Consumers Have a New Tool to Protect Themselves from Identity Theft
Twenty-five states have enacted laws that give consumers the right and ability to freeze their credit reports. Five states provide this option only for identity theft victims. Those states require documentation from law enforcement to prove identity theft has taken place. Twenty states have made this tool available to all consumers.
The Credit Report Freeze method prevents lenders from running your credit report or score, which in turn stops thieves from opening an account in your name. There is a downside to this method of securing your identity information. It will be more difficult for you to open a new bank account, credit card or apply for a loan when a lender is unable to run your credit report and score. The process will generally take longer, and you may have to pay a fee to the credit bureau to temporarily lift the freeze or authorize a particular creditor to access your credit report.
You can initiate a Credit Report Freeze, if you live in one of the states allowing it, by submitting a request directly to the credit reporting agencies. In order to make your credit report available once it is frozen, you must submit a request to the credit agencies to temporarily or permanently lift the freeze on your account. You may have to pay a fee to unfreeze your account and it can take up to fifteen days for your request to take effect. The ability to freeze your credit report and associated fees vary from state to state.
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| State | Freeze Statute | Available For | Freeze Fee per Credit Agency (Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union) | Unfreeze Fee ("Thaw"= Temporarily lift freeze) | Status |
| Alabama | No | ||||
| Alaska | No | ||||
| Arizona | No | ||||
| Arkansas | Yes | Victims of ID Theft | $10 | $10 to thaw or remove | Effective 1/1/08 |
| California | Yes | All Consumers | None for Identity theft Victims, $10 All Others | $10 to thaw for a specific period, $12 to thaw for one creditor | |
| Colorado | Yes | All Consumers | None for first freeze, $10 per additional freeze | $10 to thaw for a specific period, $12 to thaw for one creditor | |
| Connecticut | Yes | All Consumers | $10 | $10 to thaw for a specific period, $12 to thaw for one creditor | |
| Delaware | Yes | All Consumers | $20 | None | |
| Florida | Yes | All Consumers | None for Identity theft Victims or Seniors (65+), $10 All Others | $10 to thaw or remove | |
| Georgia | No | ||||
| Hawaii | Yes | All Consumers | $5 | $5 | |
| Illinois | Yes | Victims of Identity theft, After 1/1/07 All Consumers | None for Seniors (65+), $10 All Others | None for Seniors (65+), $10 for All Others to thaw or remove | |
| Indiana | Yes | All Consumers | None | None | Effective 9/1/07 |
| Iowa | No | ||||
| Kansas | Yes | Victims of Identity theft | None | None | |
| Kentucky | Yes | All Consumers | None for Identity theft Victims, $10 All Others. Freeze expires after 7 years. | None for Identity theft Victims, $10 to for All Others to thaw, remove or have PIN reissued. | |
| Louisiana | Yes | All Consumers | None for Identity theft Victims and Seniors (62+), $10 All Others | None for Identity theft Victims, $8 All Others | |
| Maine | Yes | All Consumers | None for Identity theft Victims, $10 All Others | None for Identity theft Victims, $10 for All Others to thaw, remove or have pin reissued and $12 to lift for a specific creditor | |
| Maryland | Yes | All Consumers | None for ID Theft Victims, $5 All Others. | $5 | Effective 1/1/08 |
| Massachusetts | No | ||||
| Michigan | No | ||||
| Minnesota | Yes | All Consumers | None for Identity theft Victims, $5 All Others | None for Identity theft Victims, $5 to thaw, remove, have PIN reissued or lift for a specific creditor | |
| Mississippi | No | ||||
| Missouri | No | ||||
| Montana | Yes | All Consumers | None for ID Theft Victims, $3 All Others | None for ID Theft Victims, None for All Others to remove and $3 for thaw. | |
| Nebraska | Yes | All Consumers | None for ID Theft Victims, $15 All Others | Effective 9/1/08 | |
| Nevada | Yes | All Consumers | None for Identity theft Victims, $15 All Others | None for Identity theft Victims, $18 for All Others to remove and $20 for All Others to lift for a specific creditor | |
| New Hampshire | Yes | All Consumers | None for Identity theft Victims, $10 All Others | None for Identity theft Victims, $10 All Others | |
| New Jersey | Yes | All Consumers | None for initial freeze | Up to $5 to thaw, remove or have PIN reissued | |
| New Mexico | Yes | All Consumers | None for ID Theft Victims and Seniors (65+), $10 All Others | None for ID Theft Victims and Seniors (65+), $5 All Others | |
| New York | Yes | All Consumers | None for Identity theft Victims, None for initial freeze and $5 for additional freezes for All Others | None for Identity theft Victims, $5 All Others | |
| North Carolina | Yes | All Consumers | None for Identity theft Victims, $10 All Others | None for Identity theft Victims, $10 All Others | |
| North Dakota | Yes | All Consumers | None for ID Theft Victims, $5 All Others | None for ID Theft Victims, None for All Others to remove and $5 for thaw. | |
| Ohio | No | ||||
| Oklahoma | Yes | All Consumers | None Identity theft Victims and for Seniors (65+), $10 All Others | None for Identity theft Victims and Seniors (65+), $10 All Others | |
| Oregon | No | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Yes | All Consumers | None Identity theft Victims and for Seniors (65+), $10 All Others. Expires after 7 years. | None | |
| Rhode Island | Yes | All Consumers | None Identity theft Victims and for Seniors (65+), $10 All Others | None for Identity theft Victims and Seniors (65+), $10 All Others | |
| South Carolina | No | ||||
| South Dakota | Yes | Victims of Identity theft | None. Freeze expires after 7 years. | None | |
| Tennessee | Yes | All Consumers | None for ID Theft Victims, $7.50 All Others | None for ID Theft Victims, $5 for All Others to remove and no fee to thaw. | Effective 1/1/08 |
| Texas | Yes | Victims of Identity theft | None | None | |
| Utah | Yes | All Consumers | "Reasonable Rates" | "Reasonable Rates" | Effective 1/1/08 |
| Vermont | Yes | All Consumers | None for Identity theft Victims, up to $10 All Others | None for Identity theft Victims, up to up to $5 All Others | |
| Virginia | No | ||||
| Washington | Yes | Victims of Identity theft | None | None | |
| West Virginia | Yes | All Consumers | None for ID Theft Victims, up to $5 All Others | None for ID Theft Victims, up to $5 All Others | |
| Wisconsin | Yes | All Consumers | None for Identity theft Victims, up to $10 All Others | None for Identity theft Victims, up to $10 All Others | |
| Wyoming | Yes | All Consumers | None for ID Theft Victims, up to $10 All Others | None for ID Theft Victims, up to $10 All Others | |
| Washington D.C. | Yes | All Consumers | None for ID Theft Victims, $10 All Others | None |