When it comes to protecting your finances, money expert Clark Howard is all in on freezing your credit. “A credit freeze is the best way to protect yourself from identity thieves,” says Clark.
At Clark.com, we want to make it as easy as possible for you to safeguard your credit and your money at all times.
In our Credit Freeze Guide, we outline the steps to freeze and thaw your credit with the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You may be wondering whether it makes sense to freeze your credit with other, minor credit bureaus as well.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some smaller credit bureaus as well as list the steps to freeze your credit with each one.
Should You Freeze Your Credit With All the Credit Bureaus?
“You could,” Clark says, “There are dozens and dozens of smaller things that come under the rules of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. You can always go beyond freezing your credit with the big three bureaus, because you’ll never know where someone will be using a more minor credit bureau.”
Clark has also said: “You can go nuts freezing your identity everywhere.”
What’s Happening to the Smaller Credit Bureaus?
A few credit bureaus you might not know about include Innovis, which is considered to be the fourth-largest one after the majors, but you may be curious about some of the other, smaller ones.
There’s been a fair amount of consolidation in the credit bureau industry in recent years. In 2018, Experian absorbed Clarity Services, which formerly worked with auto loan financiers as well as consumers who took out small loans. In 2019 and 2020 respectively, Equifax acquired PayNet, then Ansonia, which focused on credit data for trucking and logistics companies. A year later, Equifax acquired CoreLogic Teletrack, which is where consumers could enact credit freezes.
Not to be outdone, LexisNexis gobbled up SageStream, which used to have a standalone credit freeze unit as well.
In all cases, you can go to the respective websites of any of these companies and request a free copy of your Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act), which you’re entitled to do every 12 months without charge.
These firms also may provide various disclosure services related to your privacy under federal law, but for the most part, they work closely with the different business sectors. As for credit freezes, only a few companies operating under the “small credit bureau” moniker still actually allow you to enact credit freezes. Let’s get into it:
Smaller Credit Bureaus Where You Can Freeze Your Credit
There may be some smaller, obscure credit bureaus out there, so the companies listed below are not intended to be an exhaustive list of credit bureaus. Here is a sample of a few of the smaller bureaus where you can freeze your credit:
Innovis
Innovis, likely the most known outside of the big three credit-reporting agencies, is a consumer credit bureau that is a subsidiary of CBC Companies, a financial services firm.
How To Freeze Your Credit With Innovis
- Online: Submit the Security Freeze Request Online form
- Phone: 1-866-712-4546
- Mail: Complete the Security Freeze Request by Mail form
LexisNexis
LexisNexis is a data analytics company that serves consumers, businesses and government agencies with historical records. As I mentioned, SageStream, which used to be a separate credit-reporting agency, is now a part of LexisNexis.
How To Freeze Your Credit With LexisNexis
- Online: Fill out the online LexisNexis security freeze form.
- Phone: 1-800-456-1244
- Mail: Send to LexisNexis Risk Solutions Consumer Center, “Attn: Security Freeze” P.O. Box 105108 Atlanta, GA 30348-5108
On the LexisNexis website, it says, “Applying a security freeze prohibits LexisNexis Risk Solutions and SageStream from releasing your LexisNexis Consumer Disclosure Report, your SageStream Consumer Report, or your credit score without your express authorization.”
Clarity Services
As I mentioned earlier, Clarity Services, which focuses on personal loans and auto title loans, is a part of Experian. You can still freeze your credit with Clarity though.
How To Freeze Your Credit With Clarity Services
- Online: Visit Security Freeze Support to access the forms
- Phone: (866) 390-3118
- Mail: Clarity Services, Inc., A part of Experian, Consumer Support Division, P.O. Box 16, Allen, TX 75013
ChexSystems
ChexSystems is a specialty credit bureau that focuses on tracking closed checking and savings accounts for financial institutions, according to its website.
How To Freeze Your Credit With ChexSystems
- Online: Fill out the ChexSystems Security Freeze form
- Phone: 800-887-7652
- Mail: Chex Systems, Inc. “Attn: Security Freeze Department” PO Box 583399 Minneapolis, MN 55458
Final Thoughts
Yes, there are more credit bureaus than Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You can freeze your credit with a handful of them if you wish, but Clark also wants you to know this:
Need more credit assistance? Read up on how to reach a real person at the major credit bureaus.
