Consumers score right to freeze credit

0 Comments | USA TODAY, September, 2007 | by Jon Swartz and Byron Acohido

In a major reversal, TransUnion, one of the Big Three credit bureaus, says it will allow individuals in all 50 states to freeze their credit histories.

The service, which goes into effect Oct. 15, is a big victory for anyone who wants to be more proactive about preventing identity theft, consumer advocates say.

"Consumers deserve the right to a low-cost security freeze that makes it easy to prevent crooks from opening fraudulent accounts," says Gail Hillebrand, senior attorney for Consumers Union.

TransUnion broke ranks with Experian and Equifax. A June story in USA TODAY described how the Big Three credit bureaus have lobbied for two years to stop strong credit-freeze laws from being adopted at the federal and state levels. The bureaus disseminate...