With so many breeches of personal information consider requesting a “Freeze” on your credit. What this does is not allow someone to walk into Best Buy as you, request instant credit, and walk out with a $4,000 TV that will be billed to you.
I had a car dealer say “I can get anyone’s credit report.” I said “go for it”. He came out of his office ten minutes later and said “how did you do that?”
Here are the addresses for the 3 major credit bureaus:
Equifax Security Freeze
PO Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348
https://www.freeze.equifax.com/Freeze/jsp/SFF_PersonalIDInfo.jsp
Experian Security Freeze
PO Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
https://www.experian.com/freeze/center.html
TransUnion Security Freeze
PO Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016
https://freeze.transunion.com/sf/securityFreeze/landingPage.jsp
You need to send a certified letter to each agency requesting a security freeze be placed on your account. In this letter, you must provide identifying information and a $10 fee. If you’re married, both of you should do it.
You can also complete place a freeze online with each of the bureaus at the links above.
