Credit Freeze
Protect yourself from identity theft
In this Digital Age, with the free flow of electronic
information, consumers are increasingly vulnerable to
identity theft and fraud. While we wait for the state
Attorney General’s Office and law enforcement agencies to
develop collaborative, cooperative approaches to identity
theft, Senate Democrats believe consumers must be given all
the necessary tools to vigilantly protect their personal
privacy.
A credit freeze is the first step in consumer protection.
If a freeze is in place, information from a consumer’s
credit report may not be released to a third party without
prior consumer authorization. The freeze remains in place
until the customer requests its removal. Lenders typically
review your credit report before issuing a loan in your
name. If a freeze is in place, most businesses will not
issue new loans or credit cards because they cannot assess
your current debt status.
Senate Democrats introduced the state’s original credit
freeze measure in 2005. The original law allowed a victim of
identity theft who has submitted a valid police report to a
consumer reporting agency to place a security freeze on his
or her report.
During the 2007 session, Senate Democrats again looked at
the issue to determine if the law could be strengthened. It
could and we did, through
Senate Bill 5826. The bill was approved unanimously
by both the House of Representatives and Senate, and signed
into law by Gov. Chris Gregoire. The bill goes into effect
Sept. 1, 2008.
Identity theft is an attack on our good names as well as
our bank accounts, and we can’t assume that law enforcement
will protect us. We all need to take responsibility for our
self-defense, and a credit freeze helps shield us from
identity theft.
SB 5826 amends current law in several ways:
- Credit freeze provisions would apply to all
consumers, not just victims of identity theft;
- Consumers could request a short-term thaw to access
their credit in an emergency;
- Responsibilities would be defined for both the
consumer and the credit reporting agency when the
request is made; and
- Those aged 65 years and older would be exempt from
fees associated with placing, removing or temporarily
lifting a credit freeze.
Senate Democrats understand that law enforcement is
stretched thin, and identity theft is often a lower priority
than violent crimes. That’s why it is so important for
consumers to have an effective, pro-active tool for
self-defense against identity theft.
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