify me and I had to send information in. I did it a second time, again answering all the verification answers correctly, and it again told me I had to mail in information to verify myself. What’s up with this? I am a Creditworks member and have never had an issue authenticating with Experian. I can lock it via my app but even though I successfully answer the authentication questions, it says it can’t verify me. They want me to mail in a copy of my ID. (The form also included included a place for information about a police report. It seems like they’re trying to discourage a freeze.)

Re: Locking TU and EQ via CK? Better way?

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 04:59:56 GMT

Sounds like the verification issue caused by incorrect info on third party reports. Get a copy of your LexisNexis report and make sure that everything is correct. There’s another one and the name is escaping me but I believe the security questions usually come from LexisNexis IIRC.

Re: Locking TU and EQ via CK? Better way?

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 11:41:04 GMT

@Saeren: I have never had an authentication problem with Experian before and I’ve authenticated many many times. The only one that ever gave me an issue was Equifax and I know why.
This had me wondering if they were purposely making it difficult to freeze because they prefer we lock it, especially since the locking service is included as part of my creditworks subscription and they don’t offer it free like EQ and TU.
The authentication questions were just like always, seemed to come straight from my credit file and I answered them correctly, so that’s why it throws me off, especially since I’ve authenticated with Experian so many times before and NEVER failed. Both times I attempted, they did throw in the random question to which the correct answer is none of the above.
They told me to mail in identification paperwork and a police report but I wonder if I should just call them? They give the implication its only to be used when you’re a victim of identity theft and therefore have a police report. I believe they wanna discourage the free use of the freeze in favor of the paid use of their lock. Think I’ll try again.
I’ve also got to go back and check and see if TransUnion is online yet again… which causes me to wonder, how often do they go off-line like that where you cannot freeze and unfreeze your report online or with the app? But you did say I can call and unfreeze it or freeze it even if the online portal and app do not work, right?
Yes I’m working my way through everything I’m going to pull LEXIS-NEXIS and everything else, that’s on my to do list.
I will update this.

Re: Locking TU and EQ via CK? Better way?

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 15:07:11 GMT

For what it’s worth, TU’s app works even when their site is down, that’s how I ended up freezing my file again when their site was down when I had to unlock it for the myFICO reporting to start.

As for Experian, they require ID to give access to online features again but I thought that you could email that to them? Might be worth looking into.

I highly doubt they are locking you out on purpose, I ran into the same problem with Equifax the other day when I went to view my dispute results a second time. Most likely have me tangled up with my dad (I’m the second - suffix II - so the third party data collectors like LexisNexis almost undoubtedly have us nice and mixed up) and I’ll get around to pulling them some time this year.

Re: Locking TU and EQ via CK? Better way?

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 20:48:04 GMT

@Saeren: no, that’s exactly what I’m trying to tell you… The app did not work to freeze it or unfreeze it nor did the website. Both said the service was down and it couldn’t be done at that time. It allowed me to make an account online then I could not lock it online. I downloaded the app and tried that and it would not allow me either.
Yes I’ve done the same thing with Equifax but that was valid because there was some false information and as I said I know what the problem there was but I’ve never had this problem with Experian but I will try to call them I just haven’t had time yet.
I just tried it again it says the free status is unknown because the service is temporarily down. That’s what it says on the app. I made my account I login on my account and that’s what I get! I do recall opting out of the promotional emails and I wonder if that has anything to do with it because I recall reading somewhere that you had to accept those? Please check yours and see if you can even access the status thank you

Re: Locking TU and EQ via CK? Better way?

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 21:58:49 GMT

I am sorry that you are having so much trouble with it!

It is definitely working for me.

Re: Locking TU and EQ via CK? Better way?

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 00:02:46 GMT

Well interesting experience maybe someone can benefit from it. I called TransUnion got referred to the online department who then told me that whenever an account cannot be associated with the file it comes back unavailable and that was caused here because multiple files were associated with either my SS number or name. I then had to call the customer relations department and report the error to have it fixed. After being on hold about 10 or 15 minutes it was fixed and Wala I am now able to freeze and thaw!! Thank you Saeren!
Now I just have to tackle Experian. When I called it authenticated me fine and offered to put a freeze up on my telephone call but I didn’t do that because I want to be able to do it online.
By the way how do I insert a screenshot so I can show you what that error code looked like?