Please Note: the smart ATM machines at our Northampton and Northampton VA locations are currently unavailable due to maintenance. Please consider visiting a MoneyPass ATM, or one of our offsite ATMs, for your cash withdrawal needs outside of branch business hours. Also remember that our online and mobile banking services are available for your convenience, which includes the ability to deposit checks using our mobile banking app.
Newsletter 2024 V3 Article - Freezing Your Credit Report
When it comes to identity theft, utilizing protections to prevent unauthorized access to your credit reports can add an additional layer of defense beyond what card controls can do at a transactional level.
Looking to enhance your personal security? An easy practice to implement, each of the three major credit bureaus offers the option to “freeze” your credit, blocking any inquiries that are used by lenders to approve applications for things like loans or credit cards, and making it virtually impossible for an identity thief to create new accounts in your name. While there is a little bit of upfront work, as each bureau must be frozen independently, once your credit is frozen, your reports are safe until you need them. See the following links and phone numbers to freeze your credit.
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- Freeze Equifax or call 888-298-0045
- Freeze Experian or call 888-397-3742
- Freeze TransUnion or call 800-916-8800
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The easiest and fastest way to manage your credit freezes is by making an online account with each of the three bureaus, though freezes may be initiated and removed via phone or mail as well. Once you’ve set up your accounts online, simply turn on the freeze. Then, when a true need arises for your credit to be pulled, all you’ll need to do is login to your bureau account(s) and click the unfreeze button option (or call to have the unfreeze applied). Most lenders have a preferred bureau: simply ask which credit bureau you need to unfreeze. Once your lender has pulled your score, you can lock it down once more.