Freezing Experian: Does it really cost $10.83 to lock my CR?

[Anonymous]

I was just at www.experian.com and was attempting to put a security freeze on my CR.  I need EX to lay low on inqs for a year.  But it wants me to pay $10.83 in order to do so.

Is there any way to freeze CR's without cost?  I recall that you have to subscribe to EQ services to have access to LOCK/UNLOCK on your CR (and once you lock it, you can only unlock for a max of 1 year then it re-locks....guaranteeing you will continue to pay them from time to time just for the option to unlock).

Anyway, just wanted to find out from MODS or other wise ones that may know of any technique to lock CR's for free???

Thanks!

txjohn

[LIGHTNIN]

I noticed that it depends on what state you live in, on how much the credit freeze will cost you.

Why?? Is this something the state controls? 

[Scamp]

If there's a legal/ethical/etc. way to do it free, I've not heard of it yet (nor have I heard of any shady ways to do it free). 

I locked my EX last year, myself - cost me a few bucks to do so, and if I need to unlock it, it'll cost me a few dollars again.  Here in AZ, I think it was only about $5 to do it.

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I was just at www.experian.com and was attempting to put a security freeze on my CR.  I need EX to lay low on inqs for a year.  But it wants me to pay $10.83 in order to do so.

Is there any way to freeze CR's without cost?  I recall that you have to subscribe to EQ services to have access to LOCK/UNLOCK on your CR (and once you lock it, you can only unlock for a max of 1 year then it re-locks....guaranteeing you will continue to pay them from time to time just for the option to unlock).

Anyway, just wanted to find out from MODS or other wise ones that may know of any technique to lock CR's for free???

Thanks!

txjohn

---

You'd need to check your state legislation.  Some states allow free security freezes if you are a victim of ID theft.  I seemt orecall some even allow free freezes if you think you may be a victim of ID theft, but I'm not sure.

Both TU and EQ have a freeze feature available on their credit monitoring.  You can unlock it completely or unlock for a certain period of time.

[AndySoCal]

The bureaus can give you a PIN to give to a creditor to pull your credit. By using that PIN that will allow that creditor access to your credit report. I am not sure if they will still charge you or not.

[DI]

And don't lose your PIN. EX will charge you for that too.

Message Edited by DI on 03-04-2010 12:06 PM

[daisyduke]

Hi TXJohn,

Just a note about Eq's lock/unlock product. I subscribed to it and well, let's just say it doesn't always work like it should. Equifax's platform really leaves much to be desired - it's really slow...and sometimes lock/unlock doesn't even work. I got stuck being locked for days and had to call customer service to get this fixed..Nordstrom couldn't even get in for a day or so after I unlocked my report.  Anyway, ymmv, but I don't this product is truly ready for consumer use!! it should be in "test mode".