HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) — Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen announced March 15 that he supported legislation that would ban the major credit rating agencies from charging consumers fees for placing, temporarily lifting or removing credit security freezes.
"In recent years, a large number of Connecticut consumers have been victims of massive data breaches that exposed their personal information and put them at risk for identity theft," Jepsen said in a statement.
"The massive Equifax data breach – which affects more than 1.5 million Connecticut residents – is a prime example. That breach exposed names, addresses, birth dates, Social Security numbers and some driver's license numbers, all critical information that can be used to steal someone's identity. Yet, when these consumers take steps to protect their credit by seeking security freezes, they're hit again by unfair fees that they should not be forced to shoulder.”
Jepsen noted that he was pleased the legislation is up for consideration. He hopes the state’s General Assembly will support the bill. Connecticut State Majority Leader Bob Duff also supports the bill’s passage.
"Consumers don't choose to have their credit history saved by these companies and it is not right that they would have to pay any company to freeze their credit," Duff said in a statement. "The consumers who are punished the most are the ones who can least afford to pay the fee to freeze their credit. This bill will give consumers greater control and flexibility over their credit and will prevent them from being held hostage to fees charged by credit reporting agencies."