<p>I am researching how to freeze our credit and there is a reoccurring statement that having a freeze can interfere with internet transactions. Does anyone have experience with this?</p>
<p>You have to unfreeze your credit whenever you apply for a new loan or something else that wants to check your credit (sometimes a bank account or insurance policy).</p>
<p>Note that there is also a state of “fraud alert” that is not a credit freeze, but warns creditors to do additional identity verification. Although that is apparently voluntary on the part of the creditor, most creditors will do so, because people who put fraud alerts are usually those whose identity information has already been compromised, so credit applications in their name are higher risk for identity fraud than most credit applications.</p>
<p>My fiance has had his frozen for two years now. It hasn’t really been an issue, but it caused some confusion when we moved and tried to transfer the utilities to our new address. The gas company couldn’t “verify his identity” because of it, so they told us. It was no problem to sort it out but it took us a bit to figure out what the problem was. We’ve had no problem whatsoever with internet transactions or anything other than the gas company thing.</p>
<p>It was a royal pain. The credit agencies charge for changing the status of the freeze depending on the state you reside in and it is cumbersome to do. Also, if married, you have to do one for yourself and another for your spouse.We now have all three credit agency accounts unfrozen and will never do it again.</p>
<p>Freezing and unfreezing can be done online instantly or over the phone - but you do need to know your password and since it is not something you use regularly you would need to keep it in a safe place and remember where that safe place is. The cost to freeze/unfreeze in GA is $3.00/ea not expensive and you have to unfreeze and/or refreeze all 3 credit agencies - Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax so it would be $9. As has been previously stated, it can be a pain if the lady at the checkout says you can save 20% if you open an account today and you can’t because your credit is frozen (unless you have your password handy to unfreeze it right then). You tend to forget it’s frozen when you go to buy a car or refinance a house, again because you use it so seldom. But, I am confident no one’s opening an account under our name/names.</p>
<p>I find it no hassle at all. We didn’t block our credit until we a) actually had a bit to protect b) had bought our house and c ) didn’t think we would get more credit cards.</p>
<p>Only have had to un-freeze it twice in 10 - 12? years. Not a problem. Although some banks cannot do it. We did think of getting another credit card, but gave up when the bank couldn’t get it done. Decided they were too stupid to have us for clients.</p>
<p>Last little wrinkle I just ran into: cannot sign up for social security on-line! Why they want to see my credit reports is beyond me. But I went in in person rather than unlock it for them.</p>
<p>Costs $10 to unfreeze each time. Peace of mind is well worth it.</p>
<p>If you find a credit freeze to be too much of a hassle, at least consider setting your credit reports to fraud alert state, rather than leaving them in the default insecure state.</p>
<p>Fraud alert can still limit your ability to get “instant credit” (e.g. “open a store credit account today and save __% on your purchase”), but if you do not do such things anyway, that is no big loss. Opening credit or deposit accounts at internet banks may also be slowed down by secondary identity verification.</p>
<p>Question–do H and I BOTH need to pull our credit report and then do I also need to pull one for my business (which is in my maiden name)?</p>
<p>If so then we would put a freeze on H, me, and maiden name=3 freezes??</p>