In addition, a freeze will not prevent a thief from fraudulently using your existing credit card or bank accounts. Since there may be a delay between the receipt of your request and the actual lift or removal, it is important to plan ahead to ensure that your credit report is accessible for purchases and other significant transactions.

Since a freeze blocks third parties from accessing a consumer's credit report, it makes it very difficult for a potential identity thief to fraudulently open a new account in your name.įreezes may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of new loans, credit, mortgages, government services or payments, insurance, rental housing, employment, investments, licenses, cellular phone service, utility service, digital signature, Internet credit card transactions, and extension of in-store credit. Businesses generally do not extend credit to an individual without first checking his or her credit report.

Unlike many identity theft protection methods which are only effective after identity theft has occurred, credit report freezes can help protect consumers from identity theft before it happens.Ĭredit report freezes are designed to prevent thieves from opening new accounts in the consumer's name. A credit report security freeze generally allows a consumer to block access to his or her credit report by third parties (such as credit lenders or other companies) who are not exempted under law.Īll Virginians have a right to obtain a freeze on their credit report from the individual credit reporting agencies.

Temporary lift equifax security freeze