Consider Freezing Your Credit Now Thanks to DOGE
I’ve been meaning to blog about a credit freeze for a few weeks now since we should all be concerned with data breaches. These breaches are nothing new; they happen all the time. Unfortunately, we saw that with the data breach of National Public Data.
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Although I haven’t been personally affected, I’ve been receiving notifications related to potential hacking. In fact, one specific credit card of mine has been targeted repeatedly, and I finally figured out how my information was being exposed. Of course, this is the same bank where my accounts have been hacked for more than a decade, as well as my credit card. It’s the same bank, never any other creditor. Hmm… Was it a hacker or an inside job?
Alerts are really useful for catching suspicious activity. For example, whenever I make a purchase, I receive a text message about the transaction almost immediately—even before I leave the store. These alerts help, but they aren’t the same as preventing your personal information from being exposed, which could lead to serious issues like having your identity compromised.
For the first time in my life, I’ve taken steps to address this. I’ve known about the solution for years, but with everything going on—like the hurricanes that caused damage to my wife’s car—it’s been hard to prioritize it.
Her car was totaled because of Hurricane Helene, and once we resolved that issue (we got the replacement car in early February), I finally made a note to take action and freeze my credit.
Freezing your credit essentially means you’re blocking access to it—even for yourself—until you manually unfreeze it. For instance, if you apply for a credit card, your frozen credit status will prevent approval until you lift the freeze.
I did this quickly and easily. My primary concern, as I said earlier, stems from data breaches. Government departments like Social Security and the IRS hold sensitive information that could potentially be hacked, and security experts have repeatedly warned about the risks ever since Elon Musk and D.O.G.E. (Department of Government Efficiency) stepped in. There have already been issues with the Social Security website being inaccessible for hours.
The system was designed to be complex and secure, ensuring that no one could easily access it or manipulate it. However, DOGE has kids, for lack of a better term, between the ages of 19 to 24, writing code to navigate through this information, including access to our data. Personally, I find this unsettling. If there’s ever a massive data breach at the federal level, I certainly don’t want to be a victim, and I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if there was one.
To protect myself completely, I’ve decided to freeze my credit. The process is super simple. This is the first time I’ve done this in all the years I’ve had credit, and I finally felt it was the right time, thanks to DOGE. Since I don’t need any new credit now that the car issue has been resolved, freezing my credit just made sense as an extra precaution.
It’s worth noting that freezing your credit is not the same as dealing with fraudulent activity on your credit cards. Freezing your credit prevents anyone from opening new lines of credit in your name, even if they access your data. With fraud alerts, I receive instant notifications on potential unauthorized charges so I can monitor my card’s usage.
The fraudulent notifications are what made me aware of the fake medical companies charging me thousands of dollars. Thankfully, I denied those charges, and my credit card company resolved the issue by sending me new cards.
How to Freeze Your Credit with All Three Credit Reporting Bureaus
If you don’t plan to apply for credit anytime soon, I strongly recommend freezing your credit. Leaving it open doesn’t serve any purpose, and once someone accesses your data, fixing everything becomes a lengthy, complicated process. Freezing your credit is far simpler and gives you peace of mind. And if you need to apply for a credit card later, you can always unfreeze it.
One thing to keep in mind: remember your password. Many people forget theirs, which creates issues when they need to access their credit. If you lose your password, you’ll have to verify your identity through Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion—the three major credit bureaus. You can access all three bureaus via this link as well.
I suggest writing your password down securely, preferably in a physical notebook, instead of storing it on your computer or phone. If your password does get lost, you’ll need to send documents like copies of your ID and Social Security card via certified mail to resolve the situation, and now the process will take longer.
Aside from freezing your credit, make sure to set up alerts on all your credit cards, checking accounts, and savings accounts. These alerts let you know immediately if any unauthorized withdrawals or debits occur. Protecting yourself in advance is much easier than dealing with fraud or identity theft later.
If you believe you have been the victim of a hack or wish to see if your information is available publicly on the dark web, try Pentester.com.
UPDATED SECTION
DOGE Whistleblower Daniel Berulis, a former employee of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), claims there have already been data breaches.
Updated on August 27, 2025.
Now it seems more than 300 million Americans’ Social Security records may have their personal data at risk based on the latest whistleblower complaint filed with the special counsel’s office.
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Please note that the information on this site does not constitute legal advice and should be considered for informational purposes only.
Updated on April 17, 2025.
Updated on August 27, 2025.
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