Free Credit Freezes Are Here

A provision of S. 2155 requiring credit reporting agencies to freeze consumer credit reports at no charge took effect Friday. These security or credit freezes restrict access to credit files to reduce identity theft.

A new blog post from the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection outlines how consumers can contact the major credit bureaus to request a freeze, which must be granted within one business day. Additionally, consumers may place year-long fraud alerts, which tell businesses to check with customers before opening an account.