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Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.

Have you ever tried to call a rating agency to deal with an error or have your credit temporarily frozen? Did it look anything like this? (Photo: Screeenshot/Twitter/@SenWarren)
If credit agencies use your personal financial records to make their assessment of your credit-worthiness, why is it so hard to get them to freeze or adjust your credit rating when you are the victim of fraud or when some hacker manages to steal that sensitive information?
Good question.
And one that Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)--who has proposed legislation making it possible for individual consumers to put a hold on their credit without charge--was left asking in desperation after having this experience of trying to call the credit service giant Equifax on Monday:
"Warning," wrote Warren in a Facebook post, "from a painfully boring experience: calling Equifax to freeze your credit takes forever and may not even work. Freezing your credit file should be quick and free - that's why we need to pass the FREE Act."
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
If credit agencies use your personal financial records to make their assessment of your credit-worthiness, why is it so hard to get them to freeze or adjust your credit rating when you are the victim of fraud or when some hacker manages to steal that sensitive information?
Good question.
And one that Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)--who has proposed legislation making it possible for individual consumers to put a hold on their credit without charge--was left asking in desperation after having this experience of trying to call the credit service giant Equifax on Monday:
"Warning," wrote Warren in a Facebook post, "from a painfully boring experience: calling Equifax to freeze your credit takes forever and may not even work. Freezing your credit file should be quick and free - that's why we need to pass the FREE Act."
If credit agencies use your personal financial records to make their assessment of your credit-worthiness, why is it so hard to get them to freeze or adjust your credit rating when you are the victim of fraud or when some hacker manages to steal that sensitive information?
Good question.
And one that Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)--who has proposed legislation making it possible for individual consumers to put a hold on their credit without charge--was left asking in desperation after having this experience of trying to call the credit service giant Equifax on Monday:
"Warning," wrote Warren in a Facebook post, "from a painfully boring experience: calling Equifax to freeze your credit takes forever and may not even work. Freezing your credit file should be quick and free - that's why we need to pass the FREE Act."