“FREEZE” YOUR CREDIT REPORT
New Law Aims to Help Combat Identity Theft
Beginning July 1, 2005, Louisiana consumers can place a “security freeze” on their credit report. This new law will give consumers more control over who has access to their credit report, thus helping to reduce the risk of identity theft. When a consumer places a security freeze on their credit report, this prohibits a credit reporting agency from releasing the consumer’s credit report or credit score without the express authorization of the consumer. A security freeze will remain on your credit report until you request it to be removed.
There is a $10.00 initial fee to place the freeze on your credit report with each credit reporting agency. However, this fee is waived if you are a victim of identity theft and have included a copy of the police report with your letter; or if you are 62 years of age or older.
To place a security freeze on your credit report, you must contact each of the three major credit reporting agencies in writing. Each credit reporting agency has specific information that you must include in your letter.
Equifax Security Freeze
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348
*Must send the letter certified mail. Payment may be by check, money order or credit card; Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover only. If paying by credit card, you must provide the name of the card, account number and expiration date.
Click here to download a sample form letter.
Experian Security Freeze
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
*Must send the letter certified mail. Payment may be made by check, money order or credit card. If paying by credit card, you must provide the card name, account number and expiration date.
Click here to download a sample form letter.
Trans Union Security Freeze
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
*Must send the letter certified mail. Payment must be made by credit card only. You must provide the name of the card, account number and expiration date.
Click here to download a sample form letter.
Once the credit reporting agencies receive your request for a security freeze, they must place the security freeze on your credit report no later than ten business days after receiving your written request. The credit reporting agency must also provide to you, within ten business days, a unique personal identification number (PIN) or password that you must use when providing authorization for the access of your credit report for a specific period of time. Also at this time, the credit reporting agency must let you know in writing the process of placing, removing, and temporarily lifting a security freeze and the process for allowing access to information from the consumer’s credit report for a specific period while the security freeze is in effect.
Once you place a security freeze on your credit report, you can request that it be lifted. There is a charge of $8.00 per lift to temporarily lift the freeze. The credit reporting agency has three business days to honor your request.
If you place a security freeze on your credit report, it will not affect your right to a free copy of your credit report. For information on how to receive a free copy of your credit report, visit our website at www.ag.state.la.us and look under “Consumer Alerts.”
If you need further information regarding this new law, please contact us at 1-800-351-4889 or webmaster@ag.state.la.us.
For more information about Consumer Protection, please call our office at 1-800-351-4889. In Baton Rouge, the local number is 225-326-6465.
Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Section
P.O. Box 94005
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9005
Fax: (225) 326-6499 Note: This information was copied directly from the Attorney General of Louisiana Web Site pertaining to the new "Identity Theft Law" regarding "Credit Report Freeze". Normally we would only provided a hyperlink to other web sites, but due to current events, this was copied in case of deletion on host web site.
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