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Indiana Credit Freeze Law Takes Effect September 1
Posted on Aug 30, 2007 by Tom Fragala
INDYChannel.com reports
On Sept. 1 [2007], Indiana will join the majority of states in allowing freezes. Attorney General Steve Carter touted the move as away to protect against fraud.
As part of the new law, credit-reporting agencies will be required to place a freeze on an individual's report within five days of receiving a written request to do so.
Applicants will get a personal identification number with instructions with which they can temporarily or permanently remove the freeze. A resident can use the PIN to apply for new credit or access their own report.
There is no cost to the consumer for placing, lifting or removing a freeze. Written requests are required to change the freeze's status.
Get form letters for the Indiana freeze here, from the Indiana attorney general's Consumer Protection Division.
No cost to consumers is a great thing for IN residents. But something in this new law really caught my eye. According to INDYchannel’s article, in 2009, the law expands to allow contacting the credit reporting agencies through email. I assume this means using your PIN on a secure web page, you can lift or re-apply a freeze, not via a regular email message. Email usually means sending a message in clear text, which is obviously totally insecure and easily spoofed. Would love to get your comments on this.
Filed under: Credit, Identity Theft, Tips
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