Jan 11, 2013

Credit Reports Freeze Creates Problems

     From Ann Carns, writing in the New York Times "Bucks" column:
I wrote this week about expanded online services offered by the Social Security Administration through its My Social Security Web site.
In response, a Bucks reader wrote to express his disappointment that, because he had a security freeze on his credit reports, he had been unable to create an online account...
Mark Hinkle, a spokesman for the agency, said My Social Security works through Experian, one of the three major credit bureaus, to verify the identities of people setting up online accounts. When you go online to register, the agency’s system performs a so-called “soft” inquiry of your Experian credit file. If a freeze is in place, your information can’t be accessed and you can’t create an account, at least not without jumping through some extra hoops.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

isn't the credit reporting freeze doing exactly what it's supposed to? so these people are either mad at SSA for verifying the account creator before giving up a person's earnings info, etc., or mad at the credit reporting bureau for not allowing the type of activity you asked them to not allow in the first place.

Americans...

Anonymous said...

What if you have no credit history? I was unable to create an account online.

Anonymous said...

"I was unable to create an account online." If you can't setup a "my Social Security" account online yourself, only a Social Security office can possibly help you set it up.