What’s in a Good Name? And What Can a Credit Freeze Do for It?

In terms of relationships — personal and business — one’s good name is a respected reputation. It takes care to establish it. But now, it may not take much to lose it.

All (!) Social Security numbers have been hacked and are available on the Dark Web. This means the “bad guys” on the Internet have everything they need to wreak havoc in the financial life of all those people — identity theft on a grand scale.

One can block them by freezing one’s credit. For maximum security, contact each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion).

Online (fastest) or by phone:

Equifax: 1-800-349-9960

Experian: 1-888-397-3742

TransUnion: 1-888-909-8872

By mail:

Check each bureau’s website for the specific mailing address and required documents.

Key Things to Know

• Credit freezes are free.
• Freezes don’t affect existing accounts or one’s credit score.
• One will receive a PIN to unfreeze one’s credit when needed.
• One will need to unfreeze one’s credit before applying for new credit.