Credit Freeze Question

[Dog]

Within the past two months, DH retired and we sold our primary home and have relocated to our retirement home. We don't expect to be opening any new accounts. We just provided a ton of personal information for the title change and bank account information for the wire transfer due to home sale. We are feeling a bit exposed and think it may be time to freeze our credit. I looked online and it appears we each need to do it for all three of the credit agencies.
I know many of you have frozen your credit. I'm looking for the most efficient and safe way to do it.
As always....thank you for your wise counsel.

 

[MichaelB]

Smart move. You have it right, you both need to do it, with each of the three credit agencies. Here's a link to Clark Howard's "How to freeze your credit" which is helpful and easy to understand. Credit freeze and thaw guide | Clark Howard

 

[Cobra9777]

I followed the Clark Howard instructions. Took about an hour and $60 to freeze DW and myself at all 3 credit bureaus. That was about 1.5 years ago and we've never had a reason to thaw so far.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

It is pretty easy and "thawing" is easy too...as long as you remember the PIN! If you don't have that available, then expect to wait a while since you will need to MAIL them an authorization and a picture of your ID (at least it was like that about a year ago).

 

[Dog]

Thank you. I checked out the site and have it in my "to do" list for next week


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[MBSC]

If you do not have a Social Security online account and think you might want it, go ahead and create the SS account before implementing the credit freeze. Otherwise, you will need to thaw Experian to create the SS account.

A few months ago, I used the Clark Howard steps to freeze online. He was right about TransUnion being difficult. It would let me complete one section then log me out. I would log back in and complete another section just to be logged out again. I was finally able to complete all the steps. Keep the PINs!

 

[bingybear]

we did most online (on the 3 agencies). I think we had to mail one of the agencies the freeze instructions. Cost $20 total for both of us. 1 agency did not require the payment, the other two did for each of us. $5 to freeze per person/agency.

KEEP the unfreeze codes!