I simply froze my credit score and it was STUPIDLY EASY. (And Free!)

Y’all – after years of purposely ignoring this for causes not even value mentioning (they’re all lame) I lastly froze my credit score AND IT WAS SO EASY!!

It actually took me beneath 5 minutes to do it and I really caught myself muttering out loud: “Gosh I’m an fool… shoulda simply carried out it sooner.” However, with all issues boring and unimportant till they grow to be essential (!), freezing credit score was simply by no means a precedence as a result of nothing ever dangerous occurred thus far with out doing it.

After which all these main information breaches occurred, and properly, as Jonathan from My Cash Weblog not too long ago put it:

“The stability between the assured trouble of sustaining a credit score freeze and the potential trouble of coping with an id theft try has lastly shifted sufficient in direction of simply having them frozen as a default place.”

I star’d this a month in the past for Future Jay to cope with, after which I began getting dinged left and proper with alerts final week telling me my information is now public to the world (which I already assumed it was, as a result of man – we do EVERYTHING on-line!) and one thing about seeing it *in writing* lastly prompted me to take motion.

And identical to that my virginity was unfrozen (see what I did there?!)

And it actually was that straightforward to do!! Beneath 5 minutes at every bureau – no joke. In the event you’ve been placing it off and know you’ll want to do it, simply cease studying this proper now and get it carried out.

Listed below are the three locations you’ll want to go to:

1. Experian.com/freeze/middle.html
2. Transunion.com/credit-freeze
3. Equifax.com/private/credit-report-services/credit-freeze

Create an account, fill in some private information, after which click on that magical “freeze my credit score” button and BOOM – you’ll really feel wonderful.

(And sure – it’s silly you need to go to 3 (!) totally different bureaus and create three (!) totally different accounts, however you may’t do something about it so don’t even waste your vitality. Methodically transfer by every one in all them after which examine it off your record as soon as and for all! Imagine me after I let you know it’s oddly satisfying clicking that freeze button!! 😂)

You’ll really feel good for not having to consider it anymore, however much more importantly – you gained’t have to fret about dummies attempting to open credit score strains or loans beneath your title anymore too! Or no matter else these lame hackers love to do with their wasted abilities, ugh…

Why don’t they put it to GOOD use???

And FYI: you may unfreeze them simply as simply at any level too. Additionally free! Simply log again in and click on “unfreeze” –  and voila! So even when you suppose you might want entry to your credit score within the close to future, freezing it now gained’t maintain you up later within the course of. Simply keep in mind to return again later and log again in!

I might have sworn all this used to value like $10 or $15 a shot again within the day, including but one more reason to not be bothered by it, however in some unspecified time in the future alongside the way in which I assume they nixed that and now you are able to do it with out even lifting your pockets. Or this submit wouldn’t have ever been written, as unhappy as that’s, lol…

When you’re carried out freezing all of the credit, you may then nerd out even *extra* by grabbing your credit score SCORE and credit score REPORT too! Additionally free at most bureaus!

I really spent far more time on the websites doing this than inserting my credit score freezes, lol…

Right here’s what I discovered:

(My Vantage 3.0 rating)

(My FICO^® Rating)

TransUnion affords the Vantage 3.0 rating too, nevertheless they cost $0.99 for it so I simply grabbed it from Equifax without cost 😉 (Though weirdly, after I first created my Equifax account it stated you needed to pay in your rating, however after I logged off after which again on later to examine one thing totally different, it turned free?! So when you see the identical simply log off after which again in and hopefully it resets the identical for you too.

Additionally – once we created my spouse’s TransUnion account it wouldn’t allow us to click on the “freeze” button for some cause, so I needed to name and wait on maintain for a bit however then they toggled one thing and it labored simply superb. So don’t let random snags maintain you up within the course of! Simply maintain going!)

You can too simply seize your credit score REPORTS from all three bureaus annually too – without cost. Which is sensible to ensure nobody has *beforehand* carried out something along with your id earlier than you may lock every little thing up.

Now this activity takes wayyyyyy longer although, so don’t even get slowed down by it except you’ve already frozen your accounts and have some free hours in your hand 🙂

There’s additionally the choice so as to add “fraud alerts” to your accounts as properly so that you’ll get notified at any time when somebody tries to entry your credit score. And happily with this one you simply must do it at *one* bureau and so they move alongside the be aware to the opposite two making it even sooner! We additionally did this as a double precaution.

The alerts solely final a 12 months although, so that you’ll must renew it later as soon as the time comes once more (there’s additionally totally different sorts of alerts too which are extra in depth it appears, like when you already had your credit score stolen and filed a police report, or when you’re on lively obligation, however I simply caught with the 1 12 months regular alert since nothing dangerous has occurred but – not less than that I at the moment learn about! I nonetheless gotta pour over these 3 credit score studies!!)

Now on the down aspect you may’t add any freezes or fraud alerts to KIDS’ credit as simply as you may your self (anybody beneath 18). However you CAN do it, you simply must undergo a extra prolonged means of exhibiting social safety playing cards and beginning certificates to show who they’re, and who YOU are, after which wait some time for all of it to be verified. I’ve but to undergo this course of (and never wanting ahead to doing it 3x over!) however it’s on the record as there needs to be NO credit score being opened for years on behalf of any of those guys…

I must also be aware that after you create all these credit score accounts, Experian, TransUnion and Equifax will equally bombard you with promotions and emails attempting to upsell you on a bunch of merchandise (and bank cards!! Which appear counterproductive!). However once more – nothing you are able to do about it besides to unsubscribe and avert your eyes, so don’t let it stop you from getting the job carried out  😎

Listed below are some enjoyable examples of what’s to return although:

******

******

******

******

******

And on and on and on…

Once more, simply hit “unsubscribe” and also you gained’t must cope with it once more.

TL;DR:

Freezing your credit score is free, straightforward to do, and may prevent a butt ton of time and frustration sooner or later. Spend the quarter-hour (complete) getting it frozen at every of the bureaus after which name it a day. You possibly can at all times unfreeze it later with a click on of a button (additionally free).

Listed below are the three hyperlinks once more – do it earlier than you get sidetracked!

1. Experian.com/freeze/middle.html
2. Transunion.com/credit-freeze
3. Equifax.com/private/credit-report-services/credit-freeze

Your pal and fellow nerd,

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