Medicare signups

[EVO X]

And now, you want to unfreeze them?! Why, for heaven's sake! Then people could steal your identity!

The credit agencies have changed their procedures. I froze my credit some years ago. They gave me lengthy pin numbers for the freeze action. If I lost those pin numbers, I would have had to mail documents to the credit agencies. I just created online accounts with the credit agencies and those pin numbers were not necessary to thaw or unfreeze my credit. You can set the thaw for as little as a day. I suppose someone could open up a new line of credit, but that would be an inside job.

[EVO X]

Thanks for the link. I knew it was one of the reporting agencies, Experian in this case. I thought it was Experian or Equifax, but couldn’t remember. I created new logons with both and was able to put a brief thaw on my credit. I was able to get mostly through my online account signup, but have to wait up to 20 days to receive an activation number via snail mail. The Equifax thaw went into effect immediately, while the Experian thaw doesn’t go into effect until 12 AM tonight. That probably explains the 20 day snail mail letter.
I’ll try logging on tomorrow and see if I can complete the process.

[EVO X]

Medicare has zero to do with your credit report.

If you want to create an online account, Experian has to be thawed or unfrozen for identity verification. A Freeper posted a direct link up thread at the SS site stating so. One would think this medicare/SS stuff would be on autopilot. I've lived at the same address for 35 years. Closing in on Medicare eligibility, I would think they could send me some snail mail what I have to do if anything at all.

[EVO X]

What does a credit report have to do with Medicare?

Likely nothing unless you want to create an online account..

[alexander_busek]

One last question: Why does a person even need a credit report?

I am retired (govt. pension and company pension), have purchased land, built, rented out, and sold houses throughout my lifetime (mostly in Hawaii), continue to invest in the stockmarket, have various credit cards - but have never encountered this so-called "credit report." Is it somehow linked to this "credit score" I've heard tell about?

Would it be a good thing to have? Why would I need it, at this point in my life?

Why does anyone need such a report? Which independent governmental agency or other private commercial entity prepares such reports? Do they charge a fee for their services? How could they possibly know about my overseas activities? What power do they have to investigate my "credit history" (Maybe I once declared bankruptcy in Australia)?

Sincere questions!

(I suspect that only people foolish enough to borrow money would ever need to "present their credentials" or otherwise "prove their bonafides.")

Regards,

[EVO X]

There seems to be 2 major reporting issues. The first is reporting of credit scores. If I walk into a bank seeking a loan, the bank wants to know my credit history before offering a loan agreement. The second is these companies have expanded into identity verification using financial data..