@Anonymous wrote:
I don't want to be "that guy" but the jury is still out in whether a "credit lock" offered by the agencies is the same thing as a security freeze. Their strong, strong push to get people to lock instead of freeze tells me it's likely not the same & still allows them to share info since it's how they make money. I'd strongly suggest you pay the fee mandated by your state & freeze them instead of locking them.
No, that's fair enough. I believe it was Wired magazine that said they could not recommend a credit lock because what the CRAs can do with your credit file with a security freeze is defined by federal law, while what they can do with it during a credit lock is defined by each CRA's internal policies.
But so far I'm satisfied and confident with using credit locks, and I prefer the convenience and better personal control. I've already had experience with my credit lock on EQ. With my EQ file locked Penfed is able to continue account reviews and CK is ablew to give me full reports. But when I recently app'd for a CLI with Penfed, they contacted me by email saying that EQ had reported that my file was "frozen", and to let them know when I had unfrozen it. And last weekend I app'd for accounts & membership at DCU. I knew they SP'd EQ, so before I started the app I logged into my EQ account and unlocked it. DCU gave me 3 security challenge questions, so I knew they had successfully SP'd EQ. While then still logged into EQ I re-locked my file and then updated my report and saw the DCU SP. Meanwhile, with a security freeze the only option for Chex, 3 weeks later I'm still waiting on them to get around to sending me a PIN. 
I supposed I could test EX by app'ing for a CLI on my BoA Cash Rewards card - they love to HP EX and then tell me No Way Jose! 
But I think I'll have a better test for EX or TU in the future.
EDIT: Just used my EQ lock feature again. I had app'd with DCU to refi my car loan, and got an email this morning to call them, saying "additional information is needed to process your request". I was pretty sure I knew what it was, and when I got through the rep said my EQ was "frozen" and they needed me to unfreeze it so they could pull it. Why explaining it wasn't frozen, just locked directly with EQ I logged into my EQ service and unlocked it and told the rep he could pull it. The rep put me in hold, came back in a minute and told me I was all approved pending my sending them a paystub. I locked EQ again befpre logging out. 
I called in to Chexsystems today, a bit surprised they answer on a Sunday.
The rep confirmed I placed a freeze on 9/20, and claimed they mailed the PIN on Monday 10/9. Since that was Columbus Day and there was no mail service that day, I assume it went out 10/10. Mailed from MN hopefully I get it Monday or Tuesday.
But for those considering placing a freeze on Chexsystems be aware it now seem to be taking them around 3 weeks before they even mail a PIN, And an average of a week or so to receive the mailed PIN, plan on a month between placing a freeze on Chex and having a PIN to be able to unfreeze it.