Links below to freeze your credit report, can be done completely online:Equifax
Cost: Free
Time: 10 minutes
Cost: Free
Time: 10 minutes
Experian
Cost: $10 in California, varies by state
Time: 10 minutes
TransUnion
Cost: $10 in California, varies by state
Time: 10 minutes
Innovis*
Cost: Free
Time: 5 minutes
ChexSystems
Cost: Free
Time: 5 minutes
Irony: You have to pay the fees by credit card; can you trust them with your info?
*Thanks to commenters Joanne and Just Helping for alerting me to Innovis!
Comments 13
Best credit freeze post ever! 😉
Less is more.
Thanks for visiting!
CD
Haha, beautiful.
Thanks, J! Got tired of parsing paragraphs.
I read last week that there is actually a fourth credit bureau, one I’d never heard of before. Innovis. Their website accepts freeze requests and then states that you will receive a letter in 10 days with your freeze/unfreeze information. https://www.innovis.com/personal/securityFreeze
Either it’s real, and this is truly a 4th credit bureau, or I’ve been duped and freely given my information.
Joanne,
Quite the opposite of being duped, you’ve generously educated me!
I found this helpful thread on the Bogleheads forum:
https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=227301
In addition to the big three (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) , it looks like they advise freezing credit on the little two: Innovis and ChexSystems.
I’ve added them to the original post above.
With gratitude,
CD
Innovis
Website: https://www.innovis.com/personal/securityFreeze
Cost: Free
Time: 10 mins
Thank you, I’ve added Innovis to the original article along with ChexSystems.
Appreciate your taking the time to make this more useful,
CD
You forgot Innovis credit bureau!
Just added, thanks!
CD
Nice!
I froze my and my wife’s credit at the big 3. Easy to do. 2 weeks later my home and pins burned down….I figured I had a robust savings account and a home. Who needs any more credit?
The good news is it’s not too hard to get a new pin and unfreeze them. The bad news is that it is not something you want to spend time doing when you are putting your life back together and potentially need credit.
EJ,
Sometimes, no good deed goes unpunished.
I’m so sorry that in addition to the required aggravations (insurance claims, replacing essentials) you now have the added responsibility of paying a price for doing the right thing with regard to your credit.
All I can say is you are inspiring to the rest of us on the outside looking in: being able to deftly navigate the logistics, maintain your clinical responsibilities, and keep a positive perspective is a challenge under the best of circumstances. Far more impressive when also dealing with the loss of your home.
Keep up the positive momentum. All of your “invisible friends” out here are celebrating your victories.