{"id":268,"date":"2021-03-01T17:36:03","date_gmt":"2021-03-01T23:36:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.pirg-test.com\/wisconsin\/foundation\/resources\/little-secrets-easily-freeze-your-credit-files-phone-or-online-2\/"},"modified":"2022-08-06T06:22:35","modified_gmt":"2022-08-06T11:22:35","slug":"little-secrets-to-easily-freeze-your-credit-files-by-phone-or-online","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/dev.pirg-test.com\/wisconsin\/foundation\/resources\/little-secrets-to-easily-freeze-your-credit-files-by-phone-or-online\/","title":{"rendered":"Little secrets to easily freeze your credit files by phone or online"},"featured_media":13276,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":false,"_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":""},"campaign_tax":[153],"display_option":[],"issue_tax":[],"resource_type":[67],"region_tax":[],"state":[5,7,8,9,12,13,16,18,23,24,25,28,29,2,32,33,34,36,38,40,41,42,46,50,52],"topic_tax":[124],"class_list":["post-268","resource","type-resource","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"details":{"helper_taxonomies":{"topics":[124],"collection":false,"press_type":false,"person_type":false,"resource_type":67,"event_type":false,"campaigns":153,"department":false,"level":false,"states":[2,5,7,8,9,12,13,16,18,23,24,25,28,29,32,33,34,36,38,40,41,42,46,50,52],"act_option":false,"display_option":false,"primary":{"topic":124}},"subtitle":"","excerpt":"You have two primary options for freezing your credit files with the three major credit bureaus. You can do it by phone or online, whichever you\u2019re more comfortable with.","featured_image":13276,"caption_override":"","updated_on":null,"sidebar_action":null,"related_event":null,"hide_hero_image":false,"location":"","external_link":{"publication_name":"","url":""},"file":null,"sidebar_action_query_string":""},"helper_people_group":{"title":"Authors","entities":null},"helper_downloads":{"title":"Downloads","files":null},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

by Teresa Murray, Consumer Watchdog<\/em><\/p>\n

You have two primary options for freezing your credit files with the three major credit bureaus. You can do it by phone or online, whichever you\u2019re more comfortable with.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Below are instructions for doing it by phone. Here\u2019s<\/strong> a link to a U.S. PIRG staffer\u2019s step-by-step account<\/a><\/strong> of freezing her files online<\/a> for the first time.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

To freeze your credit files by phone:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Experian: 1-888-397-3742<\/strong><\/p>\n

TransUnion: 1-888-909-8872<\/strong><\/p>\n

Equifax: 1-800-685-1111<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Before you embark on your freeze journey, you should make sure you are ready. You can do all of the tasks through the automated operator; you don\u2019t need to talk to a live person. Here are some important tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1, Don\u2019t try<\/strong> to multi-task. It\u2019s not difficult to freeze or thaw your files. But you shouldn\u2019t do it while you\u2019re watching TV or cooking dinner. You need to focus and follow the prompts in a timely fashion. You should be able to complete all three bureaus in 15 to 20 minutes if you don\u2019t make mistakes or miss your prompts and need to start over.<\/p>\n

2. Have a pen<\/strong> and paper next to you.<\/p>\n

3. Have ready (writing everything down isn\u2019t a bad idea)<\/strong>:<\/p>\n