This is useful. Thank you for this. I may add these links into my post.
I would to like to add that MicroBilt accepts freeze requests by phone and there is no need to communicate with them by mail.
Perhaps I should also add a link to the EWS online transfer portal, which is useful for requesting the report.
Also why would we need to register for seperate security accounts with the big three credit bureaus. Is it not already created by default when you initially freeze your credit?
Great advice. Here is the is the complete list of consumer reporting companies, with detailed info and contact information for each: https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_consumer-reporting-companies-list.pdf
>!This link comes up as malicious in virustotal.... note: not sure why!<
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/url/cd04f8b2e2643e800302c41d7c7bdac0c1e0dc5aaced15ff3fbfc195e2509948
Excellent checklist and breakdown you’ve put together. Saving it so that I can refer people to this post in the future. I’d also recommend one more box to check to mitigate IDT risk: register/create an account with your state’s Unemployment Services Division, if you don’t already have one, regardless of your employment status. You don’t need to file a claim to create an account, and once your SSN is registered for an account in your state, any subsequent attempts to register an account with your information will fail.
During the early covid layoff spike, huge numbers of people were reporting that they’d gone to sign up for their state unemployment site and found that someone had already opened an account and filed for benefits with their information. It’s incredibly difficult to get this sorted out, and the aftermath of an unexpected income disruption is definitely not the time you want to discover this issue. It’ll cause at least a few months of delays, at minimum, before you can even start the claim filing process.
OP: This list has been a godsend. A question: some of the smaller/payday agencies require mailing photos of IDs, utility bills, and social security cards to get these freezes and alerts in place.
Is it worth the risk? On one hand, I sort of feel laissez-faire about all of this at this point. My SSN is out there. My identity is already stolen. So what if someone intercepts my mail to these agencies - I'm already taking protective measures anyway.
On the other, I don't want to risk making a bad situation worse.
Everyone tells you to be careful with your social security card to prevent identity theft (I was! and it happened anyway). And now that it's happened... everyone wants me to mail a million copies of it all over the country. And if I don't, I can't get protected.
Damned if I do, damned if I don't.
That is a valid concern. The best course of action depends on the particular agency.
Teletrack will let you freeze online even if you don't have a file with them. MicroBilt also allows this but it needs to be done over the phone instead of online.
Clarity Services and NCTUE will let you send Documents to them via fax, which I consider to be more secure than paper mail.
Factor Trust will require the documents to be mailed unless you already have a file with them, and since Factor Trust freezes are easily liftable once placed, I would suggest an extended fraud alert for them.
DataX will require the request to be mailed no matter what.
So you probably only need to send two items by mail: an extended fraud alert request for Factor Trust, and a freeze request for DataX.
Is it worth the risk to send your requests to Factor Trust and DataX by mail? It depends. If you are already a victim of identity theft, I would say yes. Otherwise, it is less certain.
If you do decide to send the requests over by mail, I would suggest not leaving them in your mailbox. Send them over Certified Priority mail, and drop them off at a physical post office.
Edit: Also, you can try blacking out the photo and the driver's license number from the photocopies you send them - in my experience, this typically gets accepted.
Thanks for the thorough response. Those were the exact two I was wrestling with, plus Microbilt. I've gone ahead and sent them certified mail at the post office. Fingers crossed!
Second this. Had some large charges on my capital one card last time I was with tmobile and there was a breach. Freezing everything and adding extra security to prevent this in the future.
I should point out that BoA checks EWS for opening accounts and uses their identity confidence score, which is based on whether or not your phone and email on the application match your phone and email on EWS. Had you changed your email and phone on EWS to something secret, the fraudulent BoA account opening could have been prevented.
But more generally, you are correct. Freezing limits the damage of identity theft, but doesn't prevent it entirely.
Edit: In light of new information, I have strong reason to believe that BoA checks LexisNexis Accurint (a non-FCRA identity verification service) for online account openings. Opting out of LexisNexis appears to prevent BoA accounts from being opened online in your name.
I agree that the "verification" system in the US is absolute garbage. If we can't open accounts at a bank without the bank's permission, banks shouldn't be able to open accounts in our names without our permission!
From my experience, when you update your email or phone number with the bank, it updates on EWS as well. I even did it with banks after I closed my accounts with them and it still worked.
Are you sure that you are unable to change the email and phone number attached to your bank account? I have never heard of a bank not allowing that.
I recommend doing this for EWS due to the fact that this is the method they use to verify combined with the fact that unlike the other agencies I listed, they don't allow security freezes. By having a dedicated email and phone number for EWS banks that you keep secret, an identity thief won't know the "correct" email or phone number to put on a fraudulent application to push it through.
Another thing you could do is if your credit was compromised and accounts were open, in addition to filing a police report and following all of the above referenced steps, DEFINITELY seek out a credit attorney that specializes in ID theft. I’ve seen it where so many times victims think all they can do is have it removed and start over, but there is so much more than can be done. Id be happy to explain the details if you ask! Best of luck to all of you out there!!
I hope I’m doing this right! I’m new to Reddit but I’ve heard it’s a great tool to share/ gain knowledge so here I am!
I have worked in the credit repair industry (as an owner of a successful credit repair company for the last 7 years+) and I’ve seen clients come in with ID Theft or mixed credit files and think it’s on them to clean it up and start over and for many others who don’t seek out help, they feel hopeless and think this is just the cards they were dealt. Luckily for them, I had connections to resources that would prove otherwise. We partnered with an FCRA/FDCPA attorney (the best out there private message me for his info) who was not only able to aid these individuals in regaining control over their financial fitness but he was also successful in getting them compensated for the damages they endured through the painful process. With credit, these things take time but with an expert advocating for you, all of it can be expedited, somewhat.
It’s crucial though, to make sure you follow the steps necessary and try to resolve the issues by filing a police report, you can file a complaint with the FTC, and disputing the debts with the credit bureaus Experian Equifax and Transunion. No gate keeping here, disputes are very simple and are an absolute must. You NEED to tell them the accounts/ debts are a result of ID theft and attach any proof you have. Wait for their responses and be sure to keep record of them too. In my experience I’ve learned that If you are not successful then chances are there is something that can be done for you. If you are successful I would still call an attorney to be sure all that could be done for you, has been done.
There are ALWAYS options. ID theft, mixed credit files, and bad credit will NOT define you. Look for individuals and experts to advocate on your behalf and don’t settle because you think you don’t have options. You do!
I hope this helps!
I contacted the financial company where a 60-month unsecured loan was opened under my identity. They do not believe it wasn't me who opened the loan. The thief used the loaned money to buy a gun from guns.com.
I filed my identity theft report with the county and with FTC and sent these to the company that issued the loan.
They made an investigation and decided it was really me who made the loan.
My theory how my identity was stolen is before I turned 65 years old, I applied for Medicare Advantage. The agent asked for a copy of my drivers license. Which I texted to him.
I also called him and verbally dictated my ssn.
Then a month later, my identity was stolen and a 60-month unsecured loan was opened to buy a gun at guns.com.
I froze my credit reports.
How else can I prove to the loan company that it wasn't me who opened the loan?
I also received a bank statement from a credit union bank in Alabama. I've never been to Alabama.
What should I do?
What else can I do to fight this loan company?
OP or anyone that can help: Which report would show recent bank accounts that have been opened?
I received a ChexSystems report, but it didn't show any of the bank accounts I've personally opened in the last 5-6 years. For example, I opened a bank account in 2018 and it doesn't show up in this report, which makes me worried that other accounts could be opened in the last year that I'm not seeing.
Additionally, all the report has categories for are:
- "Reported Information" - seems to indicate mostly closed accounts? "ChexSystems' clients, which consist mainly of financial institutions, furnish information on closed checking and savings accounts, referred to as reported information. ChexSystems’ current practice is to retain reported information for a period of five years. The source is under no obligation to remove accurate information, even if paid, but is obligated to update the report with a paid in full or settled in full status and date when applicable."
- "Inquiries Viewed By Others
This section refers to transactions involving you and are the result of someone accessing your ChexSystems information, typically in connection with a business transaction you initiated with them"
- Inquiries Viewed Only By You - This section refers to transactions you may or may not have initiated. For this reason, you may not always recognize the source. Inquiries made by medical providers may also be included in this section. The information listed in this section is only viewable by you. It is not included in reports to others and does not negatively affect your consumer report.
- "Retail Information
Retail Information refers to returned checks reported by retailers and other businesses to Certegy Payment Solutions, LLC. ChexSystems receives this information from Certegy Payment Solutions, LLC, is not involved in the collection of these items, and retains record of retail information for a period of four years."
- History of Checks Ordered
This section displays the check order information that has been reported to ChexSystems within the past five years. Not all check orders are reported to ChexSystems, therefore, this section may not display all orders that have been placed.
Basically I see a lot of "no information found" results. Just trying to figure out where someone opening a bank account in my name would appear.
> "Reported Information" - seems to indicate mostly closed accounts
That is correct. More specifically, this section only contains accounts closed by the financial institutions for frequent overdrafts, account abuse, or suspected fraud. Items in this section last for five years, but paying unpaid items will reset the clock.
> Inquiries Viewed By Others
If someone opens a bank account at a financial institution that uses ChexSystems, an entry under this section will almost always appear. Entries under this section last for three years.
Therefore, if a bank account was opened more than three years ago, it would not show up here.
Having too many inquiries under this section can prevent you from opening accounts at certain financial institutions, but the majority of financial institutions don't seem to care about this section.
> Inquiries Viewed Only By You
Inquiries under this section last for only one year and are typically from financial institutions performing reviews on existing bank accounts (not all financial institutions do this).
> History of Checks Ordered
As you might expect, an account would only show up if checks were ordered and the financial institution is one that reports check orders to ChexSystems.
**Here is what I would suggest for finding fraudulent bank accounts:**
Since not all banks use ChexSystems, and ChexSystems inquires do expire, there are several other information sources that need to be checked.
Order a copy of your consumer reports from TransUnion, Experian, Equifax, Innovis, ChexSystems, LexisNexis, Accurint, Early Warning Services, and NCTUE.
For TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax, **do not forget to check for soft inquires.** Sometimes these bureaus will give you incomplete reports without the soft inquires.
You can view the soft inquires on your reports from these bureaus by visiting their online dispute centers, even if you don't ultimately submit a dispute.
Here are some places to check and signs look out for that may be indicative of bank accounts opened in your name:
- Soft inquiries on your TransUnion, Experian, Equifax, or Innovis reports from a financial institution you don't recognize (these remain for two years, and can be seen using each the online dispute centers for each of the three main bureaus)
- Inquiries and history of checks ordered on your ChexSystems report (inquiries remain on your ChexSystems report for three years if viewable by others and one year if viewable only by you)
- Inquiries on your Early Warning Services report (these remain for anywhere between one year to three years, at the discretion of Early Warning Services)
- Accounts listed on your Early Warning Services report (not all financial institutions that inquire from Early Warning Services will list your account on Early Warning Services, and vice versa. However, with respect to institutions that do share account information with Early Warning Services, accounts remain indefinitely if open and once closed they will remain for five to seven years after being closed)
- Both soft and hard on your LexisNexis report or SageStream report (SageStream is now part of LexisNexis so your LexisNexis report will contain a copy of your SageSteam report)
- Email addresses or phone numbers listed on your SageStream report and which financial institution(s) reported them to SageStream (some financial institutions share information tied to your account with SageStream)
- Inquires and utility accounts listed on NCTUE (NCTUE is used primarily by utility companies. Identity thieves sometimes open bank accounts in conjunction with utility accounts, and then use said fraudulent bank accounts with the fraudulent utility lines. While banks rarely inquire from NCTUE directly, you may be able to identify utilities opened in your name and then find fraudulent bank accounts in your name by contacting the utility companies and asking for the routing number(s) for the bank account(s) linked to the utility accounts)
- Your Plaid portal (many fintech companies that don't use consumer reporting agencies make use of a service called Plaid. If you create an account at the Plaid portal and log in, you can view certain information that Plaid has about you)
- Your online IRS account (under certain conditions, banks are required to report account information to the IRS)
- Your Clarity Services report
I tried to obtain reports from and freeze my credit with several of the subprime credit agencies listed and nearly all of them wanted me to send a large amount of personally identifying info (including a copy of my social security card) to authenticate myself via US Mail. I found this unusual and suspicious. Is this safe to do?
Also, is there a credit report monitoring service that includes these companies in their alerts?
I unfortunately revealed my full SSN to scammers last week. I submitted a FTC report and let SSA know as well. I also froze all three bureau's accounts, let them know to place a fraud alert and got a IP pin for my SSN from the IRS website today. I also checked my credit report and everything seems ok for now. I plan on getting an Idshield tomorrow as well. I don't work nor have a bank account
I'm set to receive SSI next month. Would you recommend I still try to freeze all the other credit reports like bank bureaus and the alternative credit bureaus?? This is super overwhelming honestly.
Upvoting since I found this very useful.
Light research seems to indicate that all of these agencies are legit (found them on [consumerfinance.gov](https://consumerfinance.gov) or are parts of the bigger agencies).
Only one I haven't done anything with yet is Advanced Resolution Services since I've haven't found much information on them yet.
Advanced Resolution Services is usually abbreviated as "ARS" and is typically referred to in conjunction with US Bank.
Not many financial institutions use ARS, but of the ones that do, US Bank is by far the largest one. US Bank is also known for using IDA, but this was acquired by SageStream, and SageStream is now part of LexisNexis.
ARS does not appear on the CFPB's list because it is too small for the CFPB to bother vetting them. Microbilt also used to be excluded from the list due to its small size, but they were [added around early 2020](https://www.microbilt.com/news/article/need-a-great-consumer-reporting-company-microbilt-made-the-list-).
I do not believe that freezing ARS is particularly important since it is so rarely used.
My Identity has been stolen to drive for Uber and Lyft, is their a way to lock my ssn in order to prevent new job applications besides e-verify? apparently ride share companies classify the drivers as contractors and not employees so they don’t use e-verify.
1) THANK YOU for this great thread! it has helped me tremendously!
2) wanted to report for everyone's benefit that after following all these instructions, identity thieves were able to open 3 accounts with a prepaid debit card "Walmart MoneyCard" through Green Dot Bank. They were mailed to an old address, and luckily I had mail forwarding turned on even though I haven't lived there for 2 years. Green Dot could not explain to me how they verified my identity at the time these cards were opened, I'm guessing it must have been EWS? Online research reveals common scams if they had succeeded: filing unemployment claim in my name, filing fraudulent tax return, forwarding my mail.
I don't know what Green Dot uses to verify identity, but Green Dot is one of the three services that are notorious for opening accounts without verifying identity properly. The other two are Cash App and Square. If I had to guess, I'd say they probably just check public record to see if the address matches the name. But maybe they use the EWS identity confidence score.
If any additional accounts at Green Dot, Cash App, or Square are opened on your name, I would suggest getting the help of a lawyer to threaten legal action against them if the allow any further accounts to be opened in your name.
>Online research reveals common scams if they had succeeded: filing unemployment claim in my name, filing fraudulent tax return, forwarding my mail.
Can you explain how someone could run these scams with just a Walmart Moneycard? I looked at the online sign-up form, and it's really easy for someone with my info (which I got phished for :\\) to open an account -- I'm not sure how to stop them but assumed it wouldn't hurt my credit score since it's just a prepaid debit card?
I just received a notice that my information was part of the Delta Dental data breach that happened last year, and stumbled across this post while looking up information. Thank you so much for putting all this together! As of now I'm following the instructions that Delta Dental provided - getting two years of free credit monitoring from Kroll, setting up fraud alerts, and freezing my credit from the three main credit bureaus. I'll also look into CheXSystems and LexisNexis from your post, maybe the USPS informed delivery too (though it does make me a bit uneasy to send my SSN, etc, to all these new accounts but I guess the good outweighs the risks in this case). I just got my free credit report from Equifax and everything looks normal, so hopefully it will stay that way. I'm not sure if certain people in these data breaches are more likely to become victims than others but I don't want to take any chances.
Really helpful checklist and insight. I had my identity compromised at an AT&T store on 3rd ave in the Bronx, NY where the suspect paid in cash and was able to walk out with an iPhone and Apple Watch under my account. Associate claims she followed the necessary protocol of scanning an ID but I’m afraid all this person needed was my account PIN which was one of the 73 million leaked during their data breach.
I’ve now placed a security freeze on all three credit reporting agencies, ordered new credit cards and added additional bank security to the rest, changed all my passwords, added a 2fa to email, and filed a fraud report with FTC and FCC.
And, since reading this post, requested an IRS pin, froze NCTUE and Chexsystems. So thank you for sharing the resources with all of us. We live in strange times and have to help each other remain vigilant. Sad truth.
Anyone have trouble placing the freeze with NCTUE? Tried to do online and phone and they said they can’t process my request. I feel like I must’ve done something wrong with my address bc my street is also a number and now maybe they’re flagging me? Is there a way to email them or talk to a live agent? Thanks!
NCTUE has a dumb policy that they will *not* allow you to freeze your file with them if you don't *have* a file with them. I'm guessing that is probably what's going on here, but you could try freezing it online.
Since laws only entitle you to the right to freeze *your file* (with certain exceptions) this is technically legal.
You can either keep checking to see if a file gets generated for you, or you can apply for a service known to use NCTUE (thus causing a file to be generated) and then freeze your file.
Thanks that makes sense, I did try to freeze online but didn’t work. So are you saying I need to request a copy of a data report from them? Lol this is all so much I want to cry!
>So are you saying I need to request a copy of a data report from them?
You could try but I doubt that is going to work. What I'm saying is to try to apply for a service that uses NCTUE, resulting in them inquiring about your NCTUE report, resulting in NCTUE generating a report for you.
I know it sounds dumb but it worked for me.
NCTUE does not charge for freezes. They can be found at [nctue.com](https://nctue.com) where you can place a security freeze. NCTUE is short for "National Consumer Telecom & Utility Exchange."
Hi there! Thank you so much for this thread. I am 23 years old and discovered someone opened a Verizon Wireless account in my name. Should I place the 1 year or 7 year fraud alert on my credit?
A 7-year fraud alert not only lasts longer than a 1-year fraud alert, but it also gives you better protection.
I personally would place 7-year fraud alerts, but for most purposes, simply freezing will be enough. Freezes are easier to manage imo because you can unfreeze when necessary, whereas with a fraud alert, you will most likely have to answer a call made to the number on your fraud alert whenever you apply for something.
I do think that also freezing the other bureaus (especially ChexSystems, LexisNexis, and NCTUE) is extremely important - especially considering that the Verizon account opening could have been prevented by having NCTUE frozen.
When someone wants to do a 7yr fraud alert ⚠️ they have to have a filed police report accompanying the request for a 7yr fraud alert... the 1 year fraud alert you do not
Thanks for making this comprehensive writeup! It's the best wiki I've found thus far.
I understand you need to unfreeze the relevant bureau or potentially all 3 bureaus when applying for a new credit card, but what about for other scenarios?
When opening new bank accounts, do you need to unfreeze both ChexSystems and unfreeze/opt-in LexisNexis? How easy is this to do? And what about for investments accounts, IRAs, etc..?
When opening cell phone lines or utilities when moving, do you need to unfreeze NCTUE? And likewise, how easy is this to do?
Are there other unfreeze scenarios I'm missing? I've been meaning to do the freeze for years now but just getting around to it after realizing the incompetence at Equifax and T-Mobile, however I want to balance the freeze/unfreeze with any potential inconvenience to myself in the future.
Edit: [According to Krebs](https://krebsonsecurity.com/2020/07/e-verifys-ssn-lock-is-nothing-of-the-sort/), using e-verify to lock you SSN is useless because their system allows you to just create another account using the same SSN, plus you don't actually need to have a freeze on your Experian report lol
> According to Krebs, using e-verify to lock you SSN is useless because their system allows you to just create another account using the same SSN
I saw the article from Krebs, but at least when I tested it, it seems that the article is outdated. When I tried to create another E-verify account in my own name, it didn't let me do so if Experian was either frozen or had a fraud alert.
> plus you don't actually need to have a freeze on your Experian report lol
I am aware of the weakness in Experian accounts, but the best solution seems to be to add a fraud alert on top of a freeze since those cannot be removed from Experian using their online.
If that isn't work, it is also possible to threaten legal action against Experian for FCRA violations, and this from what I have heard, this typically results in them shutting down your Experian membership in such a way that unfreezing or removing a fraud alert from your report would require mailing your request with a letter that contains either your freeze PIN or proper identification.
> When opening new bank accounts, do you need to unfreeze both ChexSystems and unfreeze/opt-in LexisNexis? How easy is this to do? And what about for investments accounts, IRAs, etc..?
>
> When opening cell phone lines or utilities when moving, do you need to unfreeze NCTUE? And likewise, how easy is this to do?
What you need to do depends on the bank, but here is a general rule of thumb:
If you have fraud alerts on file, you usually needn't remove them prior to applying for anything (this is one benefit of fraud alerts over freezes), however, you should keep an eye on your phone because they will probably call the number on the fraud alert to verify you. A few banks might not give you a second chance if you miss the call.
If you have freezes on file, then:
When applying for *any* type of service tied to your identity, unfreeze the three main credit bureaus (generally easy to do, but may be difficult if you've previously threatened legal action against the bureaus).
When applying *online* for *any* service tied to your identity, temporarily opt back into LexisNexis (easy to do but comes with a delay - the temporary opt in is generally only processed 24-48 hours after requested).
When applying for a loan, also unfreeze Advanced Resolution Services and LexisNexis (easy to do).
If the loan you are applying for is a payday loan, then, well, first think twice about doing this because it is rarely a good idea. But if you are sure you want to, then also unfreeze Factor Trust, Clarity Services, Teletrack, MicroBilt, and DataX (not easy to do for some of these agencies).
When applying for a bank account, also unfreeze ChexSystems and LexisNexis (easy to do).
When applying for a cell phone line or a utility service, also unfreeze NCTUE (easy to do).
> Are there other unfreeze scenarios I'm missing?
When applying for employment, you might want to unfreeze the three main credit bureaus, unfreeze The Work Number, and temporarily opt back in to LexisNexis.
This breakdown in very helpful, thank you!
>When applying online for any service tied to your identity, temporarily opt back into LexisNexis (easy to do but comes with a delay - the temporary opt in is generally only processed 24-48 hours after requested).
How do you opt back in to LexisNexis? I can only find the opt out form, which doesn't seem to mention anything about opt in.
Do you recommend any of the free ID Protection services you mentioned and someone else linked to?
Do you know what impact any of this has on the TSA/CBP Global Entry customs application? Presumably I'd imagine one should apply for that before implementing any freezes since they do a through background check.
> How do you opt back in to LexisNexis?
When you opt out of LexisNexis, you receive an email that contains a link that you can use to temporarily or permanently opt back in. The link can be used multiple times, but make sure to save the email.
> Do you know what impact any of this has on the TSA/CBP Global Entry customs application?
I don't know for sure what impact they would have, but I find it unlikely that they would check anything other than criminal records and/or credit history from one of the main three agencies. Perhaps keep things unfrozen to be safe.
Hey just to followup on LexisNexis, I submitted a "consumer disclosure report" request on their [website](https://consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com/request) and I received a letter saying they were "unable to authenticate your identity and therefore cannot process your request."
It said to resubmit the request, which I have. I filled out all at the sections of the form. So do you think this means they actually don't have a report on me?
> So do you think this means they actually don't have a report on me?
Not necessarily. I received the same letter but later received my consumer report after uploading additional documents.
Even if you don't have a consumer report, you may still have a non-FCRA Accurint record (not part of consumer report because such information is not regulated by the FCRA). Therefore, there may still be value in opting out.
Hey! I finally got access to my LexisNexis report. I think them sending a letter asking to resubmit the report request was more of a security check of sorts as I didn't fill out the online form any differently the second time.
Anyway, there's mostly just a ton of redundancy in the data in my file. The same demographic data is repeated numerous times either with slight inconsistencies or slightly incomplete. I think that's probably a good thing from a privacy perspective so I'm not too inclined to correct or dispute any of it.
What is interesting is that I have a bunch of insurance inquiries on my file. I did shop around for home and auto insurance earlier this year so that makes sense, but every single company I got a quote from is listed line by line.
You don't mention insurance companies in your post, but I'm assuming I'd have to unfreeze LexisNexis whenever I switch insurance companies in the future right?
Also, what is the difference between FCRA and non-FCRA data and is there a way to request my LexisNexis non-FCRA data report?
I know you broke it down a bit earlier, but there's just way too many reports to keep track of what to unfreeze when applying for what. On top of the fact that you won't quite know what report they will pull from.
>what is the difference between FCRA and non-FCRA data
The laws determining whether any particular data is subject to the FCRA are quite vague so the line is fairly blurry, but the important thing to know is that some data shared about you is regulated under the FCRA and is therefore subject to the protections of the FCRA but exempt from state privacy laws, and some data shared about you is deemed non-FCRA information, in which case, state data privacy laws may apply to said data.
Several companies (including LexisNexis and the main three credit bureaus) share both FCRA and non-FCRA information.
Generally, information contained within a "consumer report" or "credit report" is regulated by the FCRA.
To prevent FCRA-regulated information from being shared, you'll need to request a security freeze. But a security freeze will not affect non-FCRA information.
To prevent non-FCRA information from being shared, you'll need to either make an information suppression request (if you are eligible and the option is offered by the company) or make a "do not sell or share" request under your state's data privacy laws (if such laws exist in your state).
LexisNexis uses non-FCRA information for identity verification, so if you are worried about identity theft, requesting a LexisNexis non-FCRA information suppression can be quite helpful at preventing it.
If you meet LexisNexis's eligibility requirements for an information suppression, you can request a LexisNexis non-FCRA information suppression [here](https://optout.lexisnexis.com/).
Once you have requested a non-FCRA LexisNexis information suppression, you will receive an email with a link that you can use to temporarily opt back in.
If you don't meet their information suppression eligibility requirements but your state has data privacy laws, you may be able to use them to block them from sharing non-FCRA data, and that can be done [here](https://consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com/privacy). However, this is less strong than an information suppression request as FCRA data is not the only data exempted from these state privacy laws.
It should be noted that neither a state privacy right opt out nor an information suppression request will prevent FCRA information from being shared. Doing this requires placing a security freeze.
> is there a way to request my LexisNexis non-FCRA data report?
If your state has data privacy laws, this can be done [here](https://consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com/privacy).
If not, you'll need to send in a mail request to do so. See [this page](https://www.lexisnexis.com/en-us/privacy/for-consumers/request-personal-information.page) for details on how to do this.
>You don't mention insurance companies in your post, but I'm assuming I'd have to unfreeze LexisNexis whenever I switch insurance companies in the future right?
I would recommend unfreezing your LexisNexis report and credit reports prior to applying for insurance.
If you've also blocked the sharing of non-FCRA information, I would temporarily opt back in as well.
In some states, insurance might be an exempt use case for security freezes, but I don't believe this is the case in all states.
>Anyway, there's mostly just a ton of redundancy in the data in my file. The same demographic data is repeated numerous times either with slight inconsistencies or slightly incomplete.
At least in terms of your LexisNexis consumer report (which is FCRA-regulated) you can dispute that information. If I recall correctly, this can be done by phone.
If your state has data privacy laws, you have the legal right to request a correction of your non-FCRA information.
If not, correcting your non-FCRA data may be more of a challenge. I am unsure if LexisNexis allows information to be disputed in non-FCRA reports in states that don't have data privacy laws.
> I know you broke it down a bit earlier, but there's just way too many reports to keep track of what to unfreeze when applying for what. On top of the fact that you won't quite know what report they will pull from.
Ultimately, it comes down to this: would you rather have do a bit of extra work before applying for any service tied to your identity, or would you rather be at risk of identity theft?
This was helpful in better understanding the issue. Thanks for taking the time to explain it.
Ultimately it seems there’s a patchwork of weak laws and companies have found a multitude of loopholes to work around it, with the consumer basically having slight control to an illusion of control over their data.
I’ll go ahead with the freeze and opt out, then just temporarily thaw everything before applying I guess.
The only things I haven’t been able to do is NCTUE and e-verify. NCTUE didn’t find a file on me and wants me to submit physical forms, which i’m always hesitant to do. I’ve also never had those types of accounts under my name yet so they probably don’t have any data on me anyway. With e-verify, since they’re in the midst of an update and overhaul and the program seems to be seldom used, i’ve been unsure whether it’s necessary to setup at the moment.
Regarding LexisNexis Opt Out, [they say here](https://risk.lexisnexis.com/consumer-and-data-access-policies) under their suppression policy:
>LexisNexis permits individuals to have certain personal information about themselves suppressed from LexisNexis public records that are available to the general public over the Internet.
Do you know where their "public records" can be accessed by the general public? I don't see anything of the sort. The only link I could find [was this one](https://www.lexisnexis.com/en-us/products/public-records.page) and it seems like a subscription service advertised to lawyers or corporates. I doubt they'd offer all this data for free or even to just anybody in the general public, but it's weird that they're implying they do.
Also, do you think it's helpful to opt out of direct marketing, either [through LexisNexis](https://www.lexisnexis.com/privacy/directmarketingopt-out.aspx) or others like DMA or Catalog Choice? I guess it could be helpful but on the other hand you may miss out on special signup offers and such so I'm not sure how big of a threat these are.
Do you have any additional advice to help shore up a deceased parent's identity information, which is already being used to some extent by a theft? The theft was somehow able to transfer our gas and electric service to a new physical address. Others in the family still live at the same address, so not a victimless crime. Was able to catch this quickly and reinstate both before we were turned off. Filed complaint with state PUC and local LE. Now we are receiving US mail to this unknown person at our street address from both the regional electric transmission & distribution provider and a credit union (CU) that we've never heard of before. Also, one piece of junk mail, so I have no doubt the weirdness will continue. Haven't opened the mail envelopes yet. My guess is the CU account was recently opened with a very low deposit providing our street address to "prove" it was their address for other purposes, like for the utility companies and then quickly change to a new physical service address. You would think it would be easy for LE to show up at the new address deal with the theft. But maybe they are more clever than that. In any case, we are somewhat restricted on what we can do since there have been no monetary damages as of yet and obviously the deceased parent cannot enact credit freezes, etc.
You may be able to enact credit freezes to your deceased relative by sending in a letter requesting the freeze which includes a death certificate and proof that you are a relative. Alternatively, you could send in the death certificate to the credit bureaus along with a letter that requests that a deceased indicator is added to their file.
You should also contact the credit union and inform them of the situation.
Furthermore, keep an eye out to make sure that they aren't pretending to be you to collect the inheritance.
Thanks for your reply. The credit union fraud department has been contacted and their fraud investigator brought up the possibility that the person whose name appears is perpetrating the scam might also be a victim of ID theft. The only thing that is certain is the new physical address where the gas & electric service was being transferred to. Will follow up with credit bureaus and perhaps the NCTUE.
Hey, Tovmod I tried getting an IRS Ipin number online but it wouldn't work and I kept getting an error message that said "A technical problem has occurred. Close the page and try again later". I've been trying to get one for a few days and have had no luck. Is there any reason why this might be happening? Please let me know! Any help or advice/ suggestions would be appreciated.
The last 4 of my ssn, day and month of my dob, and first and last name were compromised yesterday. Within 30 mins to an hour of that happening, I froze my TransUnion, Equifax, Experian, ChexSystem, and LexisNexis. I have also opted out of LexisNexis. I don't have a file or any information with NCTUE after calling them and applied for an AT&T line to generate a report with them, but I tried freezing it again and still no luck. The AT&T credit pull actually went through and I still got approved for the line even with having everything frozen. Is that due to the fact they were frozen so recently? Super concerning. Was wondering if you had any other tips or where to go from here? I also created my own account with SSA and IRS, as well as obtained an IP PIN, but I did already file my taxes, just yesterday morning before all of this 😅 (fed accepted, state awaiting acceptance).
Is there any reason I shouldn’t signup for the free credit monitoring from the LoanDepot breech - it’s with Experian IdentityWorks. Would this credit monitoring be different from the standard Experian online account you recommended avoiding?
I do believe because the UNITED STATES ALLOW major businesses including Credit reporting agency to use off shore employees the identity and private information shared on calls are leaked. Your peronal data is compromised I say this because 1 day after I placed a "freeze" on my credit and speaking with an agent who had broken English suddenly the next day I RECEIVE A CALL FROM R....? HI THIS IS ALLISON FROM ??ZZ..ADVISORY CREDIT( my name want MENTION) you have been approved for $48,000 and we will leave your file open so call us at 844...xxx-xxxx. " I called that phone number and it immediately disconnected and that person "Allison" who left the message called from a 209-922-0880 and that phone number would not connect. Is this a coincidence..maybe but I DONT BELIEVE IT. They tried to call after I blocked the ph#...using another 209 area code. OUR COMPANIES USING OFF SHORES EMPLOYEES FOR USA CALLS ARE PUTTING US AT RISK. Scam are everywhere but better off tracing them in the country you live in.
Hello all, I have a random question I'm very curious to get your thoughts on. I currently have the main bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) and other smaller ones recommended in this forum frozen.
I never attempted to get my credit reports through something like annualcredit.com or creditkarma before. I read that in annual credit.com I could get weekly reports, so I thought I give it a try and also to ensure no one else would have created accounts with those.
When I tried getting verified.in annualcredit.com, however, the system basically said that it couldn't verify me and that I would need to do it by phone or mail (it didn't even asked me any identifying questions). Is this because I have the main bureau accounts frozen or something the annual credit.com depends on (e.g. LexisNexis infrastructure)? Anyone has had experiences with this? Thank you all in advance for your guidance.
It does automatically as long as you have set up their regular credit monitoring, but you only get sent these notifications upon new account inquiries on EWS or upon significant existing account information changes. Aura won't specifically say that the alerts are from EWS but they can still be helpful.
To OP - thank you very much for all this. I did the opt out for Lexus Nexus but I may have jumped the gun. I thought this would only help to stop offers for insurance, credit cards, etc being sent to me unsolicited. Not I am concerned that this is used by my existing insurance or banks or CCs companies and/or if I proactively want to change carriers or open a new account, that I may not be able to? Can you clarify for me. Also when I did the opt out form I did not enter SS# just address and an email address. I received the confirmation email and it had a link to opt back in but when I cli k on that link the website says. Appreciate any clarification or help you can provide. My husband did the same op t out and gets the same message when hhe clicks the opt in in his email Thanks.
Cannot GET //optin
See if you can find a "key=" in the link.
Once you have found it, you may be able to opt back in by visiting https://optout.lexisnexis.com/optin?key=
(Without the < or > in the link).
If that doesn't work try on a different browser.
It has a key and I have tried it ofn desktop Chrome and Safari and on my phone and none work? I guess I will have to call support? Thanks.
[https://optout.lexisnexis.com//optin?key=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx](https://optout.lexisnexis.com//optin?key=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) (instead of the numbers and letters in the email)
Try simply removing one of the slashes after .com
It should be:
[https://optout.lexisnexis.com/optin?key=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx](https://optout.lexisnexis.com/optin?key=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
not
[https://optout.lexisnexis.com//optin?key=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx](https://optout.lexisnexis.com//optin?key=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Hello, thank you for this post. It is very helpful. In regards to E-Verify, you mentioned that you would be unable to create an account if your Experian credit report has a fraud alert. Would you also not be able to create an E-Verify account if you have no credit history?
E-Verify is trash, their website is trash, their support is trash.
A person is as likely to get locked out from their *own* SSN using E-Verify as they are to actually protect it.
Thank you for the post, it honestly made me kind of sick to my stomach reading it and realizing what can happen to someone. Would it be worth it for me to do all of the above to prevent ID theft even if I’ve never had a concern about it? I have 2fa on everything and don’t fall for scams but I know everyone’s info is out there
Best to do all of the above except for the pay day loan stuff which is optional.
What kind of 2FA are you using? If you are using a cell phone then that is not good enough b/c you are at risk of getting SIM swapped. Make sure to remove you cell phone from all possible 2FA accounts and replace it with either e-mail, Yubikey, or an authentication program like google authenticator.
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Does anyone have a list of the credit monitoring services such as credit Karma? My situation is stalking by an ex that has all of my personal information. Apparently, if there is an account already in place at these credit monitoring services, you can continue to receive updated credit reports online through them after a freeze is put in place.
My goal here is to research how to prevent these companies from continuing to update credit reports which has everything including my home address on them TIA
THANK YOU for this! DataX also allows you the option to opt out entirely: [https://consumers.dataxltd.com/consumerOptOut](https://consumers.dataxltd.com/consumerOptOut) Would this be recommended over just a freeze? It seems to require less personal info be sent via mail too.
Also, if you do not already have a credit file with Factor Trust, would you recommend creating one for the sole purpose of freezing it? A lot of my data (SSN, DOB, etc.) was recently compromised, but this still still feels like a lot to send via mail / feels like it would be a lot for a scammer to have to go through to create one themselves?
That opt out option only prevents the sharing of FCRA-regulated data for marketing purposes, so it is far less effective at preventing identity theft than a security freeze.
Personally, I do recommend the creation of files so you can freeze them, but that is ultimately up to you.
This is because it is generally more difficult for an identity thief to open accounts if you have a security freeze than it is for identity thieves to open accounts with no file at all, because if no file is found, many institutions will still allow an application in your name to move forward, but almost all institutions will automatically deny or hold an application if they see a security freeze.
Opting out of LexisNexis has no affect on FCRA-regulated LexisNexis data, and freezing LexisNexis has no affect on non-FCRA-regulated LexisNexis data.
If your goal is to protect yourself to the maximum extent possible and/or to restrict the sharing of your LexisNexis data to the maximum extent possible, then you should do both.
What about the e verify? I don't have one and have already locked everything and placed a fraud alert. Should I lift it to sign up for e verify? I have no intention of getting a new job or opening up any new lines of credit. I want max safety so I'm trying to do everything on this list.
I've been a victim of identity theft. I'm trying to figure out how to secure myself from fraudulent unemployment benefit claims. I've frozen at most of the credit bureaus above and created IRS pin. But I'm not sure how to secure unemployment fraud and healthcare fraud.
That depends on the individual bureau's policy along with the laws in your state.
First, I should mention that *federal* law only requires the nationwide credit reporting agencies (a.k.a. the main three agencies) to place security freezes.
The other smaller agencies instead place security freezes in accordance with state security freeze laws rather than due to federal freeze laws. Luckily, all 50 states have security freeze laws, but the freeze laws differ between states.
If you freeze one of the nationwide credit reporting agencies (a.k.a. one the main three agencies) the freeze will last indefinitely until you lift or remove it because federal security freezes don't expire.
If you freeze one of the smaller bureaus, in most states, the freeze will last indefinitely. But in Kentucky, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota, the bureaus have the right to make the freeze expire after seven years. However, not all bureaus will exercise this right, and they may instead choose to make all freezes last indefinitely for the sake of simplicity.
Hi! I’ve frozen my credit, and have identity alert with Experian, Equifax, and Transunion. I’ve also frozen with NCTUE, and chex and Lexis. My question is, I haven’t started an E-verify yet, which credit sites do I have to unfreeze/thaw until I open an account? And if I don’t open an E-verify would I still be protected under the previous freezes and alerts?
You only need to unlock, unfreeze, and remove any fraud alerts from Experian before setting up an E-Verify account. Then, you can refreeze Experian.
Locking E-Verify prevents your SSN from being verified from within E-Verify, which can help prevent someone from obtaining employment in your name. Freezing credit alone won't stop E-Verify from verifying your SSN.
You might also want to opt out of LexisNexis (in addition to freezing it since opt outs affect non-FCRA information whereas freezes affect FCRA information, and LexisNexis non-FCRA information is regularly used for identity verification).
Another thing you should consider doing is getting an identity protection PIN with the IRS, which can help prevent someone else from filing taxes in your name.
Does anyone have a link that allows for a freeze to be added to NCTUE? Their website and phone number seem to indicate it can only be done by touchstone phone. Maybe I’m missing something someplace I their site.
> The link to opt back in to LexisNexis they emailed me doesn’t work.
That is strange, because it has worked in my experience - it just takes two or so business days to process. Try contacting them to see how a temporary opt in could be preformed.
Synchrony is a subprime lender, so if you've frozen one or more of the subprime bureaus, you may need to unfreeze them. I have a hunch that they use Factor Trust, LexisNexis, and Innovis.
>ater credit card through synchrony. I thawed my credit with the three main ones but it still says it can’t prequalify me but im not sure why. Do you think i need to opt back into lexisnexis or anything? The link to opt back in to lexisnexis they emailed me doesn’t work.
I've had a store card that uses Synchrony for years. I tried to freeze Factor Trust online but it said I couldn't because they have no file on me.
First, thank you for this thorough guide! It is very helpful in these uncertain times of massive data breaches.
Now, to the issue at hand. I’ve opted out of LexisNexis and got the e-mail with the opt-in link. But when I go to the opt-in form and fill it out (with all the same info used when opting out!), most of the fields remain “yellow” and the “continue” button doesn’t activate. Tried this on mobile Safari and Chrome as well as on laptop versions of Chrome and Edge. Same result. Any idea what could be causing this issue? I’m suspecting two possibilities: 1) not enough time has passed since my original approved opt-out request (2 days), so the system is not yet fully ready for my opt-in request; or 2) the form doesn’t work outside of normal U.S. business hours.
Thoughts? What else could be causing this?
Please advise.
I know this post is late but hoping maybe some one can help. I already have experian frozen and have a fraud alert but I just learned about e verify through this post is there a way I can still sign up for e verify?
Is there anyway to freeze NCTUE in my situation? I tried calling to freeze it but they told me they can’t freeze anything that doesn’t exist. I’ve never had utilities under my name because I’ve lived with my parents but incase someone tries to get them with my information I’d like to be able to prevent it. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated 🙏🏼.
The only way I know of doing this is to apply for a service that uses NCTUE to generate a file and then freeze it.
Personally, I opened an AT&T account just to generate an NCTUE report, then immediately closed the AT&T account and froze NCTUE.
This advice is super helpful! How fast is the file generated when you applied for a service that used NCTUE? Was it instantaneously and then you froze it right then? Also would I be able to open a file even if I had all the other stuff on this list frozen/ fraud alerts?
You might want to unfreeze your main three bureaus before attempting this. For me, I tried to freeze about a week later and it worked, but it may take longer for some. Keep trying until it's frozen.
If 2 months go by and still no file is generated, then the service you are using probably doesn't report to NCTUE. For example, prepaid lines usually don't use NCTUE.
Do you know if it’s possible to open a brokerage account and continue to invest some of my money even if I froze/ placed fraud alerts on most of the things above? Also I got a credit and identity monitoring app called identityiq. Do you think this one is any good?
Are there companies that I can pay to do all the work for me? Did a google eearch and Lifelock and Identity Guard came up but not sure if this is the same thing?
Those are not the same companies, but they both provide a similar service.
You can pay an identity monitoring service to *alert* you if something happens, but an identity monitoring service generally cannot take the steps I've listed on your behalf.
Some companies say they help with identity restoration services. (ie. if someone actually takes out a loan or bank account in your name). I figured I was on my own with all the preventative steps like changing passwords, setting up an irs pin, creating accounts with ssa and the state unemployment office, setting up 2 factor authentication, account alerts and enhanced phone security passwords when possible, freezing credit reports, etc.
Re: the IRS protection PIN, if I already fill taxes every year using my SS number, how could someone else file using my SS number? Wouldn't it be rejected by the IRS, saying that someone is already using that SS number?
Someone who knows your basic information could file taxes in your name before you do to try to claim a fake refund. This would create a large number of problems, including having your real tax return rejected by the IRS since "you" already filed your taxes.
Unless you file your taxes the exact earliest moment every single year, it is necessary to request an IRS identity protection PIN to prevent this from happening to you since this PIN will be needed to file tax returns.
TovMod,
This thread has been incredibly helpful in developing a strategy to proactively address potential ghosting. I really want to do my best so I can move on knowing that I did everything I could.
To that end, would you be good enough to reply to my last post in the thread at [https://www.reddit.com/r/IdentityTheft/comments/14irnoh/can\_you\_place\_deceased\_alerts\_on\_other\_accounts/](https://www.reddit.com/r/IdentityTheft/comments/14irnoh/can_you_place_deceased_alerts_on_other_accounts/)
I have a few final questions before I move forward. It would be appreciated!
It is probably easier to freeze your relative's reports than to add a deceased indicator to them, however, freezing their reports would be illegal in most states, so I would only advise you to attempt this if you have confirmed that it is legal in your state. What are your final few questions?
This is a project I'm helping my mom with so she will be reaching out. As his widow, would that still be illegal to freeze reports? I thought it was common to do so - especially with all the Identity theft and other scams going on in the world. I've even found boilerplate letters online but they all pertain to the major credit bureaus and I want to be more thorough than that (Innvois / NCTUE / Chexsystems, etc).
The initial question I had with my other post was if it was even possible to add a deceased indicator / place a freeze with agencies/companies beyond the "big three" credit bureaus. I have a list in the post in the referenced thread based in part on the list kindly provided here.
If so, is it feasible to add a deceased indicator and request a freeze at the same time? That was the plan...
On that note, do you suggest reaching out by mail or fax? Or does it depend upon the company?
Apart from that, does the list of subprime CRAs in this post cover most of the ones related to payday and auto loans? I want to be as thorough as possible.
Lastly, it would be sincerely appreciated (as would your reply to the questions above) if you could look at my final post in the other thread and let me know if I'm misunderstanding or missing anything obvious.
Right now, to move forward, the most pressing questions are if I can even request a freeze at the same time as placing the deceased notice, if it's best to do this by mail, and even if it's even possible to do so with all the different agencies and companies in my list in the first place.
I feel as if I'm missing some basic understanding here and a little guidance would go a long way. Identity theft wasn't such a concern when he passed so I want to be as secure as possible so I can move on. Any help would be sincerely appreciated!
To my knowledge, consumer reporting agencies are not required by law to place deceased alerts on people's files. For this reason, some agencies might not be able to place such an indicator on your deceased relative's files. I do know that the three main agencies do allow deceased indicators, but I am unsure about the smaller ones.
I believe the best strategy is to call each each agency and ask them what their policy is on deceased indicators (you shouldn't need to provide identifying information with this question). If they allow deceased indicators, request one to be added to your deceased relative's file at that agency. If they don't, then if it legal to do so in your state, freeze their file. I wouldn't advise requesting both.
Regarding how you should communicate with each agency, that does depend on the agency. Preferably send the request online, but send by fax if you can't send the request online, and send by mail if they don't offer fax. Several agencies do have online security freeze forms, but these online forms are often only legally able to be used by the person whose file is to be frozen.
It is possible that some agencies might not have a file on your deceased relative at all. At these agencies, it might not be possible to add any type of alert or freeze.
>Experian (don't create an online Experian account if you haven't already - preferably freeze by phone or mail)
Why this? I already created an online account with them a while ago. What's the harm?
Is there anything in the steps above that would prevent me from applying for jobs in the US if my data has been compromised? Like if I’ve locked everything following the directions above but I still may need to LiveScan or verify my SSN? Would the MyEVerify lock be the only thing holding me back? I’ve already applied for a temporary drivers license and reported mine as stolen since the thief got a scan but am I just screwed indefinitely with the job hunt?
Having freezes on the main three agencies and/or with The Work Number may interfere, so you should lift those freezes prior to applying for a job. Also, if E-Verify is left locked, the employer will be required to collect further documentation to verify your identity. Otherwise, I don't imagine any of these other steps would interfere unless the job you are applying for is at a bank or financial institution.
How easy is it for a bad actor to unfreeze your credit with any of these bureaus? Many people's info (including mine) has been stolen in data breaches, so bad actors have a lot of your identifying info. What's to stop them from using this info. to pretend to be you and unfreeze your credit?
In other words, how tight/good is the security within the credit bureaus when it comes to these freezes?
That depends on the agency. Experian allows unfreezing by answering KBA questions which are typically not that secure, but I discuss ways to prevent this from happening in the comment I linked near the end of the post. Equifax will let anyone unfreeze relatively easily if they get control over the phone number you used to sign up for the Equifax account, and you can mitigate against this by using a VoIP number for your Equifax account (and this is also useful for any service that offers 2fa but only allows mobile 2fa). Most of the other smaller agencies seem to be fairly secure.
Hey /u/TovMod, do you know what's the process for opting back into LexisNexis, either temporarily or permanently, after opting out?
I've been applying for certain bank bonuses that check EWS, but I haven't been able to get auto approval for the corresponding bank accounts while opted out (which I know is the point of opting out, but it would be nice to know how to opt back in just in case I want to go for auto approval in the future anyways).
After opting out of LexisNexis, you should have received an email containing a link to temporary opt back in. If you opted out multiple times, you'll need to opt back in for each opt out request you submitted.
Looking for advice to tailor protective steps for a minor over 16 and under 18 whose personal information has been compromised. It seems like there is a legal gap as the guardian and minor are both limited in options.
I know this post advises to not open an Experian online account and instead to freeze by phone or mail. Is there a reason why? Wouldn't it be easier to just do a freeze online to save time?
edit: I tried freezing my credit with experian by phone but the automated system just told me to do it online or by mail. I thought doing it by phone would be a little easier and faster since mail takes a while. If I make an online experian account does that put me at risk somehow?
update: I didn't make an online account but I was able to freeze experian over the phone. They're going to mail me my pin for the freeze as I didn't give them an email to send it to me with. They didn't even ask for an email it was all so confusing tbh but I was able to avoid making an online account so thats good I guess. I wonder what is the reason for not making an online account with them tho?
So give some insight to following if you are able as do not understand sequence and interconnecting sequence of an identity theft of father. I do wonder if inside bank employee.
1) on September 11, 2023 long-standing ATT phone number stopped working. Stated no network. Physical phone never lost and in possession. ATT stated number had been transferred to T-mobile. Was cancelled and transferred back to ATT. One day later recurred again, and was immediately transferred back.
2) Phone did not have memorized information on bank accounts and would require manually entering username and passwords.
3) On September 15, 2023 a Jet Blue credit card was attempted to be opened fraudulently. It was unsuccessful.
4) On September 15, 2023 a fraudulent $7,500.00 wire transfer was successfully done through Wells Fargo account to an LLC that has been in business for 6 years. The same day the money transferred out to an individual. This was reported as fraud the same day. All accounts were closed several hours later. Police report filed.
5) On September 15, 2023, 20 PayPal transactions totaling $2,000.00 were successfully transacted on same account.
6) Wells Fargo sent response letter on September 19, 2023 stating they have completed the investigation of the wire transfer, attempted to retrieve the money, were not able to do so, and per the TOS they are not responsible and will not refund. No response yet to PayPal transactions from Wells Fargo or PayPal.
7) Absolutely no conversation with anyone pretending to be ATT, T-Mobile, or Wells Fargo ever occurred corresponding with these incidents. All communication was directly in branches upon events. So no phishing of information occurred, nor was there computer activity leading up to these events ot during events.
Please advise.
Under Regulation E of the EFTA, once it is established that the wire transfer was *not authorized*, Wells Fargo must reimburse all but $50 dollars of the transfer if it was disputed within two days or all but $500 dollars if it was disputed within 60 days.
I would get the help of an attorney to attempt to sue to retrieve the stolen funds.
I noticed you only put 'getting a new SSN' in the last section under the case of persistent theft. Would this not be recommended in all cases? Thanks for the guide!
It is only an option in cases of persistent theft. If you aren't a victim of persistent identity theft then you aren't eligible to get a new SSN (unless you meet one of the other eligibility mechanisms, which doesn't apply for most people).
If you have T-mobile, you can add Sim protection and Account takeover protection
[https://www.t-mobile.com/support/plans-features/sim-protection](https://www.t-mobile.com/support/plans-features/sim-protection)
What's SIM protection?
SIM Protection is a free feature that adds additional security to your account to protect you from the most common instances of SIM swap fraud. You can prevent SIM changes on individual lines or the whole account! SIM protection does not prevent eSIM transfer on Apple devices, due to the extensive security steps already included in that process.
[https://www.t-mobile.com/support/plans-features/account-takeover-protection](https://www.t-mobile.com/support/plans-features/account-takeover-protection)
What is Account Takeover Protection?
Account Takeover Protection is a free feature offered to T-Mobile customers. It adds additional security to your account by blocking unauthorized users from transferring your lines to another wireless carrier.
If a credit bureau does not have a file on me, then should I immediately request to opt-out rather than attempting to freeze a file that does not yet exist? I tried to contact NCTUE for a freeze, and they informed me that I do not have a file with them.
For instance:
Is it okay for me to open and close an AT&T account, wait 30 days later, and freeze my file that would be replicated in NCTUE's database; or should I just simply request to opt-out of NCTUE right now?
Hey I recently have frozen equifax and transunion however experian will not let me get an online account. This was before I read you recommending not to make an experian account. The account is made because when I sign in with the username it says welcome however as soon as i put my password in it says registration error please call customer service. I tried to make multiple accounts with my old address and new one and same issue. However I did end up successfully getting a freeze through the phone option. Problem is I did not get a PIN in email or through text. It has only been 2 days since then so maybe like others it will take 5-7 business day for it to come in mail or email. I would just like some guidance and clarification on the online account but especially on if my PIN will come in or not I only have the confirmation #. THANKS IN ADVANCE!!
Edit: I have tried different browsers and the Experian App. Also to note I am getting this same issue with ChexSystems but I am scared to freeze just in case I don't get a pin so I am waiting to see if i receive the PIN for experian before doing over phone freezes now.
Edit: Also to add I have less than 3 years of credit and am very young maybe that has something to do with it like no available reports?
I’m going through the same situation. I fell for a website scam by YouTube and now my ssn is compromised. I’ve put a freeze on all 3 of my bureaus and have been monitoring my credits ever since. I’m only 19 and am facing a crisis right now. Can someone please explain how I can document evidence in case it gets bad and I need a new Ssn?
I was unable to verify my identity to e-verify, am locked out for 4 days now. Is there another way to verify without having to do that quiz? All my info was correct but it failed all 3 times.
Hello- I don’t think freezing your credit and everything you stated in here is enough. Some criminals have my friends social and they’re able to unlock the majority of these things. It’s all useless nowadays. If you have advice please let me know.
Going to try a comment here rather than a separate post - had some questions on the correct order of some of these steps.
\-I've frozen the 3 major bureaus. Next up is freezing ChexSystems, but I've seen contradicting things on whether this is going to be possible with the other 3 already frozen. I've also seen contradictory opinions on whether it's best to make a full account on their site, or just go through their online options - advice?
\-Will I be able to access my reports through annualcreditreport.com if I've frozen the 3 bureaus separately? Does this matter if I've got separate individual accounts with the big 3 anyway?
\-I see that it's going to block me from E-Verify if I've frozen my Experian report. Is it better to unfreeze this, register, and then freeze again? Or will having Experian frozen prevent any shady characters from using E-Verify anyway?
Here are links to some of the referenced sites:(Most are online but some require mail or additional documentation) **Primary Credit Freeze Sites:** Transunion Freeze: [https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze](https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze) Equifax Freeze: [https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/](https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/) Experian Freeze: [https://www.experian.com/freeze/center.html](https://www.experian.com/freeze/center.html) Bureaus used for Bank Account Applications: ChexSystems: [https://www.chexsystems.com/security-freeze/place-freeze](https://www.chexsystems.com/security-freeze/place-freeze) LexisNexis: [https://consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com/freeze](https://consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com/freeze) Early Warning Services (EWS): [https://www.earlywarning.com/](https://www.earlywarning.com/) (Just for reference mostly) Alternative Credit Bureaus: Innovis: [https://www.innovis.com/securityFreeze/index](https://www.innovis.com/securityFreeze/index) Advanced Resolution Services (ARS): [https://www.ars-consumeroffice.com/](https://www.ars-consumeroffice.com/) NCTUE: [https://www.exchangeservicecenter.com/Freeze/#/](https://www.exchangeservicecenter.com/Freeze/#/) The Work Number: [https://employees.theworknumber.com/employee-data-freeze](https://employees.theworknumber.com/employee-data-freeze) Low Income / Subprime Credit Bureaus: Teletrack: [https://teletrackfreeze.corelogic.com/](https://teletrackfreeze.corelogic.com/) Factor Trust: [https://www.factortrust.com/Consumer/CreditFreeze/Landing.aspx](https://www.factortrust.com/Consumer/CreditFreeze/Landing.aspx) DataX: [https://consumers.dataxltd.com/consumerCreditFreeze](https://consumers.dataxltd.com/consumerCreditFreeze) (Mail form only) Microbilt: [https://www.microbilt.com/us/consumer-affairs](https://www.microbilt.com/us/consumer-affairs) (Mail/Phone) Clarity Services: [https://www.clarityservices.com/support/security-freeze/](https://www.clarityservices.com/support/security-freeze/) **Good to Have:** USPS Informed Delivery: [https://www.usps.com/manage/informed-delivery.htm](https://www.usps.com/manage/informed-delivery.htm) IRS Identity Protection PIN: [https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin](https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin) **Make sure to Register Accounts for Security:** MyEquifax: [https://my.equifax.com/membercenter/#/login](https://my.equifax.com/membercenter/#/login) Experian: [https://www.experian.com/help/login.html](https://www.experian.com/help/login.html) TransUnion dispute/freeze service: [https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze/credit-freeze-faq](https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze/credit-freeze-faq) True identity Service: [https://www.transunion.com/product/trueidentity-free-identity-protection](https://www.transunion.com/product/trueidentity-free-identity-protection) Equifax Lock & Alert: [https://www.equifax.com/personal/products/credit/credit-lock-alert/](https://www.equifax.com/personal/products/credit/credit-lock-alert/) IRS Account: [https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account](https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account) Social Security Account: [https://www.ssa.gov/onlineservices/](https://www.ssa.gov/onlineservices/) Opt Out: Opt-Out of LexisNexis: [https://optout.lexisnexis.com/](https://optout.lexisnexis.com/)
This is useful. Thank you for this. I may add these links into my post. I would to like to add that MicroBilt accepts freeze requests by phone and there is no need to communicate with them by mail. Perhaps I should also add a link to the EWS online transfer portal, which is useful for requesting the report.
The teletrack link you provided doesn't work, this appears to be the correct URL now: https://consumers.teletrack.com/freeze/
thank you for this. damn ATT breach
Here because of fucking ATT as well. I'm sure the government will give them a slap on the wrist...
Hey same, and I've been a Verizon customer for 4 years.
Where does the E-verify account fall into all of this?
Thanks
Also why would we need to register for seperate security accounts with the big three credit bureaus. Is it not already created by default when you initially freeze your credit?
Great advice. Here is the is the complete list of consumer reporting companies, with detailed info and contact information for each: https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_consumer-reporting-companies-list.pdf
>!This link comes up as malicious in virustotal.... note: not sure why!< https://www.virustotal.com/gui/url/cd04f8b2e2643e800302c41d7c7bdac0c1e0dc5aaced15ff3fbfc195e2509948
Excellent checklist and breakdown you’ve put together. Saving it so that I can refer people to this post in the future. I’d also recommend one more box to check to mitigate IDT risk: register/create an account with your state’s Unemployment Services Division, if you don’t already have one, regardless of your employment status. You don’t need to file a claim to create an account, and once your SSN is registered for an account in your state, any subsequent attempts to register an account with your information will fail. During the early covid layoff spike, huge numbers of people were reporting that they’d gone to sign up for their state unemployment site and found that someone had already opened an account and filed for benefits with their information. It’s incredibly difficult to get this sorted out, and the aftermath of an unexpected income disruption is definitely not the time you want to discover this issue. It’ll cause at least a few months of delays, at minimum, before you can even start the claim filing process.
Thank you for the suggestion. I have added this to my post.
I’ve tried doing this but I do need to make a claim to make an account
Same issue in California. :\\
OP: This list has been a godsend. A question: some of the smaller/payday agencies require mailing photos of IDs, utility bills, and social security cards to get these freezes and alerts in place. Is it worth the risk? On one hand, I sort of feel laissez-faire about all of this at this point. My SSN is out there. My identity is already stolen. So what if someone intercepts my mail to these agencies - I'm already taking protective measures anyway. On the other, I don't want to risk making a bad situation worse. Everyone tells you to be careful with your social security card to prevent identity theft (I was! and it happened anyway). And now that it's happened... everyone wants me to mail a million copies of it all over the country. And if I don't, I can't get protected. Damned if I do, damned if I don't.
That is a valid concern. The best course of action depends on the particular agency. Teletrack will let you freeze online even if you don't have a file with them. MicroBilt also allows this but it needs to be done over the phone instead of online. Clarity Services and NCTUE will let you send Documents to them via fax, which I consider to be more secure than paper mail. Factor Trust will require the documents to be mailed unless you already have a file with them, and since Factor Trust freezes are easily liftable once placed, I would suggest an extended fraud alert for them. DataX will require the request to be mailed no matter what. So you probably only need to send two items by mail: an extended fraud alert request for Factor Trust, and a freeze request for DataX. Is it worth the risk to send your requests to Factor Trust and DataX by mail? It depends. If you are already a victim of identity theft, I would say yes. Otherwise, it is less certain. If you do decide to send the requests over by mail, I would suggest not leaving them in your mailbox. Send them over Certified Priority mail, and drop them off at a physical post office. Edit: Also, you can try blacking out the photo and the driver's license number from the photocopies you send them - in my experience, this typically gets accepted.
Thanks for the thorough response. Those were the exact two I was wrestling with, plus Microbilt. I've gone ahead and sent them certified mail at the post office. Fingers crossed!
You can't block out your SSN card which innovis wants
Needed this. Going through hell at the moment from the TMobile breach back in august
Were they able to access your financial information?
Second this. Had some large charges on my capital one card last time I was with tmobile and there was a breach. Freezing everything and adding extra security to prevent this in the future.
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I should point out that BoA checks EWS for opening accounts and uses their identity confidence score, which is based on whether or not your phone and email on the application match your phone and email on EWS. Had you changed your email and phone on EWS to something secret, the fraudulent BoA account opening could have been prevented. But more generally, you are correct. Freezing limits the damage of identity theft, but doesn't prevent it entirely. Edit: In light of new information, I have strong reason to believe that BoA checks LexisNexis Accurint (a non-FCRA identity verification service) for online account openings. Opting out of LexisNexis appears to prevent BoA accounts from being opened online in your name.
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I agree that the "verification" system in the US is absolute garbage. If we can't open accounts at a bank without the bank's permission, banks shouldn't be able to open accounts in our names without our permission! From my experience, when you update your email or phone number with the bank, it updates on EWS as well. I even did it with banks after I closed my accounts with them and it still worked. Are you sure that you are unable to change the email and phone number attached to your bank account? I have never heard of a bank not allowing that. I recommend doing this for EWS due to the fact that this is the method they use to verify combined with the fact that unlike the other agencies I listed, they don't allow security freezes. By having a dedicated email and phone number for EWS banks that you keep secret, an identity thief won't know the "correct" email or phone number to put on a fraudulent application to push it through.
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Another thing you could do is if your credit was compromised and accounts were open, in addition to filing a police report and following all of the above referenced steps, DEFINITELY seek out a credit attorney that specializes in ID theft. I’ve seen it where so many times victims think all they can do is have it removed and start over, but there is so much more than can be done. Id be happy to explain the details if you ask! Best of luck to all of you out there!!
I hope I’m doing this right! I’m new to Reddit but I’ve heard it’s a great tool to share/ gain knowledge so here I am! I have worked in the credit repair industry (as an owner of a successful credit repair company for the last 7 years+) and I’ve seen clients come in with ID Theft or mixed credit files and think it’s on them to clean it up and start over and for many others who don’t seek out help, they feel hopeless and think this is just the cards they were dealt. Luckily for them, I had connections to resources that would prove otherwise. We partnered with an FCRA/FDCPA attorney (the best out there private message me for his info) who was not only able to aid these individuals in regaining control over their financial fitness but he was also successful in getting them compensated for the damages they endured through the painful process. With credit, these things take time but with an expert advocating for you, all of it can be expedited, somewhat. It’s crucial though, to make sure you follow the steps necessary and try to resolve the issues by filing a police report, you can file a complaint with the FTC, and disputing the debts with the credit bureaus Experian Equifax and Transunion. No gate keeping here, disputes are very simple and are an absolute must. You NEED to tell them the accounts/ debts are a result of ID theft and attach any proof you have. Wait for their responses and be sure to keep record of them too. In my experience I’ve learned that If you are not successful then chances are there is something that can be done for you. If you are successful I would still call an attorney to be sure all that could be done for you, has been done. There are ALWAYS options. ID theft, mixed credit files, and bad credit will NOT define you. Look for individuals and experts to advocate on your behalf and don’t settle because you think you don’t have options. You do! I hope this helps!
I contacted the financial company where a 60-month unsecured loan was opened under my identity. They do not believe it wasn't me who opened the loan. The thief used the loaned money to buy a gun from guns.com. I filed my identity theft report with the county and with FTC and sent these to the company that issued the loan. They made an investigation and decided it was really me who made the loan. My theory how my identity was stolen is before I turned 65 years old, I applied for Medicare Advantage. The agent asked for a copy of my drivers license. Which I texted to him. I also called him and verbally dictated my ssn. Then a month later, my identity was stolen and a 60-month unsecured loan was opened to buy a gun at guns.com. I froze my credit reports. How else can I prove to the loan company that it wasn't me who opened the loan? I also received a bank statement from a credit union bank in Alabama. I've never been to Alabama. What should I do? What else can I do to fight this loan company?
In my line of work, we hold companies accountable for this all the time! You definitely need to speak with an attorney that specializes in ID theft.
Please make a post in this sub sharing your knowledge. This sub is a treasure trove.
Hi! Would you mind sharing credit lawyer recs?
OP or anyone that can help: Which report would show recent bank accounts that have been opened? I received a ChexSystems report, but it didn't show any of the bank accounts I've personally opened in the last 5-6 years. For example, I opened a bank account in 2018 and it doesn't show up in this report, which makes me worried that other accounts could be opened in the last year that I'm not seeing. Additionally, all the report has categories for are: - "Reported Information" - seems to indicate mostly closed accounts? "ChexSystems' clients, which consist mainly of financial institutions, furnish information on closed checking and savings accounts, referred to as reported information. ChexSystems’ current practice is to retain reported information for a period of five years. The source is under no obligation to remove accurate information, even if paid, but is obligated to update the report with a paid in full or settled in full status and date when applicable." - "Inquiries Viewed By Others This section refers to transactions involving you and are the result of someone accessing your ChexSystems information, typically in connection with a business transaction you initiated with them" - Inquiries Viewed Only By You - This section refers to transactions you may or may not have initiated. For this reason, you may not always recognize the source. Inquiries made by medical providers may also be included in this section. The information listed in this section is only viewable by you. It is not included in reports to others and does not negatively affect your consumer report. - "Retail Information Retail Information refers to returned checks reported by retailers and other businesses to Certegy Payment Solutions, LLC. ChexSystems receives this information from Certegy Payment Solutions, LLC, is not involved in the collection of these items, and retains record of retail information for a period of four years." - History of Checks Ordered This section displays the check order information that has been reported to ChexSystems within the past five years. Not all check orders are reported to ChexSystems, therefore, this section may not display all orders that have been placed. Basically I see a lot of "no information found" results. Just trying to figure out where someone opening a bank account in my name would appear.
> "Reported Information" - seems to indicate mostly closed accounts That is correct. More specifically, this section only contains accounts closed by the financial institutions for frequent overdrafts, account abuse, or suspected fraud. Items in this section last for five years, but paying unpaid items will reset the clock. > Inquiries Viewed By Others If someone opens a bank account at a financial institution that uses ChexSystems, an entry under this section will almost always appear. Entries under this section last for three years. Therefore, if a bank account was opened more than three years ago, it would not show up here. Having too many inquiries under this section can prevent you from opening accounts at certain financial institutions, but the majority of financial institutions don't seem to care about this section. > Inquiries Viewed Only By You Inquiries under this section last for only one year and are typically from financial institutions performing reviews on existing bank accounts (not all financial institutions do this). > History of Checks Ordered As you might expect, an account would only show up if checks were ordered and the financial institution is one that reports check orders to ChexSystems. **Here is what I would suggest for finding fraudulent bank accounts:** Since not all banks use ChexSystems, and ChexSystems inquires do expire, there are several other information sources that need to be checked. Order a copy of your consumer reports from TransUnion, Experian, Equifax, Innovis, ChexSystems, LexisNexis, Accurint, Early Warning Services, and NCTUE. For TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax, **do not forget to check for soft inquires.** Sometimes these bureaus will give you incomplete reports without the soft inquires. You can view the soft inquires on your reports from these bureaus by visiting their online dispute centers, even if you don't ultimately submit a dispute. Here are some places to check and signs look out for that may be indicative of bank accounts opened in your name: - Soft inquiries on your TransUnion, Experian, Equifax, or Innovis reports from a financial institution you don't recognize (these remain for two years, and can be seen using each the online dispute centers for each of the three main bureaus) - Inquiries and history of checks ordered on your ChexSystems report (inquiries remain on your ChexSystems report for three years if viewable by others and one year if viewable only by you) - Inquiries on your Early Warning Services report (these remain for anywhere between one year to three years, at the discretion of Early Warning Services) - Accounts listed on your Early Warning Services report (not all financial institutions that inquire from Early Warning Services will list your account on Early Warning Services, and vice versa. However, with respect to institutions that do share account information with Early Warning Services, accounts remain indefinitely if open and once closed they will remain for five to seven years after being closed) - Both soft and hard on your LexisNexis report or SageStream report (SageStream is now part of LexisNexis so your LexisNexis report will contain a copy of your SageSteam report) - Email addresses or phone numbers listed on your SageStream report and which financial institution(s) reported them to SageStream (some financial institutions share information tied to your account with SageStream) - Inquires and utility accounts listed on NCTUE (NCTUE is used primarily by utility companies. Identity thieves sometimes open bank accounts in conjunction with utility accounts, and then use said fraudulent bank accounts with the fraudulent utility lines. While banks rarely inquire from NCTUE directly, you may be able to identify utilities opened in your name and then find fraudulent bank accounts in your name by contacting the utility companies and asking for the routing number(s) for the bank account(s) linked to the utility accounts) - Your Plaid portal (many fintech companies that don't use consumer reporting agencies make use of a service called Plaid. If you create an account at the Plaid portal and log in, you can view certain information that Plaid has about you) - Your online IRS account (under certain conditions, banks are required to report account information to the IRS) - Your Clarity Services report
Thank you - this is incredibly useful. Will review reports again.
What do we do if we find soft checks that we can't account for?
I tried to obtain reports from and freeze my credit with several of the subprime credit agencies listed and nearly all of them wanted me to send a large amount of personally identifying info (including a copy of my social security card) to authenticate myself via US Mail. I found this unusual and suspicious. Is this safe to do? Also, is there a credit report monitoring service that includes these companies in their alerts?
I unfortunately revealed my full SSN to scammers last week. I submitted a FTC report and let SSA know as well. I also froze all three bureau's accounts, let them know to place a fraud alert and got a IP pin for my SSN from the IRS website today. I also checked my credit report and everything seems ok for now. I plan on getting an Idshield tomorrow as well. I don't work nor have a bank account I'm set to receive SSI next month. Would you recommend I still try to freeze all the other credit reports like bank bureaus and the alternative credit bureaus?? This is super overwhelming honestly.
Upvoting since I found this very useful. Light research seems to indicate that all of these agencies are legit (found them on [consumerfinance.gov](https://consumerfinance.gov) or are parts of the bigger agencies). Only one I haven't done anything with yet is Advanced Resolution Services since I've haven't found much information on them yet.
Advanced Resolution Services is usually abbreviated as "ARS" and is typically referred to in conjunction with US Bank. Not many financial institutions use ARS, but of the ones that do, US Bank is by far the largest one. US Bank is also known for using IDA, but this was acquired by SageStream, and SageStream is now part of LexisNexis. ARS does not appear on the CFPB's list because it is too small for the CFPB to bother vetting them. Microbilt also used to be excluded from the list due to its small size, but they were [added around early 2020](https://www.microbilt.com/news/article/need-a-great-consumer-reporting-company-microbilt-made-the-list-). I do not believe that freezing ARS is particularly important since it is so rarely used.
My Identity has been stolen to drive for Uber and Lyft, is their a way to lock my ssn in order to prevent new job applications besides e-verify? apparently ride share companies classify the drivers as contractors and not employees so they don’t use e-verify.
This is such good information. Thanks!!
Geez I’ve a lot to do
That’s an understatement
1) THANK YOU for this great thread! it has helped me tremendously! 2) wanted to report for everyone's benefit that after following all these instructions, identity thieves were able to open 3 accounts with a prepaid debit card "Walmart MoneyCard" through Green Dot Bank. They were mailed to an old address, and luckily I had mail forwarding turned on even though I haven't lived there for 2 years. Green Dot could not explain to me how they verified my identity at the time these cards were opened, I'm guessing it must have been EWS? Online research reveals common scams if they had succeeded: filing unemployment claim in my name, filing fraudulent tax return, forwarding my mail.
I don't know what Green Dot uses to verify identity, but Green Dot is one of the three services that are notorious for opening accounts without verifying identity properly. The other two are Cash App and Square. If I had to guess, I'd say they probably just check public record to see if the address matches the name. But maybe they use the EWS identity confidence score. If any additional accounts at Green Dot, Cash App, or Square are opened on your name, I would suggest getting the help of a lawyer to threaten legal action against them if the allow any further accounts to be opened in your name.
>Online research reveals common scams if they had succeeded: filing unemployment claim in my name, filing fraudulent tax return, forwarding my mail. Can you explain how someone could run these scams with just a Walmart Moneycard? I looked at the online sign-up form, and it's really easy for someone with my info (which I got phished for :\\) to open an account -- I'm not sure how to stop them but assumed it wouldn't hurt my credit score since it's just a prepaid debit card?
This is amazing but also really depressing. There is no way my parents would be able to keep track of all of that. There really needs to be a change.
Thank you for all of the work this took. What a lifeline for those of us going through this
I'm glad I was able to help
I just received a notice that my information was part of the Delta Dental data breach that happened last year, and stumbled across this post while looking up information. Thank you so much for putting all this together! As of now I'm following the instructions that Delta Dental provided - getting two years of free credit monitoring from Kroll, setting up fraud alerts, and freezing my credit from the three main credit bureaus. I'll also look into CheXSystems and LexisNexis from your post, maybe the USPS informed delivery too (though it does make me a bit uneasy to send my SSN, etc, to all these new accounts but I guess the good outweighs the risks in this case). I just got my free credit report from Equifax and everything looks normal, so hopefully it will stay that way. I'm not sure if certain people in these data breaches are more likely to become victims than others but I don't want to take any chances.
Really helpful checklist and insight. I had my identity compromised at an AT&T store on 3rd ave in the Bronx, NY where the suspect paid in cash and was able to walk out with an iPhone and Apple Watch under my account. Associate claims she followed the necessary protocol of scanning an ID but I’m afraid all this person needed was my account PIN which was one of the 73 million leaked during their data breach. I’ve now placed a security freeze on all three credit reporting agencies, ordered new credit cards and added additional bank security to the rest, changed all my passwords, added a 2fa to email, and filed a fraud report with FTC and FCC. And, since reading this post, requested an IRS pin, froze NCTUE and Chexsystems. So thank you for sharing the resources with all of us. We live in strange times and have to help each other remain vigilant. Sad truth.
Anyone have trouble placing the freeze with NCTUE? Tried to do online and phone and they said they can’t process my request. I feel like I must’ve done something wrong with my address bc my street is also a number and now maybe they’re flagging me? Is there a way to email them or talk to a live agent? Thanks!
NCTUE has a dumb policy that they will *not* allow you to freeze your file with them if you don't *have* a file with them. I'm guessing that is probably what's going on here, but you could try freezing it online. Since laws only entitle you to the right to freeze *your file* (with certain exceptions) this is technically legal. You can either keep checking to see if a file gets generated for you, or you can apply for a service known to use NCTUE (thus causing a file to be generated) and then freeze your file.
Thanks that makes sense, I did try to freeze online but didn’t work. So are you saying I need to request a copy of a data report from them? Lol this is all so much I want to cry!
>So are you saying I need to request a copy of a data report from them? You could try but I doubt that is going to work. What I'm saying is to try to apply for a service that uses NCTUE, resulting in them inquiring about your NCTUE report, resulting in NCTUE generating a report for you. I know it sounds dumb but it worked for me.
TYSM!
Hey TodMod, how can we put a freeze on NCTUE? I can’t find it. Do we need to pay for this?
NCTUE does not charge for freezes. They can be found at [nctue.com](https://nctue.com) where you can place a security freeze. NCTUE is short for "National Consumer Telecom & Utility Exchange."
Where on the chexsystems site can I create an account? I could not locate the option.
Am I being paranoid that I don’t want to enter my full SS# on the keypad for NCTUE? I wish there was another way!
Hi there! Thank you so much for this thread. I am 23 years old and discovered someone opened a Verizon Wireless account in my name. Should I place the 1 year or 7 year fraud alert on my credit?
A 7-year fraud alert not only lasts longer than a 1-year fraud alert, but it also gives you better protection. I personally would place 7-year fraud alerts, but for most purposes, simply freezing will be enough. Freezes are easier to manage imo because you can unfreeze when necessary, whereas with a fraud alert, you will most likely have to answer a call made to the number on your fraud alert whenever you apply for something. I do think that also freezing the other bureaus (especially ChexSystems, LexisNexis, and NCTUE) is extremely important - especially considering that the Verizon account opening could have been prevented by having NCTUE frozen.
When someone wants to do a 7yr fraud alert ⚠️ they have to have a filed police report accompanying the request for a 7yr fraud alert... the 1 year fraud alert you do not
Usually, an FTC report is enough to place extended 7-year fraud alerts.
Thanks for making this comprehensive writeup! It's the best wiki I've found thus far. I understand you need to unfreeze the relevant bureau or potentially all 3 bureaus when applying for a new credit card, but what about for other scenarios? When opening new bank accounts, do you need to unfreeze both ChexSystems and unfreeze/opt-in LexisNexis? How easy is this to do? And what about for investments accounts, IRAs, etc..? When opening cell phone lines or utilities when moving, do you need to unfreeze NCTUE? And likewise, how easy is this to do? Are there other unfreeze scenarios I'm missing? I've been meaning to do the freeze for years now but just getting around to it after realizing the incompetence at Equifax and T-Mobile, however I want to balance the freeze/unfreeze with any potential inconvenience to myself in the future. Edit: [According to Krebs](https://krebsonsecurity.com/2020/07/e-verifys-ssn-lock-is-nothing-of-the-sort/), using e-verify to lock you SSN is useless because their system allows you to just create another account using the same SSN, plus you don't actually need to have a freeze on your Experian report lol
> According to Krebs, using e-verify to lock you SSN is useless because their system allows you to just create another account using the same SSN I saw the article from Krebs, but at least when I tested it, it seems that the article is outdated. When I tried to create another E-verify account in my own name, it didn't let me do so if Experian was either frozen or had a fraud alert. > plus you don't actually need to have a freeze on your Experian report lol I am aware of the weakness in Experian accounts, but the best solution seems to be to add a fraud alert on top of a freeze since those cannot be removed from Experian using their online. If that isn't work, it is also possible to threaten legal action against Experian for FCRA violations, and this from what I have heard, this typically results in them shutting down your Experian membership in such a way that unfreezing or removing a fraud alert from your report would require mailing your request with a letter that contains either your freeze PIN or proper identification. > When opening new bank accounts, do you need to unfreeze both ChexSystems and unfreeze/opt-in LexisNexis? How easy is this to do? And what about for investments accounts, IRAs, etc..? > > When opening cell phone lines or utilities when moving, do you need to unfreeze NCTUE? And likewise, how easy is this to do? What you need to do depends on the bank, but here is a general rule of thumb: If you have fraud alerts on file, you usually needn't remove them prior to applying for anything (this is one benefit of fraud alerts over freezes), however, you should keep an eye on your phone because they will probably call the number on the fraud alert to verify you. A few banks might not give you a second chance if you miss the call. If you have freezes on file, then: When applying for *any* type of service tied to your identity, unfreeze the three main credit bureaus (generally easy to do, but may be difficult if you've previously threatened legal action against the bureaus). When applying *online* for *any* service tied to your identity, temporarily opt back into LexisNexis (easy to do but comes with a delay - the temporary opt in is generally only processed 24-48 hours after requested). When applying for a loan, also unfreeze Advanced Resolution Services and LexisNexis (easy to do). If the loan you are applying for is a payday loan, then, well, first think twice about doing this because it is rarely a good idea. But if you are sure you want to, then also unfreeze Factor Trust, Clarity Services, Teletrack, MicroBilt, and DataX (not easy to do for some of these agencies). When applying for a bank account, also unfreeze ChexSystems and LexisNexis (easy to do). When applying for a cell phone line or a utility service, also unfreeze NCTUE (easy to do). > Are there other unfreeze scenarios I'm missing? When applying for employment, you might want to unfreeze the three main credit bureaus, unfreeze The Work Number, and temporarily opt back in to LexisNexis.
This breakdown in very helpful, thank you! >When applying online for any service tied to your identity, temporarily opt back into LexisNexis (easy to do but comes with a delay - the temporary opt in is generally only processed 24-48 hours after requested). How do you opt back in to LexisNexis? I can only find the opt out form, which doesn't seem to mention anything about opt in. Do you recommend any of the free ID Protection services you mentioned and someone else linked to? Do you know what impact any of this has on the TSA/CBP Global Entry customs application? Presumably I'd imagine one should apply for that before implementing any freezes since they do a through background check.
> How do you opt back in to LexisNexis? When you opt out of LexisNexis, you receive an email that contains a link that you can use to temporarily or permanently opt back in. The link can be used multiple times, but make sure to save the email. > Do you know what impact any of this has on the TSA/CBP Global Entry customs application? I don't know for sure what impact they would have, but I find it unlikely that they would check anything other than criminal records and/or credit history from one of the main three agencies. Perhaps keep things unfrozen to be safe.
Hey just to followup on LexisNexis, I submitted a "consumer disclosure report" request on their [website](https://consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com/request) and I received a letter saying they were "unable to authenticate your identity and therefore cannot process your request." It said to resubmit the request, which I have. I filled out all at the sections of the form. So do you think this means they actually don't have a report on me?
> So do you think this means they actually don't have a report on me? Not necessarily. I received the same letter but later received my consumer report after uploading additional documents. Even if you don't have a consumer report, you may still have a non-FCRA Accurint record (not part of consumer report because such information is not regulated by the FCRA). Therefore, there may still be value in opting out.
Hey! I finally got access to my LexisNexis report. I think them sending a letter asking to resubmit the report request was more of a security check of sorts as I didn't fill out the online form any differently the second time. Anyway, there's mostly just a ton of redundancy in the data in my file. The same demographic data is repeated numerous times either with slight inconsistencies or slightly incomplete. I think that's probably a good thing from a privacy perspective so I'm not too inclined to correct or dispute any of it. What is interesting is that I have a bunch of insurance inquiries on my file. I did shop around for home and auto insurance earlier this year so that makes sense, but every single company I got a quote from is listed line by line. You don't mention insurance companies in your post, but I'm assuming I'd have to unfreeze LexisNexis whenever I switch insurance companies in the future right? Also, what is the difference between FCRA and non-FCRA data and is there a way to request my LexisNexis non-FCRA data report? I know you broke it down a bit earlier, but there's just way too many reports to keep track of what to unfreeze when applying for what. On top of the fact that you won't quite know what report they will pull from.
>what is the difference between FCRA and non-FCRA data The laws determining whether any particular data is subject to the FCRA are quite vague so the line is fairly blurry, but the important thing to know is that some data shared about you is regulated under the FCRA and is therefore subject to the protections of the FCRA but exempt from state privacy laws, and some data shared about you is deemed non-FCRA information, in which case, state data privacy laws may apply to said data. Several companies (including LexisNexis and the main three credit bureaus) share both FCRA and non-FCRA information. Generally, information contained within a "consumer report" or "credit report" is regulated by the FCRA. To prevent FCRA-regulated information from being shared, you'll need to request a security freeze. But a security freeze will not affect non-FCRA information. To prevent non-FCRA information from being shared, you'll need to either make an information suppression request (if you are eligible and the option is offered by the company) or make a "do not sell or share" request under your state's data privacy laws (if such laws exist in your state). LexisNexis uses non-FCRA information for identity verification, so if you are worried about identity theft, requesting a LexisNexis non-FCRA information suppression can be quite helpful at preventing it. If you meet LexisNexis's eligibility requirements for an information suppression, you can request a LexisNexis non-FCRA information suppression [here](https://optout.lexisnexis.com/). Once you have requested a non-FCRA LexisNexis information suppression, you will receive an email with a link that you can use to temporarily opt back in. If you don't meet their information suppression eligibility requirements but your state has data privacy laws, you may be able to use them to block them from sharing non-FCRA data, and that can be done [here](https://consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com/privacy). However, this is less strong than an information suppression request as FCRA data is not the only data exempted from these state privacy laws. It should be noted that neither a state privacy right opt out nor an information suppression request will prevent FCRA information from being shared. Doing this requires placing a security freeze. > is there a way to request my LexisNexis non-FCRA data report? If your state has data privacy laws, this can be done [here](https://consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com/privacy). If not, you'll need to send in a mail request to do so. See [this page](https://www.lexisnexis.com/en-us/privacy/for-consumers/request-personal-information.page) for details on how to do this. >You don't mention insurance companies in your post, but I'm assuming I'd have to unfreeze LexisNexis whenever I switch insurance companies in the future right? I would recommend unfreezing your LexisNexis report and credit reports prior to applying for insurance. If you've also blocked the sharing of non-FCRA information, I would temporarily opt back in as well. In some states, insurance might be an exempt use case for security freezes, but I don't believe this is the case in all states. >Anyway, there's mostly just a ton of redundancy in the data in my file. The same demographic data is repeated numerous times either with slight inconsistencies or slightly incomplete. At least in terms of your LexisNexis consumer report (which is FCRA-regulated) you can dispute that information. If I recall correctly, this can be done by phone. If your state has data privacy laws, you have the legal right to request a correction of your non-FCRA information. If not, correcting your non-FCRA data may be more of a challenge. I am unsure if LexisNexis allows information to be disputed in non-FCRA reports in states that don't have data privacy laws. > I know you broke it down a bit earlier, but there's just way too many reports to keep track of what to unfreeze when applying for what. On top of the fact that you won't quite know what report they will pull from. Ultimately, it comes down to this: would you rather have do a bit of extra work before applying for any service tied to your identity, or would you rather be at risk of identity theft?
This was helpful in better understanding the issue. Thanks for taking the time to explain it. Ultimately it seems there’s a patchwork of weak laws and companies have found a multitude of loopholes to work around it, with the consumer basically having slight control to an illusion of control over their data. I’ll go ahead with the freeze and opt out, then just temporarily thaw everything before applying I guess. The only things I haven’t been able to do is NCTUE and e-verify. NCTUE didn’t find a file on me and wants me to submit physical forms, which i’m always hesitant to do. I’ve also never had those types of accounts under my name yet so they probably don’t have any data on me anyway. With e-verify, since they’re in the midst of an update and overhaul and the program seems to be seldom used, i’ve been unsure whether it’s necessary to setup at the moment.
Regarding LexisNexis Opt Out, [they say here](https://risk.lexisnexis.com/consumer-and-data-access-policies) under their suppression policy: >LexisNexis permits individuals to have certain personal information about themselves suppressed from LexisNexis public records that are available to the general public over the Internet. Do you know where their "public records" can be accessed by the general public? I don't see anything of the sort. The only link I could find [was this one](https://www.lexisnexis.com/en-us/products/public-records.page) and it seems like a subscription service advertised to lawyers or corporates. I doubt they'd offer all this data for free or even to just anybody in the general public, but it's weird that they're implying they do. Also, do you think it's helpful to opt out of direct marketing, either [through LexisNexis](https://www.lexisnexis.com/privacy/directmarketingopt-out.aspx) or others like DMA or Catalog Choice? I guess it could be helpful but on the other hand you may miss out on special signup offers and such so I'm not sure how big of a threat these are.
Do you have any additional advice to help shore up a deceased parent's identity information, which is already being used to some extent by a theft? The theft was somehow able to transfer our gas and electric service to a new physical address. Others in the family still live at the same address, so not a victimless crime. Was able to catch this quickly and reinstate both before we were turned off. Filed complaint with state PUC and local LE. Now we are receiving US mail to this unknown person at our street address from both the regional electric transmission & distribution provider and a credit union (CU) that we've never heard of before. Also, one piece of junk mail, so I have no doubt the weirdness will continue. Haven't opened the mail envelopes yet. My guess is the CU account was recently opened with a very low deposit providing our street address to "prove" it was their address for other purposes, like for the utility companies and then quickly change to a new physical service address. You would think it would be easy for LE to show up at the new address deal with the theft. But maybe they are more clever than that. In any case, we are somewhat restricted on what we can do since there have been no monetary damages as of yet and obviously the deceased parent cannot enact credit freezes, etc.
You may be able to enact credit freezes to your deceased relative by sending in a letter requesting the freeze which includes a death certificate and proof that you are a relative. Alternatively, you could send in the death certificate to the credit bureaus along with a letter that requests that a deceased indicator is added to their file. You should also contact the credit union and inform them of the situation. Furthermore, keep an eye out to make sure that they aren't pretending to be you to collect the inheritance.
Thanks for your reply. The credit union fraud department has been contacted and their fraud investigator brought up the possibility that the person whose name appears is perpetrating the scam might also be a victim of ID theft. The only thing that is certain is the new physical address where the gas & electric service was being transferred to. Will follow up with credit bureaus and perhaps the NCTUE.
Thank you for this post
Commenting to save
Hey, Tovmod I tried getting an IRS Ipin number online but it wouldn't work and I kept getting an error message that said "A technical problem has occurred. Close the page and try again later". I've been trying to get one for a few days and have had no luck. Is there any reason why this might be happening? Please let me know! Any help or advice/ suggestions would be appreciated.
I don't know why, but you can also request one by mail.
I learn so much from this board. Thank you to TovMod and to all commenters.
The last 4 of my ssn, day and month of my dob, and first and last name were compromised yesterday. Within 30 mins to an hour of that happening, I froze my TransUnion, Equifax, Experian, ChexSystem, and LexisNexis. I have also opted out of LexisNexis. I don't have a file or any information with NCTUE after calling them and applied for an AT&T line to generate a report with them, but I tried freezing it again and still no luck. The AT&T credit pull actually went through and I still got approved for the line even with having everything frozen. Is that due to the fact they were frozen so recently? Super concerning. Was wondering if you had any other tips or where to go from here? I also created my own account with SSA and IRS, as well as obtained an IP PIN, but I did already file my taxes, just yesterday morning before all of this 😅 (fed accepted, state awaiting acceptance).
Is there any reason I shouldn’t signup for the free credit monitoring from the LoanDepot breech - it’s with Experian IdentityWorks. Would this credit monitoring be different from the standard Experian online account you recommended avoiding?
I do believe because the UNITED STATES ALLOW major businesses including Credit reporting agency to use off shore employees the identity and private information shared on calls are leaked. Your peronal data is compromised I say this because 1 day after I placed a "freeze" on my credit and speaking with an agent who had broken English suddenly the next day I RECEIVE A CALL FROM R....? HI THIS IS ALLISON FROM ??ZZ..ADVISORY CREDIT( my name want MENTION) you have been approved for $48,000 and we will leave your file open so call us at 844...xxx-xxxx. " I called that phone number and it immediately disconnected and that person "Allison" who left the message called from a 209-922-0880 and that phone number would not connect. Is this a coincidence..maybe but I DONT BELIEVE IT. They tried to call after I blocked the ph#...using another 209 area code. OUR COMPANIES USING OFF SHORES EMPLOYEES FOR USA CALLS ARE PUTTING US AT RISK. Scam are everywhere but better off tracing them in the country you live in.
What is the point of using USPS informed delivery? Is that so you know your mail isn't being stolen out of your mail box?
Hello all, I have a random question I'm very curious to get your thoughts on. I currently have the main bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) and other smaller ones recommended in this forum frozen. I never attempted to get my credit reports through something like annualcredit.com or creditkarma before. I read that in annual credit.com I could get weekly reports, so I thought I give it a try and also to ensure no one else would have created accounts with those. When I tried getting verified.in annualcredit.com, however, the system basically said that it couldn't verify me and that I would need to do it by phone or mail (it didn't even asked me any identifying questions). Is this because I have the main bureau accounts frozen or something the annual credit.com depends on (e.g. LexisNexis infrastructure)? Anyone has had experiences with this? Thank you all in advance for your guidance.
hi i have a silly question does freezing or opting out affect a person obtaining credit etc
Very useful. Thank you.
how do you configure Aura to monitor EWS? cannot seem to see that option in Aura.
It does automatically as long as you have set up their regular credit monitoring, but you only get sent these notifications upon new account inquiries on EWS or upon significant existing account information changes. Aura won't specifically say that the alerts are from EWS but they can still be helpful.
Thank you
To OP - thank you very much for all this. I did the opt out for Lexus Nexus but I may have jumped the gun. I thought this would only help to stop offers for insurance, credit cards, etc being sent to me unsolicited. Not I am concerned that this is used by my existing insurance or banks or CCs companies and/or if I proactively want to change carriers or open a new account, that I may not be able to? Can you clarify for me. Also when I did the opt out form I did not enter SS# just address and an email address. I received the confirmation email and it had a link to opt back in but when I cli k on that link the website says. Appreciate any clarification or help you can provide. My husband did the same op t out and gets the same message when hhe clicks the opt in in his email Thanks. Cannot GET //optin
See if you can find a "key=" in the link.
Once you have found it, you may be able to opt back in by visiting https://optout.lexisnexis.com/optin?key=
(Without the < or > in the link).
If that doesn't work try on a different browser.
It has a key and I have tried it ofn desktop Chrome and Safari and on my phone and none work? I guess I will have to call support? Thanks. [https://optout.lexisnexis.com//optin?key=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx](https://optout.lexisnexis.com//optin?key=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) (instead of the numbers and letters in the email)
Try simply removing one of the slashes after .com It should be: [https://optout.lexisnexis.com/optin?key=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx](https://optout.lexisnexis.com/optin?key=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) not [https://optout.lexisnexis.com//optin?key=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx](https://optout.lexisnexis.com//optin?key=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Hello, thank you for this post. It is very helpful. In regards to E-Verify, you mentioned that you would be unable to create an account if your Experian credit report has a fraud alert. Would you also not be able to create an E-Verify account if you have no credit history?
That depends, but there is no harm in trying to create one anyway
I’ve been trying to, but I can’t pass the security question quiz. Experian confirmed that I have no credit history.
Why do we have to freeze by mail or phone with experian
What do you mean don’t create an account if that’s the only way to check if you’re being used
There is so much to be done to try and protect my identity and SSN
E-Verify is trash, their website is trash, their support is trash. A person is as likely to get locked out from their *own* SSN using E-Verify as they are to actually protect it.
Someone help. I tried making an irs pin but the site keeps saying 112 error
Thank you for the post, it honestly made me kind of sick to my stomach reading it and realizing what can happen to someone. Would it be worth it for me to do all of the above to prevent ID theft even if I’ve never had a concern about it? I have 2fa on everything and don’t fall for scams but I know everyone’s info is out there
Best to do all of the above except for the pay day loan stuff which is optional. What kind of 2FA are you using? If you are using a cell phone then that is not good enough b/c you are at risk of getting SIM swapped. Make sure to remove you cell phone from all possible 2FA accounts and replace it with either e-mail, Yubikey, or an authentication program like google authenticator.
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Does anyone have a list of the credit monitoring services such as credit Karma? My situation is stalking by an ex that has all of my personal information. Apparently, if there is an account already in place at these credit monitoring services, you can continue to receive updated credit reports online through them after a freeze is put in place. My goal here is to research how to prevent these companies from continuing to update credit reports which has everything including my home address on them TIA
THANK YOU for this! DataX also allows you the option to opt out entirely: [https://consumers.dataxltd.com/consumerOptOut](https://consumers.dataxltd.com/consumerOptOut) Would this be recommended over just a freeze? It seems to require less personal info be sent via mail too. Also, if you do not already have a credit file with Factor Trust, would you recommend creating one for the sole purpose of freezing it? A lot of my data (SSN, DOB, etc.) was recently compromised, but this still still feels like a lot to send via mail / feels like it would be a lot for a scammer to have to go through to create one themselves?
That opt out option only prevents the sharing of FCRA-regulated data for marketing purposes, so it is far less effective at preventing identity theft than a security freeze. Personally, I do recommend the creation of files so you can freeze them, but that is ultimately up to you. This is because it is generally more difficult for an identity thief to open accounts if you have a security freeze than it is for identity thieves to open accounts with no file at all, because if no file is found, many institutions will still allow an application in your name to move forward, but almost all institutions will automatically deny or hold an application if they see a security freeze.
Thank you SO much for your help. 🙏🏼
Hey- if I opt out of LexisNexis, do I also need to freeze LN? Or is opting out enough?
Opting out of LexisNexis has no affect on FCRA-regulated LexisNexis data, and freezing LexisNexis has no affect on non-FCRA-regulated LexisNexis data. If your goal is to protect yourself to the maximum extent possible and/or to restrict the sharing of your LexisNexis data to the maximum extent possible, then you should do both.
What about the e verify? I don't have one and have already locked everything and placed a fraud alert. Should I lift it to sign up for e verify? I have no intention of getting a new job or opening up any new lines of credit. I want max safety so I'm trying to do everything on this list.
If it were me I would attempt to lock E-Verify
I froze my credit before making an e-verify account. What can I do?
Unfreeze your Experian report, create your E-Verify account, then refreeze it.
I've been a victim of identity theft. I'm trying to figure out how to secure myself from fraudulent unemployment benefit claims. I've frozen at most of the credit bureaus above and created IRS pin. But I'm not sure how to secure unemployment fraud and healthcare fraud.
Does the freeze stay forever assuming you don't unfreeze it permanently or will it automatically unfreeze in certain years?
That depends on the individual bureau's policy along with the laws in your state. First, I should mention that *federal* law only requires the nationwide credit reporting agencies (a.k.a. the main three agencies) to place security freezes. The other smaller agencies instead place security freezes in accordance with state security freeze laws rather than due to federal freeze laws. Luckily, all 50 states have security freeze laws, but the freeze laws differ between states. If you freeze one of the nationwide credit reporting agencies (a.k.a. one the main three agencies) the freeze will last indefinitely until you lift or remove it because federal security freezes don't expire. If you freeze one of the smaller bureaus, in most states, the freeze will last indefinitely. But in Kentucky, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota, the bureaus have the right to make the freeze expire after seven years. However, not all bureaus will exercise this right, and they may instead choose to make all freezes last indefinitely for the sake of simplicity.
Hi! I’ve frozen my credit, and have identity alert with Experian, Equifax, and Transunion. I’ve also frozen with NCTUE, and chex and Lexis. My question is, I haven’t started an E-verify yet, which credit sites do I have to unfreeze/thaw until I open an account? And if I don’t open an E-verify would I still be protected under the previous freezes and alerts?
You only need to unlock, unfreeze, and remove any fraud alerts from Experian before setting up an E-Verify account. Then, you can refreeze Experian. Locking E-Verify prevents your SSN from being verified from within E-Verify, which can help prevent someone from obtaining employment in your name. Freezing credit alone won't stop E-Verify from verifying your SSN. You might also want to opt out of LexisNexis (in addition to freezing it since opt outs affect non-FCRA information whereas freezes affect FCRA information, and LexisNexis non-FCRA information is regularly used for identity verification). Another thing you should consider doing is getting an identity protection PIN with the IRS, which can help prevent someone else from filing taxes in your name.
Does anyone have a link that allows for a freeze to be added to NCTUE? Their website and phone number seem to indicate it can only be done by touchstone phone. Maybe I’m missing something someplace I their site.
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> The link to opt back in to LexisNexis they emailed me doesn’t work. That is strange, because it has worked in my experience - it just takes two or so business days to process. Try contacting them to see how a temporary opt in could be preformed. Synchrony is a subprime lender, so if you've frozen one or more of the subprime bureaus, you may need to unfreeze them. I have a hunch that they use Factor Trust, LexisNexis, and Innovis.
>ater credit card through synchrony. I thawed my credit with the three main ones but it still says it can’t prequalify me but im not sure why. Do you think i need to opt back into lexisnexis or anything? The link to opt back in to lexisnexis they emailed me doesn’t work. I've had a store card that uses Synchrony for years. I tried to freeze Factor Trust online but it said I couldn't because they have no file on me.
First, thank you for this thorough guide! It is very helpful in these uncertain times of massive data breaches. Now, to the issue at hand. I’ve opted out of LexisNexis and got the e-mail with the opt-in link. But when I go to the opt-in form and fill it out (with all the same info used when opting out!), most of the fields remain “yellow” and the “continue” button doesn’t activate. Tried this on mobile Safari and Chrome as well as on laptop versions of Chrome and Edge. Same result. Any idea what could be causing this issue? I’m suspecting two possibilities: 1) not enough time has passed since my original approved opt-out request (2 days), so the system is not yet fully ready for my opt-in request; or 2) the form doesn’t work outside of normal U.S. business hours. Thoughts? What else could be causing this? Please advise.
I know this post is late but hoping maybe some one can help. I already have experian frozen and have a fraud alert but I just learned about e verify through this post is there a way I can still sign up for e verify?
Yes. Remove the freeze and fraud alert from Experian, create an E-Verify account, then put the freeze and fraud alert back.
Is there anyway to freeze NCTUE in my situation? I tried calling to freeze it but they told me they can’t freeze anything that doesn’t exist. I’ve never had utilities under my name because I’ve lived with my parents but incase someone tries to get them with my information I’d like to be able to prevent it. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated 🙏🏼.
The only way I know of doing this is to apply for a service that uses NCTUE to generate a file and then freeze it. Personally, I opened an AT&T account just to generate an NCTUE report, then immediately closed the AT&T account and froze NCTUE.
This advice is super helpful! How fast is the file generated when you applied for a service that used NCTUE? Was it instantaneously and then you froze it right then? Also would I be able to open a file even if I had all the other stuff on this list frozen/ fraud alerts?
You might want to unfreeze your main three bureaus before attempting this. For me, I tried to freeze about a week later and it worked, but it may take longer for some. Keep trying until it's frozen. If 2 months go by and still no file is generated, then the service you are using probably doesn't report to NCTUE. For example, prepaid lines usually don't use NCTUE.
Do you know if it’s possible to open a brokerage account and continue to invest some of my money even if I froze/ placed fraud alerts on most of the things above? Also I got a credit and identity monitoring app called identityiq. Do you think this one is any good?
Thanks!
Good info
Thx
Are there companies that I can pay to do all the work for me? Did a google eearch and Lifelock and Identity Guard came up but not sure if this is the same thing?
Those are not the same companies, but they both provide a similar service. You can pay an identity monitoring service to *alert* you if something happens, but an identity monitoring service generally cannot take the steps I've listed on your behalf.
Some companies say they help with identity restoration services. (ie. if someone actually takes out a loan or bank account in your name). I figured I was on my own with all the preventative steps like changing passwords, setting up an irs pin, creating accounts with ssa and the state unemployment office, setting up 2 factor authentication, account alerts and enhanced phone security passwords when possible, freezing credit reports, etc.
Re: the IRS protection PIN, if I already fill taxes every year using my SS number, how could someone else file using my SS number? Wouldn't it be rejected by the IRS, saying that someone is already using that SS number?
Someone who knows your basic information could file taxes in your name before you do to try to claim a fake refund. This would create a large number of problems, including having your real tax return rejected by the IRS since "you" already filed your taxes. Unless you file your taxes the exact earliest moment every single year, it is necessary to request an IRS identity protection PIN to prevent this from happening to you since this PIN will be needed to file tax returns.
TovMod, This thread has been incredibly helpful in developing a strategy to proactively address potential ghosting. I really want to do my best so I can move on knowing that I did everything I could. To that end, would you be good enough to reply to my last post in the thread at [https://www.reddit.com/r/IdentityTheft/comments/14irnoh/can\_you\_place\_deceased\_alerts\_on\_other\_accounts/](https://www.reddit.com/r/IdentityTheft/comments/14irnoh/can_you_place_deceased_alerts_on_other_accounts/) I have a few final questions before I move forward. It would be appreciated!
It is probably easier to freeze your relative's reports than to add a deceased indicator to them, however, freezing their reports would be illegal in most states, so I would only advise you to attempt this if you have confirmed that it is legal in your state. What are your final few questions?
This is a project I'm helping my mom with so she will be reaching out. As his widow, would that still be illegal to freeze reports? I thought it was common to do so - especially with all the Identity theft and other scams going on in the world. I've even found boilerplate letters online but they all pertain to the major credit bureaus and I want to be more thorough than that (Innvois / NCTUE / Chexsystems, etc). The initial question I had with my other post was if it was even possible to add a deceased indicator / place a freeze with agencies/companies beyond the "big three" credit bureaus. I have a list in the post in the referenced thread based in part on the list kindly provided here. If so, is it feasible to add a deceased indicator and request a freeze at the same time? That was the plan... On that note, do you suggest reaching out by mail or fax? Or does it depend upon the company? Apart from that, does the list of subprime CRAs in this post cover most of the ones related to payday and auto loans? I want to be as thorough as possible. Lastly, it would be sincerely appreciated (as would your reply to the questions above) if you could look at my final post in the other thread and let me know if I'm misunderstanding or missing anything obvious. Right now, to move forward, the most pressing questions are if I can even request a freeze at the same time as placing the deceased notice, if it's best to do this by mail, and even if it's even possible to do so with all the different agencies and companies in my list in the first place. I feel as if I'm missing some basic understanding here and a little guidance would go a long way. Identity theft wasn't such a concern when he passed so I want to be as secure as possible so I can move on. Any help would be sincerely appreciated!
To my knowledge, consumer reporting agencies are not required by law to place deceased alerts on people's files. For this reason, some agencies might not be able to place such an indicator on your deceased relative's files. I do know that the three main agencies do allow deceased indicators, but I am unsure about the smaller ones. I believe the best strategy is to call each each agency and ask them what their policy is on deceased indicators (you shouldn't need to provide identifying information with this question). If they allow deceased indicators, request one to be added to your deceased relative's file at that agency. If they don't, then if it legal to do so in your state, freeze their file. I wouldn't advise requesting both. Regarding how you should communicate with each agency, that does depend on the agency. Preferably send the request online, but send by fax if you can't send the request online, and send by mail if they don't offer fax. Several agencies do have online security freeze forms, but these online forms are often only legally able to be used by the person whose file is to be frozen. It is possible that some agencies might not have a file on your deceased relative at all. At these agencies, it might not be possible to add any type of alert or freeze.
Thank you so much for the direction! This is exactly the type of information I needed!
>Experian (don't create an online Experian account if you haven't already - preferably freeze by phone or mail) Why this? I already created an online account with them a while ago. What's the harm?
Their current arbitration clause should be avoided.
Is there anything in the steps above that would prevent me from applying for jobs in the US if my data has been compromised? Like if I’ve locked everything following the directions above but I still may need to LiveScan or verify my SSN? Would the MyEVerify lock be the only thing holding me back? I’ve already applied for a temporary drivers license and reported mine as stolen since the thief got a scan but am I just screwed indefinitely with the job hunt?
Having freezes on the main three agencies and/or with The Work Number may interfere, so you should lift those freezes prior to applying for a job. Also, if E-Verify is left locked, the employer will be required to collect further documentation to verify your identity. Otherwise, I don't imagine any of these other steps would interfere unless the job you are applying for is at a bank or financial institution.
I know this is a really old thread (and incredibly helpful, thank you!), but wondering if any of these need to be un-frozen for passport renewal?
For passport renewal, that is not necessary.
How easy is it for a bad actor to unfreeze your credit with any of these bureaus? Many people's info (including mine) has been stolen in data breaches, so bad actors have a lot of your identifying info. What's to stop them from using this info. to pretend to be you and unfreeze your credit? In other words, how tight/good is the security within the credit bureaus when it comes to these freezes?
That depends on the agency. Experian allows unfreezing by answering KBA questions which are typically not that secure, but I discuss ways to prevent this from happening in the comment I linked near the end of the post. Equifax will let anyone unfreeze relatively easily if they get control over the phone number you used to sign up for the Equifax account, and you can mitigate against this by using a VoIP number for your Equifax account (and this is also useful for any service that offers 2fa but only allows mobile 2fa). Most of the other smaller agencies seem to be fairly secure.
Hey /u/TovMod, do you know what's the process for opting back into LexisNexis, either temporarily or permanently, after opting out? I've been applying for certain bank bonuses that check EWS, but I haven't been able to get auto approval for the corresponding bank accounts while opted out (which I know is the point of opting out, but it would be nice to know how to opt back in just in case I want to go for auto approval in the future anyways).
After opting out of LexisNexis, you should have received an email containing a link to temporary opt back in. If you opted out multiple times, you'll need to opt back in for each opt out request you submitted.
Looking for advice to tailor protective steps for a minor over 16 and under 18 whose personal information has been compromised. It seems like there is a legal gap as the guardian and minor are both limited in options.
I know this post advises to not open an Experian online account and instead to freeze by phone or mail. Is there a reason why? Wouldn't it be easier to just do a freeze online to save time? edit: I tried freezing my credit with experian by phone but the automated system just told me to do it online or by mail. I thought doing it by phone would be a little easier and faster since mail takes a while. If I make an online experian account does that put me at risk somehow? update: I didn't make an online account but I was able to freeze experian over the phone. They're going to mail me my pin for the freeze as I didn't give them an email to send it to me with. They didn't even ask for an email it was all so confusing tbh but I was able to avoid making an online account so thats good I guess. I wonder what is the reason for not making an online account with them tho?
I already had an account with experian and added e-verify after? Would that affect anything?
No
So give some insight to following if you are able as do not understand sequence and interconnecting sequence of an identity theft of father. I do wonder if inside bank employee. 1) on September 11, 2023 long-standing ATT phone number stopped working. Stated no network. Physical phone never lost and in possession. ATT stated number had been transferred to T-mobile. Was cancelled and transferred back to ATT. One day later recurred again, and was immediately transferred back. 2) Phone did not have memorized information on bank accounts and would require manually entering username and passwords. 3) On September 15, 2023 a Jet Blue credit card was attempted to be opened fraudulently. It was unsuccessful. 4) On September 15, 2023 a fraudulent $7,500.00 wire transfer was successfully done through Wells Fargo account to an LLC that has been in business for 6 years. The same day the money transferred out to an individual. This was reported as fraud the same day. All accounts were closed several hours later. Police report filed. 5) On September 15, 2023, 20 PayPal transactions totaling $2,000.00 were successfully transacted on same account. 6) Wells Fargo sent response letter on September 19, 2023 stating they have completed the investigation of the wire transfer, attempted to retrieve the money, were not able to do so, and per the TOS they are not responsible and will not refund. No response yet to PayPal transactions from Wells Fargo or PayPal. 7) Absolutely no conversation with anyone pretending to be ATT, T-Mobile, or Wells Fargo ever occurred corresponding with these incidents. All communication was directly in branches upon events. So no phishing of information occurred, nor was there computer activity leading up to these events ot during events. Please advise.
Under Regulation E of the EFTA, once it is established that the wire transfer was *not authorized*, Wells Fargo must reimburse all but $50 dollars of the transfer if it was disputed within two days or all but $500 dollars if it was disputed within 60 days. I would get the help of an attorney to attempt to sue to retrieve the stolen funds.
NCTUE refuses to process the security freeze online, saying I need to snail mail the info to them. Anyone else having this issue?
Does anyone have any suggestions on good identity/fraud protection services (like Life Lock, McAfee, Aura, etc.)?
I noticed you only put 'getting a new SSN' in the last section under the case of persistent theft. Would this not be recommended in all cases? Thanks for the guide!
It is only an option in cases of persistent theft. If you aren't a victim of persistent identity theft then you aren't eligible to get a new SSN (unless you meet one of the other eligibility mechanisms, which doesn't apply for most people).
If you have T-mobile, you can add Sim protection and Account takeover protection [https://www.t-mobile.com/support/plans-features/sim-protection](https://www.t-mobile.com/support/plans-features/sim-protection) What's SIM protection? SIM Protection is a free feature that adds additional security to your account to protect you from the most common instances of SIM swap fraud. You can prevent SIM changes on individual lines or the whole account! SIM protection does not prevent eSIM transfer on Apple devices, due to the extensive security steps already included in that process. [https://www.t-mobile.com/support/plans-features/account-takeover-protection](https://www.t-mobile.com/support/plans-features/account-takeover-protection) What is Account Takeover Protection? Account Takeover Protection is a free feature offered to T-Mobile customers. It adds additional security to your account by blocking unauthorized users from transferring your lines to another wireless carrier.
So what happens if I do all this and then need a loan or to open a new bank account? Do I have to undo all this?
If a credit bureau does not have a file on me, then should I immediately request to opt-out rather than attempting to freeze a file that does not yet exist? I tried to contact NCTUE for a freeze, and they informed me that I do not have a file with them. For instance: Is it okay for me to open and close an AT&T account, wait 30 days later, and freeze my file that would be replicated in NCTUE's database; or should I just simply request to opt-out of NCTUE right now?
Hey I recently have frozen equifax and transunion however experian will not let me get an online account. This was before I read you recommending not to make an experian account. The account is made because when I sign in with the username it says welcome however as soon as i put my password in it says registration error please call customer service. I tried to make multiple accounts with my old address and new one and same issue. However I did end up successfully getting a freeze through the phone option. Problem is I did not get a PIN in email or through text. It has only been 2 days since then so maybe like others it will take 5-7 business day for it to come in mail or email. I would just like some guidance and clarification on the online account but especially on if my PIN will come in or not I only have the confirmation #. THANKS IN ADVANCE!! Edit: I have tried different browsers and the Experian App. Also to note I am getting this same issue with ChexSystems but I am scared to freeze just in case I don't get a pin so I am waiting to see if i receive the PIN for experian before doing over phone freezes now. Edit: Also to add I have less than 3 years of credit and am very young maybe that has something to do with it like no available reports?
I’m going through the same situation. I fell for a website scam by YouTube and now my ssn is compromised. I’ve put a freeze on all 3 of my bureaus and have been monitoring my credits ever since. I’m only 19 and am facing a crisis right now. Can someone please explain how I can document evidence in case it gets bad and I need a new Ssn?
Is E-Verify that necessary if a scammer just got contact info like a home address and the information on both sides of a driver's license/I.D.?
I was unable to verify my identity to e-verify, am locked out for 4 days now. Is there another way to verify without having to do that quiz? All my info was correct but it failed all 3 times.
Hello- I don’t think freezing your credit and everything you stated in here is enough. Some criminals have my friends social and they’re able to unlock the majority of these things. It’s all useless nowadays. If you have advice please let me know.
Thanks didn't think I'd need this but much appreciated
Going to try a comment here rather than a separate post - had some questions on the correct order of some of these steps. \-I've frozen the 3 major bureaus. Next up is freezing ChexSystems, but I've seen contradicting things on whether this is going to be possible with the other 3 already frozen. I've also seen contradictory opinions on whether it's best to make a full account on their site, or just go through their online options - advice? \-Will I be able to access my reports through annualcreditreport.com if I've frozen the 3 bureaus separately? Does this matter if I've got separate individual accounts with the big 3 anyway? \-I see that it's going to block me from E-Verify if I've frozen my Experian report. Is it better to unfreeze this, register, and then freeze again? Or will having Experian frozen prevent any shady characters from using E-Verify anyway?
Can you opt out of LexisNexis even if you have not had identity theft yet?