TransUnion Edition: Social Security Tools (Free)

👀 Today’s Focus: Welcome to the final edition of our Social Security Series! In our recent issues, we’ve taken a deep dive into placing credit freezes, regularly monitoring your credit, and keeping tabs on your identity exposure with Experian and Equifax.

This week, we’ll explore how to activate the same free tools with the third major credit bureau, TransUnion.

😎 Grandkid Tip of the Day:  Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up a TransUnion Account, Placing a Credit Freeze, Monitoring Your Credit, and Tracking Identity Exposure.

Step 1: Creating a TransUnion Account

• On your computer, go to https://service.transunion.com/dss/dashboard.page and enter your information to create an account.

  
  

• After clicking "I ACCEPT & CONTINUE TO STEP 2," you will be directed to the next screen, where you'll be prompted to enter a username, password, and security question.

  
  

• In the "Verify your identity" section, select "Text Message”. Similar to Equifax and Experian, you will follow the same process to validate your phone number.

  

• Enter the code you receive via text on your computer screen as shown below to verify your phone number.

  

• At this point, your TransUnion account is set up. Click "Continue" to access the main dashboard.

  

• You will see a "Verify This Email" yellow message on the main dashboard. Go ahead and verify your email. This will trigger an email to your inbox, where you'll need to click "Verify Email." TransUnion simply wants to confirm that you are the owner of the email address.

  

Step 2 (A): Placing a Credit Freeze

• After setting up and logging into your TransUnion account, in the main dashboard navigate to the “Credit Freeze” section.

  

• On the next screen, click on "Add Freeze" and then "Continue."

  

Step 2 (B): Removing the Credit Freeze

• When applying for credit, you'll need to unfreeze your TransUnion credit. Go to the Credit Freeze section on the dashboard to lift it temporarily or permanently.

  

Step 3: Monitoring Your Credit

• Under “Credit Report” you can request a Free Credit Report to monitor your score and accounts open.

  

• Under Fraud Alert, you can choose the alert that best fits your needs. The "Initial Fraud Alert" is free for 1 year.

  

This is the final issue of our Social Security Series. Remember, to utilize these resources across all major credit bureaus —Experian, TransUnion and Equifax.

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