Security Freeze vs. Prescreen Opt-Out: They Are Not the Same Thing
A freeze and a prescreen opt-out serve different purposes. Learn why an opt-out confirmation does not necessarily mean your report is frozen.
Read more →📱NEWLY ADDED
Agency Spotlight
What Is NCTUE? The Telecom & Utility Consumer Report Most People Have Never Heard Of
NCTUE says its database contains more than 430 million active accounts and more than 222 million consumers, including millions not found in traditional credit reporting.
Read the NCTUE guide →All Articles
🛡️Explainer
Explainer
🏦Identity Theft
Identity Theft
Someone Opened a Bank Account in My Name. What Should I Do?
Existing fraudulent accounts must be addressed with the bank, while freezes and specialty reports can help reduce the risk of additional account-opening fraud.
Read more →🗂️Explainer
Explainer
What Is a Specialty Consumer Report — and Which Ones Should You Check?
Banking, telecom, rental, employment, insurance and alternative-credit decisions can involve reports outside the big three.
Read more →✍️Your Rights
Your Rights
How to Correct an Error on a Specialty Consumer Report
A freeze does not correct existing information. Here is a practical framework for disputes, identity-theft documentation and follow-up.
Read more →🪪Explainer
Explainer
Legal Name Changes, Identity Theft & Consumer Reports
A legal name change does not normally create a new credit identity. Learn how name changes, duplicate files and identity theft should be handled.
Read more →Explainer
New Jersey Bans the Sale of Sensitive Data and Creates a Data Broker Registry
New Jersey signed A5328 into law, banning the sale of sensitive personal data and creating a public data broker registry. Here's what it actually does, how it fits a growing state trend, and why a security freeze still matters today.
Read more →
ExplainerHow Data Brokers Collect and Sell Your Personal Information
Data brokers collect information from public records, websites, applications, purchases, and other sources to create detailed consumer profiles. Learn what information they may hold and how it can be used or sold.
Read more →
ExplainerWhat Is ChexSystems and How Can You Request Your Report?
ChexSystems maintains consumer banking-history information that financial institutions may review when you apply for a checking or savings account. Learn what may appear in your file and how to request your consumer disclosure report.
Read more →
ComparisonCredit Freeze vs. Credit Lock: What Consumers Should Know
Credit freezes and credit locks can both limit access to your credit file, but they differ in their legal protections, costs, and how they are managed.
Read more →
Your RightsA Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act
The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives consumers important rights involving access to their reports, accuracy, disputes, permissible access, and notification following adverse decisions.
Read more →
GuideIdentity Theft Protection and Recovery Checklist
Freezing your credit is only one part of protecting your identity. Review the steps to take before and after identity theft, including reporting fraud, securing accounts, and creating a recovery plan.
Read more →
GuideThe CFPB List of Consumer Reporting Companies and Specialty Bureaus
The CFPB maintains a detailed list of consumer reporting companies, including agencies that track banking history, tenant records, insurance claims, employment information, utilities, subprime lending, and other specialty data.
Read more →
GuideHow to Dispute Errors on Your Credit Reports
Learn how to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information with a credit reporting company and the business that supplied the information.
Read more →