I have had all 3 frozen for a year, but beware--you can't your credit report unless you left the freezes first. This went fine with Exquifax and Experian, but because Transunion has you log in to GET to the online security freeze lift, it'll automatically tell you it can't get enough info from your credit report (obviously, since there's a freeze!) to allow to proceed to the section to LIFT the freeze. Utter stupidity on their behalf.

Remember, at least some of the contact numbers for credit reporting agencies are a moving target. They might move out from under ya.

800-685-1111
800-797-7005
866-238-8067
877-474-8273
888-207-2854
888-532-0179
404-885-8000

FAX
800-466-4481
888-729-0083 Fraud Department, I think
404-885-8988
678-795-7798

I have my equifax credit frozen but was unable to find a pin and now I am unable to unfreeze my credit in the future. The telephone number is all automated and will not do anything for me unless I have a pin number. I do not have one. How can I get this number?

We are using the credit freeze system to block an un-scrupulous property manager we had from obtaining new information about us. She runs “back door” credit checks on people, without their signed consent to or knowledge. She then uses this information to spy on people. This isn’t pre-screening it is “sub” screening to see what people are buying, selling, job changes etc. Its not good business, it’s illegal and she is a criminal. And we will post again, after the investigation going on into her practices brings her down!

SAME problem as reported by others. Equifax online security freeze - I too had the same problem online with equifax. You get a confirmation page with no PIN number listed. Of course your credit card is billed $3. Sent 3 letters, even sent a printed screen snap of the my browser confirmation page. Each time Equifax mailed me my credit report with no letter of explanation or contact info. Spent a good deal of time weeding through the automated phone system as well. Finally just gave in and mailed the $10 check for a "request a new PIN" option. These guys are evil.

I just completed a credit freeze with all three bureaus online, and it was really easy. Transunion and Experian let you pick your own PIN, and Equifax assigns you one at random (it's embedded in the online PDF confirmation letter). Just follow the links that Clark provided, and it should be a piece of cake! Make it a great day!!

I went online on 11/6/08 to freeze my credit. (Confrimed my credit is frozen) I have the same problem as Kevin did. No Pin number. Was supposed to get the Pin # in the mail via USPS within ten days. Never came.
Anyone else? Solutions? Tried to call, but impossible to get through.

The URL to freeze online is https://www.freeze.equifax.com. https -- not http. When I froze my account online, I was presented with a dialogue box that asked whether I wanted to display insecure items. If you choose "Yes" then the lock icon at the top of the screen disappears. If you choose "No" then it stays. So choose "No." After going through the process, I received a confirmation screen -- but no PIN. I called Equifax at 888-298-0045 and confirmed that my account was indeed frozen, but that it is their standard procedure to send the PIN via hardcopy U.S. Mail -- not to provide it online. A pain, but not as much of a pain as sending in my request via hardcopy mail. I think Equifax intentionally makes the online version difficult to find so they can sell their overpriced monthly fee services.

I could not even get verified online because, I found out later, my info is wrong. Put in Cheryl in Peril's website and cannot find it. This is a big hassle - I want to do it so I will have a pin/ID number - please help us - It should only cost $3.00 to freeze and $3. to unfreeze (GA House Bill 130) Phone calls are a hastle - no one knows what to do.

One of the previous comments recommended the following URL to freeze your Equifax credit:

https://www.freeze.equifax.com/Freeze/jsp/SFF_PersonalIDInfo.jsp

However, I would be hesitant. There is no padlock to indicate the site is secure, even though it looks like an Equifax site. And the URL starts with "freeze", not Equifax. Doesn't look right.

I have been trying to get a credit report from my frozen Equifax account and it has been a nightmare. I have tried every number I could find and have ssent them the info needed via certified mail twice. I finally looked it up on your site and got the 888-298-0045 # and called it and provided them with all the info again and they are sending out a report w/in 48 hours. So as of today 1-14-2009 this is a good way to contact them if your account is frozen. Thanks to all who provided this site with the # to call!!!

I too had the same problem online with equifax. You get a confirmation page with no PIN number listed. Of course your credit card is billed $3. Sent 3 letters, even sent a printed screen snap of the my browser confirmation page. Each time Equifax mailed me my credit report with no letter of explanation or contact info. Spent a good deal of time weeding through the automated phone system as well. Finally called 866-640-2273 and got a person who gave me the last 4 digits of the pin (big help) and this # for GA 888-298-0045 9-5 M-F

I froze our credit reports per Clark's recommendation. My husband and I have excellent credit.I opened a new check/savings account, the banker obviously checked my credit while I was sitting there, she got very nervous, went for help, they are both starring at the computer screen with strange looks on their faces. I asked if there was a problem. Evidently "credit denied" appeared on the screen. I explained that we had our reports froze and they understood. This also happened with a new furnace installation, and a car repair. What appears on the screen when a business now checks my credit? Not that any of these businesses needed to check my credit. I did not apply for credit from any of them. Does it say anything like "Credit Report on Freeze at request of report owner, please ask owner to unfreeze account". While the protection is much appreciated,something needs to be done to help elliminate undo embarressment. Thank you, Susan

It is true, freezing your credit is fast and easy. But beware, UNfreezing your credit requires you to type in your PIN number. The PIN number is sent to you in the mail, and if you have unknowingly discarded, accidentally misfiled or misplaced this important piece of paper, Experian and Equifax offers no person-to-person contact numbers. Both will require you to compile and send documentation through the US Mail. Crippling if credit is needed in a hurry. DO NOT LOSE YOUR PIN NUMBER.

Generally I think that placing a credit freeze on credit reports is a good idea. That part can prove relatively easy. It is the removal of the credit freeze that can be a nightmare. It can take several days. I am in the processing of changing gas marketers and I lost out on one deal because I needed a 10-digit pin that only Equifax had. It took them a few days to send it to me. I think looked into another gas marketer who uses another credit reporting agency and I am now waiting for them to send me another 10-digit pin so that the gas marketer can access my credit report and I can get a good natural gas rate. I almost regret ever putting the freeze on my credit report, but my ID has been compromised. I think that the credit reporting agencies should allow us to create our own PIN# when we initially put the freeze on.

I just painlessly added a security freeze to my TransUnion account on-line. It did not cost anything, as indicated in the following comment on the website:
Online:
At this time, you may process your Security Freeze request online, free of charge.

As a GA resident,I CALLED each of them around 10 am the morning after the law went into effect on 1 Aug for FREE freezes for all in GA over 65 years old.
No problem with Transunion or Experian but had to ask for a supervisor at Equifax after initially getting the idiot treatment and a DENIAL of any FREE freezes for anyone. I explained the GA law to the supervisor and again was told no free freezes regardless of your age. I asked her for her name and badge number ( I already had the first person's name) and and her location and again gently explained the free for 65 year old law and read her the letter I had received from some office in Atlanta during early Jul explaining the law change again. I told her if she didn't act on my request as required by the new GA law,that I would file a law suit within 24 hours against Equifax,the first employee, and her personally and ask the court for Class Action status against Equifax. She asked me to hold and returned in about 5 or 6 minutes and said she had confirmed the GA law change and had put a FREE freeze on my credit and gave me a pin number and instructions on how to clear the freeze and how to restore it and said a letter would be sent within 5 business days explaining all. I did in fact get similar letters from all three agencies. .

Had no trouble this time getting Trans Union and Experian (three month ago were terrible) credit reports- this time Equifax was terrible about pin and try to sell me something - now have to call them. These credit companies should have to pay us to use our information.

Had no problems with Experion or Equifax but transunion kept kicking me out saying they could not verify

I'm a GA resident also and am having the same problem with TransUnion online as Jim below. Over and over I get message that they can't verify my state.

for weeks now TU hasnt allowed me to freeze my credit online, I live in GA and it keeps telling me they can't verify

As the Stone sang: "You don't always get what you want..." I filed [and paid for] a freeze online last week. Today I got what I assumed to be the password to unfreeze, BUT the letter inside the envelope told me they were removing me from the lists they sell for 5 years, with instruction on how to remove y name permanently, something I'd done years ago. Nothing said about the freeze. Be cautious, "TRUST BUT VERIFY".

Clark Howard said:
"In order to tackle criminal identity theft, local law enforcement will have to move to electronic fingerprinting and/or iris reading to make sure a suspect is who he or she claims to be."

Actually a digital watermark on a state issued ID would work as well and still protect our 4th ammendment

Equifax stated only for five yrs. Transunion sent a three page letter trying to talk me out of doing it and buying there $11.95mo credit monitoring plan. Experian no problem.