Residents in the State of Indiana have the advantage of additional laws and protections in regards to credit reporting. Indiana residents have the right to "freeze" access to their credit reports. At their discretion, they can decide who can and who cannot access their credit information.This very important law provides significant security consumer protections for Indiana residents.
Indiana Residents Can "Freeze" Access to Credit Reports
As a resident, you can notify the major credit reporting bureaus--Equifax, Experian and Transunion, to place a freeze on access to your credit report, if you choose to do so. You can impose the freeze for as long as you wish, revise it, and uplift it whenever you wish.
Security Freeze Protects Indiana Residents
By placing a security freeze, you will restrict the type of businesses and entities that can obtain your credit report. In addition, you will put a very important security feature in place to protect yourself against identity theft and fraud.
How It Works
Once you elect to impose a freeze, the credit reporting bureaus are bound by law to provide you with a unique Personal Identification Number (PIN), within 10 business days after your request.
After you receive, confirm and activate your pin number, access to your credit report will be frozen. Any business entity or person who attempts to use your name to apply for credit will have to know your secret PIN to complete any application for credit. This will protect you from any fraudulent attempt to use your identity to get credit in your name.
Benefits
You will have control to decide whom you wish to grant access to view your credit report. You will protect yourself against fraud. You will have control to implement the freeze for as long as you wish, and revise or edit restrictions at your discretion.
If someone accesses your credit report without your express permission while a freeze is in effect, you have the legal right to sue that business entity or person as a resident of Indiana.
Notification of Unauthorized Access
Every credit reporting bureau where you have a freeze in effect is required by law to notify you of any attempt to access your credit information. They must inform you about the occurrence by mail, by telephone or by email.
If it is confirmed that the attempt to access your information was fraudulent, the credit bureau must also notify all other major agencies. In addition, if the action is confirmed, it will be classified as a breach of security, and reported to the Indiana Attorney General's Office.
Considerations
If you are seeking a loan or applying for credit, you will want to make sure that you amend or grant permission to companies that you want to have access your credit report. For example, this could temporarily take place when applying for a mortgage or credit card.
Your right to impose a freeze is a unique and very important right that not all states provide. Explore how this state right can be of benefit to you as an Indiana resident. Utilize it as and when needed.
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