Nixon encourages freezing of credit reports

A security freeze makes a consumer’s credit report unavailable to lenders, which also prevents identity thieves from opening new accounts or lines of credit in the consumer’s name.

“A credit freeze can go a long way toward making your personal information useless to a thief,” Nixon said in a news release.

“Most identity theft measures are aimed at punishing criminals or helping victims recover. A credit freeze can stop ID theft before it happens.”

Most states across the country now have laws that give consumers the right to freeze their credit reports. Missouri is one of only 11 states without such a law, but credit bureaus Experian, Equifax and TransUnion in the past month have announced they will offer the freeze option to consumers nationwide. Each credit bureau charges $10 to freeze a credit report.

Consumers who choose to freeze

their credit will still be able to make legitimate applications on their own behalf for loans, credit cards or insurance, the release said.

Instructions for placing a security freeze are available online from each of the credit bureaus at www.equifax.com, www.transunion.com and www.experian.com.