WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), author of bipartisan legislation with the late Congressman Paul Gillmor (R-OH) that would allow consumers to freeze their credit reports and prevent identity thieves from opening new lines of credit in their name (H.R. 3316), released the following statement today on TransUnion’s recent decision to allow its consumers to freeze their credit files:

“I applaud TransUnion’s decision, and I hope the two other credit bureaus will join TransUnion in offering this important identity theft protection to their customers.

“Consumers deserve protection and control over their personal credit information.  In today’s hi-tech age, file freeze is an effective tool that can stop identity thieves cold in their tracks.”  

TransUnion is one of the three major consumer credit reporting bureaus, and the first to voluntarily offer freezes to consumers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  The two other major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax and Experian, have not made similar credit freeze offers.

Maloney and Gillmor introduced file freeze legislation last month: http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1422&Itemid=61.

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