Freeze Your Credit Now, Before it is Too Late!

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Do you know what a credit freeze is? It is an action that you can take to lock your credit report down. A lender will be unable to see your credit score, which means that your credit rating and Social Security number will be useless. In other words, they can’t tell if you are a lending risk.

When an ID thief can get access to your Social Security number, they can also apply for credit in your name. However, if the credit file is frozen, the bad guys cannot access it. When you freeze your credit, the file is not accessible.

To gain access to your frozen credit, such as when you want to apply for a line of credit, you have to unfreeze it by using a PIN number given to you by the credit bureau. That’s it. Keep in mind that freezing a credit report does not affect any lines of credit that you have open, and the process is free for those who have become victims of ID theft. However, you can pay a small fee to TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax, the three main credit reporting bureaus, and you can freeze your credit.

What Specifically does a Freeze do?

A credit freeze protect you from new account fraud. It prevents criminals from opening up new lines of credit, new accounts that require a credit check.

When is it a Good Idea to Get a Credit Freeze? 

If you are someone who has had their identity stolen, you should consider freezing your credit. If you have a Social Security number, you are considered a target, so you can make it useless to thieves, even if they get it, they cannot use it to open a new account under your name.

What to Know Before You Freeze Your Credit

Before doing a credit freeze, you don’t have to know too much. Just do it. Your credit will be frozen from any and all credit application. This means that lenders, banks, and retailers have spent millions to stop it. Why? Because they cannot instantly approve a line of credit.

How Much Does a Credit Freeze Cost?

A credit freeze is free. There used to be a charge, but a law was passed in

September 2018 making it free for everybody to freeze it and unfreeze it. So just do it

Is it an Inconvenience to Freeze Your Credit?

Freezing your credit is not inconvenient. It only takes a few minutes to freeze and unfreeze your credit file. Of course, you must unfreeze it before you can apply for credit. This means that you have to take a little time to let the thaw pass, but usually that takes only a couple of minutes. This makes the credit freeze more secure and helps to keep you safe.

Does a Credit Freeze Harm Your Credit?

A credit freeze does not hurt your credit in any way. Plus, if you have an existing creditor, they can still do “soft” checks on your credit report.

Does a Fraud Alert Do the Same as a Freeze?

No. A fraud alert only lasts for 1 year, and scammer can still access your credit file and they can still apply for new credit, even if an alert is in place. The creditor might know that you had your ID stolen, but they can still issue credit. A fraud alert will notify lenders that something might be amiss with your credit, but that’s it.

What does a Freeze not do?

A freeze does not protect you from credit card fraud, bank account take-over, if you lose your wallet a freeze won’t help you, it doesn’t protect you from tax related identity theft, criminal related identified, social Security fraud, and many other forms of account take over. Again, specifically it prevents “new account fraud”

If I have a Freeze do I need Identity Theft Protection?

Security is all about “layers of protection” and a freeze only protects you from certain things, whereas identity theft protection will mitigate lots of other forms of fraud. While identity theft protection services don’t protect you from things like tax related identity theft or even medical related fraud, the identity theft protection “fraud resolution experts” and the insurance that comes along with identity theft protection services will generally set a victim straight and fix those forms of fraud.

You can Freeze Your Credit, Here:

Freeze Credit with Equifax.

Freeze Credit with Experian.

Freeze Credit with TransUnion.

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity and Personal Protection security awareness training program.

How to Protect Your Parents from ID Theft

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According to research, people who are older than 50 years old, usually in the 65 to 85-year old range, are common targets of ID thieves. These criminals have no issue taking advantage of these people. They know that they are trustworthy, that they don’t know much about the internet, and that they are not savvy about scams. The bad guys also know that these people have more savings and retirement cash than others, and they are ready to take it. Here are some ways that these criminals scam your parents:

old parents

  • They often send emails to older people saying they are from their bank, the IRS, the FBI, or the CIA. The email claims that there is an issue that requires their attention. Then, they ask for information like their Social Security number or even their bank account numbers.
  • Another common scam is to toy with their emotions. In this case, the criminal calls the older person and says that they are someone the person knows, such as a grandchild, and claim that there is an emergency and they need money.
  • These scammers also try to take advantage of older people by using information about their homes. For instance, they can access a deed, and then use their Social Security numbers and bank account information to refinance, and then take the money.
  • The bad guys also take advantage of people who are in retirement homes. They start working there, and then manipulate the people living there to offer up personal info.
  • These criminals also seek out lonely people. If your parent is single, for instance, they can be a target because they are lonely and crave attention, resulting in a bank account draining romance scam.

How to Prevent Scams Against Older People

It is likely that you want to do all you can to prevent this from happening to your loved ones. Here are some tips:

  • Become the main caretaker for your parents’ personal info and financial accounts. This way, if your parents are contacted by someone suspicious, they have to go through you to get information. Even info like your mom’s maiden name can be used to commit some type of scam in the future. Make sure your parents are aware that they should not ever share any personal info, and that any request for money should go through you.
  • Do not share any personal information on any social media site. Criminals look for this, and they can target your parents by doing things like posing as their grandchildren online.
  • Make sure your parents check bank accounts and credit cards with regularity. Also, set up on your email and phone push email and text alerts about their account activity.
  • Buy them a shredder to get rid of things like bank statements. Criminals love to go through the trash to look for old financial statements.
  • If they use Wi-Fi, set up a VPN for them. Hotspots are public, and criminals can use them to get information.
  • If your parent passes away, don’t include any personal information about them in their obituary. Crooks use this information in malicious ways.
  • Talk to them about being safe with email. A common scam is phishing, and even if an email looks legitimate and safe, no one should click any links in them.
  • Help them understand the difference between http and https. Make sure they know that only https sites are secure.
  • Also, help them opt out of offers that are unnecessary. You can sign them up at com.
  • Talk to your parents about freezing their credit.

Stay Away from Scams

Do your best to not allow your parents to be the next victim of a scammer. It is easy to prevent this, and your parents will not have to go through the stress associated with identity theft.

Protect Their Identity

Any of us can become victims of ID theft, and we cannot protect ourselves every minute of the day. However, by taking these tips to heart and signing your parents up for ID theft protection and doing a credit freeze, you can keep them safe.

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity and Personal Protection security awareness training program.

Is the Term “ID Theft Protection” a Lie?

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If you work for an IT security company, especially in the marketing department, listen up: the phrase “Identity theft protection” is definitely way overused and sometimes abused as a term for marketing. We know that this term is used to sell products and services, but do all products and services that weave in the term ID theft protection really protect people from ID theft? No. Definitely not.

ID TheftThere is really no difference than labeling a food product as being “natural,” even though it is not “organic.” In the best case, the info is incorrect, and at the worst, it is miss leading and an outright lie.

Any business with any type of security solution claims that it can protect people’s identities. However, firewalls do not protect anyone from getting their identity taken. The same lie is told when a company marketing a thumb drives that’s encrypted, antivirus software, or even alerts for phishing scams. While all these things may help or assist and even facilitate at some level the process of protecting an identity, they are not ID theft protection. They just aren’t.

Only services that truly monitor your identity should call themselves ID theft protection services. They do this by checking up on your credit, and then scanning the internet for any type of sensitive information. These companies also look for things like you Social Security number online, and if there is a problem, they can help you fix it. And there is generally an insurance component that works towards fixing or reimbursing funds lost as a result of stolen identities.

If you currently have ID theft protection, you may get an email that looks similar to this every month:

We have been checking your credit reports from Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, and we are happy to let you know that we did not notice any new activity. As a user of our services, we will continue to check your credit report every day for your protection. We help to protect you from any financial hassles and losses that could lead to identity theft. You can log into our website and review your status 24/7. Please click here and enter your username and password to get started. As always, our team is ready to help if you notice any suspicious activity.

This is exactly what you should expect when you choose to get ID theft protection. Do not fall for any type of fancy marketing terms. This is what ID theft protection should include:

  • Alerts: This is a warning system that notifies you when your personal info might be at risk
  • Monitoring: Constantly monitoring your privacy, identity, and credit information
  • Recovery: Experts help should your identity be compromised. They should offer 24/7 recovery service to take care of calls, paperwork, and other details.

Make sure that you are doing your research and don’t believe what you read. Instead, take the time to really understand what you are spending your money on.

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity and Personal Protection security awareness training program.

What Happens if Your Social Security Number Gets Stolen?

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It might be surprising to know that when Social Security numbers were first given out in the 1930s, that they were not used as a form of identification. However, whether you know it or not, most of us use our SSN every day, from visiting our doctor’s office to doing banking transactions. Your Social Security number is likely being accessed by humans and computers on a daily basis.

Social Security numberYour Social Security number is a form of verification, authentication, and it is even used as a password. Simply having it, simply knowing it, and entering it, verifies and authenticates its holder. However, it shouldn’t be like that at all.

You need your Social Security number to apply for a job, to open credit cards, and even to get married. Since we use this number so often, you might be wondering what happens if it gets stolen. Here’s what you should do:

Fraud Alert – The first thing to do is to get in contact with one of the three major credit bureaus. That one bureau then contacts the other two bureaus. You must put a fraud alert on your report. When you do this, a creditor or lender hopefully will use much stricter guidelines when they get a credit application. Keep in mind that these alerts only last for 365 days, but you can get an extension. Also keep in mind that this is not a full proof plan, the lender may not enable these stricter guidelines at all.

Credit Freezes – You should also consider freezing your credit. When this happens, you cannot use your credit to refinance or open a new line of credit until you go through the unfreezing process. Keep your credit frozen, and then unthaw it when you need it. Getting a credit freeze is a pretty simple process, it does require a bit of effort and organization, however it is a great way to protect your identity from new account fraud, we will discuss this in more detail and future posts.

Get ID Theft Protection – You should also think about getting ID theft protection. This can be an investment for some, but it also ensures that there is someone monitoring your credit 24/7. Identity theft protection services don’t actually protect you from much in the way of new account fraud, account take over, credit card fraud, criminal identity theft, tax related identity theft, medical related identity theft, but nothing else does either. However, what identity theft protection service does do is monitor your credit and there is an insurance component that kicks in and activates “identity theft expert restoration agents” that fix stolen identities. These people can get you back on track quickly if your identity is stolen.

Keep an Eye on Your Credit – If around 90 days have passed, and you don’t see anything weird on your credit report, don’t think that this automatically mean you are safe. A thief can use your info in other ways, too, so keep an eye on your credit report. Also keep in mind that your Social Security number can be used by a thief in perpetuity or until about six months after your perish. You can get a free copy online at AnnualCreditReport.com.

Be Cautious When Online – Finally, it is important that you make sure that you are using caution when online. Cybercriminal know every trick in the book, and people fall for them all of the time. Here are some things to remember:

  • Do not click on any email links. This is true even if it is from someone you know. Unless you are expecting it, do not click on anything in an email.
  • Do not open any email that is found in your spam folder.
  • Do not open emails that have sensational or exaggerated subject lines.
  • If you have the choice to use two-factor authentication, you should do it.
  • Have a firewall, an antivirus program, and anti-malware software.
  • Create a unique password for each account you have. Make sure that they are hard to guess, and don’t let them contain information like your name, pet’s name, etc.
  • Use a password manager.
  • Shred all of your documents that contain personal information before you put them into your garbage.
  • Don’t give your Social Security number out to anyone unless it is a total necessity.

Remember, if your credit is frozen and if you have identity theft protection combined, you have “multiple layers of security” and you can give your Social Security number out without much of a worry.

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity and Personal Protection security awareness training program.

Is Identity Theft Protection Really Necessary or is it a Waste?

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I am constantly seeing articles and blogs that ID protection is not a necessity. These might be called “The Poor Man’s Guide to Identity Theft Protection,” or “Identity Theft Protection Doesn’t Work.”  Though some of the things mentioned in these articles are true, overall, they are totally missing the point.

Identity TheftHere is the situation. You cannot possibly protect yourself from every type of identity theft out there, and when you can, it really requires a lot of work. No matter what, it’s going to be time-consuming, can cost you money, and even make you pretty anxious.

For those who have chosen not to make an investment into identity theft protection say that they don’t have to because they can do it themselves. Here is what they do:

Shred Your Mail, and Be Safe

One of the things that people do to make sure their identity is safe is to always shred their mail. This is especially important when the mail contains account info. However, this step isn’t enough. Yes, you might be doing your part, but how can you be sure that your mortgage company, bank, or even water company is not simply throwing paperwork with your account information in a dumpster. Once it’s there, anyone can take it.

Opt Out of Junk Mail and Pre-Approved Credit Card Offers

Opting out of pre-approved credit card offers and other junk mail is pretty easy to do. You can do it right online at OptOutPrescreen.com. Just keep in mind that some of them will still get through and end up in your mailbox and maybe get stolen.

Pay for a P.O. Box

I’m not totally sure why people believe that it is safer to use a P.O. box, but they do. Technically, your mail is more secure at the Post Office than in your mail box, but it really doesn’t help too much. Otherwise get a locking mailbox.

Check Credit Reports

You should always be checking your credit report, but those who think they can stop ID theft by checking their credit report are not quite correct. Once you see a problem on your credit report, the damage has already been done. Ideally, you should check your report more than once a year, but you can get a free credit report online at AnnualCreditReport.com.

Set Up a Fraud Alert

Another thing that people do because they think it protects them from ID theft is set up fraud alerts. Fraud alerts are good, but they are only valid for 1 year, and most people forget to renew them. On top of this, they are simply guidelines for creditors, and they don’t even have to contact you if they see a fraud alert.

Credit Freezes

People also believe that they are totally safe if they freeze their credit. This is a good thing, and I do think everyone should look into it, but it doesn’t protect you from all types of ID theft. This includes account takeovers, tax-related ID theft, and medical ID theft.

Though all of these things can help, and in some cases, can greatly help, they are no replacement for professional identity theft service. Instead, they can put you in a tough position.

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity and Personal Protection security awareness training program.