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In the aftermath of a major security breach confirmed by National Public Data (NPD), protecting sensitive information like social security numbers becomes crucial to prevent identity theft. One of the most effective ways to do this is through a credit freeze, which restricts access to credit reports.
NPD cautioned that the breached data included names, email addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers, and mailing addresses. To protect personal information, NPD advised freezing credit to prevent potential creditors from accessing credit reports, thereby hindering fraudulent activities like obtaining loans or opening credit cards without authorization.
Other options like credit locks and fraud alerts are available, but a credit freeze is deemed most effective. To freeze credit, individuals can create accounts with major credit bureaus such as Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, as recommended by the U.S. government. This service is free, requiring separate requests to each bureau.
Freezing credit involves creating a username and password with the bureaus, allowing users to freeze credit with a click. Requests can be made online, by phone, or by mail and typically take one to three business days to process. Parents can also freeze children’s credit reports through these agencies if necessary.
While a credit freeze limits access to credit reports, it does not fully block them, permitting sharing for non-lending purposes. Legitimate lenders can still request credit reports under a freeze, contacting individuals directly for permission to lift the freeze when necessary.
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