Taking action
Following the compromise of consumer data from credit reporting bureau Equifax, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) have introduced the Freedom From Equifax Exploitation (FFEE) Act.
This act aims to give consumers more rights more control over how credit agencies use their data.
The bill
The bill is available here, but here is a few of the bill’s highlights:
- Create a uniform, federal process for obtaining and lifting a credit freeze.
- Preventing credit reporting agencies from profiting off the use of consumer information for the duration of a credit freeze;
- Strengthening the fraud alert protection from 90 days to a one year, with a year renewable.
- In ID theft cases, a 7 year fraud alert is created.
- Require any credit reporting agency who charged a fee to freeze credit in response to the data breach to refund those fees,
- Allow for an additional free credit report (consumers already get one under the Fair Credit Reporting Act through annualcreditreport.com)
Freezing credit
The most important feature here is the removal of any fee to freeze your credit. Currently, agencies like Equifax charge nominal fees to freeze credit (anywhere from 3-10) dollars. If this bill passes – not only will that service be free, but it will restrict the way credit agencies use that information while the freeze is active.
The idea behind making this free also keeps credit companies, whom many believe are responsible for the security of credit information, from profiting off information breaches. Given that many financial advisors have advised those impacted to freeze their credit, this would be a benefit to consumers.
It is important to note here that Equifax has suspended the fees to freeze credit for the next month.
A credit freeze restricts access to your credit report. Simply put, it requires the credit agency to contact you first to ensure it was you who applied for credit, thus making it harder for you to apply for credit. You would need to unfreeze your account to apply for new credit. You must also freeze credit with each bureau, which can lead to some expenses as you must pay anytime to lift a freeze.
Remember: a credit freeze doesn’t impact current accounts or your credit score. If you apply for credit often, or open new accounts often, then a credit freeze may not be for you.
Lots of names
The bill has several original co-sponsors, including Senators Sanders, Franken, and Blumenthal. Companies like the National Consumer Law Center, Americans for Financial Reform, CREDO, and the Consumer Federation of America all have also endorsed the bill.
#CreditFreeze
