Freezing All 3 CRS

CivalV · ‎07-11-2019

I have not applied for any credit since December*** I am gardening and will continue to do so...

I would like some opinions on freezing all 3 CRS. I noticed the Experian app only allows it if you purchase their package. I pay $43 monthly with myfico. Wondering if I can offset that cost but also find a way to lock my reports with one site? Is this even possible? Ive lost 40 points on EX and TU due to my only loan being paid off and now I just want to make sure everything is secured.

M_Smart007 · ‎07-11-2019

@CivalV wrote:
I have not applied for any credit since September. I am gardening and will continue to do so...

I would like some opinions on locking all 3 CRS. I noticed the Experian app only allows it if you purchase their package. I pay $43 monthly with myfico. Wondering if I can offset that cost but also find a way to lock my reports with one site? Is this even possible? Ive lost 40 points on EX and TU due to my only loan being paid off and now I just want to make sure everything is secured.

I Used to Lock/Freeze, dont no more. Never had an issue, and seems with locked/Frozen, i can't get scores off My Credit Card phone APP's.

I do have Alerts set up, C Karma Phone APP, Experian phone APP. TransUnion Phone APP.

Dont know why, They couldnt get anything in My Name. Except a few denials anyhow HA!.

Anonymous · ‎07-11-2019

I froze all 3 of my reports on each agency site about ~7 months ago

I only did it because I am not applying for anything and I also want

to get sp cli when I choose to.

It has been successful for me.

I did unlock one of them a couple months ago for some reason, but it was not a hp for some reason I cannot remember.

Maybe others can chime in, but I think there is either a law that allows to freeze for free

or perhaps that just expired?

Anonymous · ‎07-11-2019

Yep you can freeze each one for free. Transunion offers an app called myTransUnion that allows you to freeze and unfreeze on the fly, Equifax has a login that you can make to manage your freeze, Experian has a web form you have to fill out to lift your freeze that requires your PIN each time (but they let you set your own PIN unlike Equifax so this is easy).

I have had my reports frozen for months. I had to lift freezes the first time I used Credit Karma and WalletHub but they work with the freeze now and Experian I just use their app, works with or without freeze enabled.

The hassle of dealing with identity theft makes the hassle of dealing with freezes a lot more bearable. I mean look how incompetent these bureaus are with *correct* info — I don’t even want to imagine how difficult they are to deal with when it comes to fraud but if you search for fraud alert, you can see some of the horror stories.

Anonymous · ‎07-11-2019

The easiest for me has been Equifax via https://lockandalert.equifax.com

You can lock and unlock in 2 seconds.

For TransUnion I have both the myTransunion app and the TrueIdenity app. I prefer Trueidentiy because you can lock instantly and get a daily TU report. TrueIdentity is just a brand owned by TranUnion just like Credit Check Total is owned by Experian. The reports from the TrueIdentity site are very detailed but the app is lacking. You can not drill into the individual accounts on the app. But it’s nice to get a daily credit report right from the source because Credit Karma has had a few bugs on my reports. Like for example one day all my inquiries disappeared and I got excited. They came back 10 days later 😔

https://www.trueidentity.com

Anonymous · ‎07-11-2019

I have a security freeze on all 3 main bureaus along with freezes on some smaller agencies. It doesn't prevent me from accessing CK, Wallethub, Experian, myFICO, etc.

Anonymous · ‎07-11-2019

@Anonymous wrote:
The easiest for me has been Equifax via https://lockandalert.equifax.com
You can lock and unlock in 2 seconds.

For TransUnion I have both the myTransunion app and the TrueIdenity app. I prefer Trueidentiy because you can lock instantly and get a daily TU report. TrueIdentity is just a brand owned by TranUnion just like Credit Check Total is owned by Experian. The reports from the TrueIdentity site are very detailed but the app is lacking. You can not drill into the individual accounts on the app. But it’s nice to get a daily credit report right from the source because Credit Karma has had a few bugs on my reports. Like for example one day all my inquiries disappeared and I got excited. They came back 10 days later 😔

https://www.trueidentity.com

Locks and freezes aren’t the same thing. Freezes are mandated by law and regulated. Locks are subject to arbitration and other rules that favor the CRA instead of the consumer. It’s much better to freeze than lock, even if they seem to accomplish the same thing, since you can still take legal action against the CRA for issues with freezes.

Anonymous · ‎07-11-2019

I know they are not the same. But the title of the thread is “Locking All 3”. Plus the OP started with the thread with:
“I would like some opinions on locking all 3 CRS”

Anonymous · ‎07-11-2019

@Anonymous wrote:
I know they are not the same. But the title of the thread is “Locking All 3”. Plus the OP started with the thread with:
“I would like some opinions on locking all 3 CRS”

Most people don’t realize there is a difference.

Anonymous · ‎07-11-2019

You’re right. I did freeze all the smaller companies though. Like Sagestream, Innovis and one other I can’t remember now. It was a PiTA. I had send proof of identity.