A consumer reporting agency must place a security freeze, confirm it, and give the consumer a PIN or password after a proper written request; it must also provide a replacement PIN or password on request.
Sec. 20.034. REQUESTING SECURITY FREEZE. (a) On written request sent by certified mail that includes proper identification provided by a consumer, a consumer reporting agency shall place a security freeze on a consumer's consumer file not later than the fifth business day after the date the agency receives the request. (b) On written request for a security freeze provided by a consumer under Subsection (a), a consumer reporting agency shall disclose to the consumer the process of placing, removing, and temporarily lifting a security freeze and the process for allowing access to information from the consumer's consumer file for a specific requester or period while the security freeze is in effect. (c) A consumer reporting agency shall, not later than the 10th business day after the date the agency receives the request for a security freeze: (1) send a written confirmation of the security freeze to the consumer; and (2) provide the consumer with a unique personal identification number or password to be used by the consumer to authorize a removal or temporary lifting of the security freeze under Section 20.037. (d) A consumer may request in writing a replacement personal identification number or password. The request must comply with the requirements for requesting a security freeze under Subsection (a). The consumer reporting agency shall not later than the third business day after the date the agency receives the request for a replacement personal identification number or password provide the consumer with a new unique personal identification number or password to be used by the consumer instead of the number or password that was provided under Subsection (c). Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1326, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1143 (S.B. 222), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007. Assigned by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 64 (S.B. 60), Sec. 3, eff. January 1, 2014.