Placing a credit freeze, or security freeze, on your credit reports means an identity thief — even one who has your name, address, Social Security number, birth date and more — should NOT be able to get new loans and credit in your name. That's because lenders, retailers, utilities and other businesses need access to a credit report to review and approve new credit, loans, and services.
Credit report freeze laws have been enacted in all but 3 states. California passed the first credit freeze law [1] back in 2002. Now almost all of the states have a law on the books.
Individuals living in states that have passed laws regarding freezing credit reports must abide by those laws. There are variations between states, so check out your state's website for details on how to place a freeze on your credit report.
47 states and the District of Columbia have now all enacted legislation enabling a credit freeze. Alabama, Missouri, and Michigan are the only states without a credit freeze, but the credit bureau's voluntary credit freeze is still available to them.
Links:
[1] http://fightidentitytheft.com/california-credit-freeze
[2] http://fightidentitytheft.com/alabama-credit-freeze-instructions
[3] http://fightidentitytheft.com/alaska-credit-freeze-instructions
[4] http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill_text.asp?hsid=HB0065Z&session=25
[5] http://fightidentitytheft.com/arizona-credit-freeze-instructions
[6] http://www.privacyprotection.ca.gov/sheets/cis10securityfreeze.htm
[7] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_colorado.html
[8] http://www.ago.state.co.us/idtheft/securityfreeze.cfm
[9] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_connecticut.html
[10] http://www.ct.gov/ag/cwp/view.asp?A=1949&Q=293270
[11] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_delaware.html
[12] http://www.legis.state.de.us/LIS/lis143.nsf/EngrossmentsforLookup/SS 1 FOR SB 109/$file/Engross.html?open
[13] http://fightidentitytheft.com/district-columbia-credit-freeze-instructions
[14] http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/images/00001/20061218135957.pdf
[15] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_florida.html
[16] http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h0037er.doc&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=0037&Session=2006
[17] http://fightidentitytheft.com/georgia-credit-freeze-instructions
[18] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_hawaii.html
[19] http://www.hawaii.gov/dcca/quicklinks/id_theft_info/new_security_freeze
[20] http://fightidentitytheft.com/idaho-credit-freeze-instructions
[21] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_illinois.html
[22] http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=081505050K2MM
[23] http://fightidentitytheft.com/indiana-credit-freeze-instructions
[24] http://www.in.gov/legislative/house_democrats/repsites/r26/R26_20071001.html
[25] http://fightidentitytheft.com/iowa-credit-freeze-instructions
[26] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_kansas.html
[27] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_kentucky.html
[28] http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/06RS/HB54.htm
[29] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_louisiana.html
[30] http://www.ag.state.la.us/calerts/alert0015.aspx
[31] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_maine.html
[32] http://janus.state.me.us/legis/LawMakerWeb/externalsiteframe.asp?ID=280015326&LD=581&Type=1&SessionID=6
[33] http://fightidentitytheft.com/maryland-credit-freeze-instructions
[34] http://www.dllr.state.md.us/finance/advisories/advisory10-07.htm
[35] http://fightidentitytheft.com/massachusetts-credit-freeze-instructions
[36] http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=ocamodulechunk&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Government&L2=Our Agencies and Divisions&L3=Division of Professional Licensure&sid=Eoca&b=terminalcontent&f=dpl_data_security_freeze_law&csid=Eoca
[37] http://fightidentitytheft.com/michigan-credit-freeze-instructions
[38] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_minnesota.html
[39] http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S2002.4.html&session=ls84
[40] http://fightidentitytheft.com/mississippi-credit-freeze-instructions
[41] http://fightidentitytheft.com/missouri-credit-freeze-instructions
[42] http://fightidentitytheft.com/montana-credti-freeze-instructions
[43] http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2007/billpdf/SB0116.pdf
[44] http://fightidentitytheft.com/nebraska-credti-freeze-instructions
[45] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_nevada.html
[46] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_newhampshire.html
[47] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_newjersey.html
[48] http://www.njdobi.org/creditfreeze.htm
[49] http://fightidentitytheft.com/new-mexico-credit-freeze-instructions
[50] http://legis.state.nm.us/Sessions/07 Regular/final/SB0165.pdf
[51] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_newyork.html
[52] http://www.consumer.state.ny.us/security_freeze.htm
[53] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_northcarolina.html
[54] http://www.ncdoj.com/DocumentStreamerClient?directory=Publications&file=securityfreeze.pdf
[55] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_northdakota.html
[56] http://www.ag.nd.gov/CPAT/SecurityFreeze/SecurityFreeze-2007.pdf
[57] http://fightidentitytheft.com/ohio-credit-freeze-instructions
[58] http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_HB_46
[59] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_okklahoma.html
[60] http://fightidentitytheft.com/oregon-credit-freeze-instructions
[61] http://www.doj.state.or.us/finfraud/idtheft.shtml
[62] http://fightidentitytheft.com/pennsylvania-credit-freeze-instructions
[63] http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2005&sind=0&body=S&type=B&BN=0180
[64] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_rhodeisland.html
[65] http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Billtext/BillText06/HouseText06/H7148Aaa.pdf
[66] http://fightidentitytheft.com/south-carolina-credit-freeze-instructions
[67] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_southdakota.html
[68] http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2006/bills/SB180enr.htm
[69] http://fightidentitytheft.com/tennessee-credit-freeze-instructions
[70] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_texas.html
[71] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_utah.html
[72] http://www.le.state.ut.us/~2006/bills/sbillenr/sb0071.htm
[73] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_vermont.html
[74] http://fightidentitytheft.com/virginia-credit-freeze-instructions
[75] http://fightidentitytheft.com/legislation_washington_.html
[76] http://www.atg.wa.gov/AskAG/AskAG_CreditFreeze_20051010.shtml
[77] http://fightidentitytheft.com/west-virginia-credit-freeze-instructions
[78] http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Text_HTML/2007_SESSIONS/RS/BILLS/SB428 SUB1 enr.htm
[79] http://fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_wisconsin.html
[80] http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB-912.pdf
[81] http://fightidentitytheft.com/wyoming-credit-freeze-instructions
[82] http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2007/billindex/BillCrossRef.aspx?type=SF