Credit Freeze

A credit freeze, also known as a security freeze, is a consumer right provided by Indiana law.  Placing a security freeze on your credit reports can block an identity thief from opening a new account or obtaining credit in your name. A credit freeze keeps new creditors from accessing your credit report without your permission. If you activate a credit freeze, an identity thief cannot take out new credit in your name, even if the thief has your Social Security number or other personal information, because creditors cannot access your credit report.

Any Indiana resident can request a credit freeze free of charge. There is no fee for Indiana residents to place, temporarily lift, remove or request a new password or PIN.  To place a freeze, either use each credit agency's online process or send a letter by certified mail to each of the three credit agencies. Make sure you freeze your credit with each credit bureau- a freeze with one bureau will not transfer to the others.

Please note that in the wake of the 2017 Equifax Data Breach, consumers may run into errors submitting the freeze request due to the influx of traffic to their websites. Please contact the credit agency directly if you encounter any issues- these websites are not administered by the Indiana Attorney General.

Equifax Security Freeze
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348
Place a Security Freeze Online with Equifax 

Experian Security Freeze
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
Place a Security Freeze Online with Experian

TransUnion LLC Security Freeze
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19022-2000 
Place a Security Freeze Online with Trans Union

For each, you may be asked to provide:

  • Your full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.,) address, Social Security number, and date of birth

  • If you have moved in the past five years, you will need the addresses where you have lived over the prior five years

  • Proof of current address such as a utility or phone bill (alternative options include a bank, insurance, or credit card statement listing your full name and address)

  • A photocopy of a government issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, military identification, etc.)

*Click here for sample letters to send to all three credit bureaus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Click here for an informational video on security freezes.

Protected Person Security Freeze

A new consumer protection law, Senate Enrolled Act 394 of 2014, took effect July 1, 2014.  Because identity thieves could attempt to steal the information of individuals such as children or disabled adults who have clean credit history in order to assume their identities and perpetrate fraud, the new law offers a "protected consumer security freeze," similar to the credit freeze for adults.  Parents can use it to protect their children from identity theft even if the children don’t have credit yet.  For mentally disabled adults who also should be protected against identity theft, their legal guardians can register them for the security freeze.

Below are links to the three credit bureaus’ Protected Person Security Freeze sites.  With each of the three credit bureaus, registering for a security freeze for a minor or protected consumer must be done in writing, by mail, rather than online.  Each of the three credit bureaus has a slightly different format for registering for a security freeze for a minor or other protected consumer, so read the directions carefully.

Equifax
Directions for registering for a credit freeze for a minor or protected person from Equifax are at this link:
http://bit.ly/1rIFEKY

Experian
At this link, scroll down to the final two paragraphs on the Experian page for information on a security freeze for a protected consumer:
https://www.experian.com/consumer/help/states/in.html

TransUnion
Directions for registering for a credit freeze for a minor or protected person from TransUnion are at this link:
http://www.transunion.com/personal-credit/credit-disputes/ProtectedConsumers.page


Consumers who have questions about the Protected Person Security Freeze can contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-382-5516. More information is at this link: http://bit.ly/1IEAzg4