Are you debating about placing a credit freeze on your account? If so, I understand! We’ve experienced some major security hacks. We’ve had breaches from department stores, email accounts, Equifax (that was major!), and now Facebook is under attack. So the question becomes, “should I freeze my accounts”?
It only takes 5-minutes to protect your identity. But, I wanted to personally share my take on this situation with you! There are pros and cons to freezing your accounts but the benefits far outweigh the negatives. The only negative effect that I’m aware of is that freezing prohibits everyone from assessing your account…including you! Therefore, if you decide that you want to open a new account, you’ll have to contact the bureaus and temporarily release the freeze. That’s not a big deal. It can be done within a few minutes so in my opinion, it’s worth the peace of mind!
To place a freeze on your accounts, just visit each credit bureaus’ website. The websites are Equifax.com, Experian.com, and TransUnion.com. You can also place a freeze on your ChexSystem report to prevent new bank accounts from being opened in your name.
These precautions are free. It’s better to be safe than to be sorry.
