Once, again, I remind you: You need to freeze your credit reporting with the four (not three) credit reporting companies.
You should freeze whoever in your household has a social security number — that includes your spouse and your children.
The four companies are:
+ Experian. Click here.
+ TransUnion. Click here.
+ Equifax. Click here.
+ Innovis. Click here.
You should NOT sign for a credit reporting or credit alerting service that will cost you a monthly fee that they will charge forever. These companies are now trying to make big money off the Equifax data breach.
All freezing is free. Don’t fall for the fancy offers with the fancy names. You don’t need them.
The Federal Trade Commission has issued “consumer information.” Here are excerpts: 
Equifax is facing a criminal probe by the U.S. Justice Department, which is investigating whether three top officials at the credit bureau violated insider trading laws by selling stock before the company disclosed a massive cyber theft. Shares of Equifax have fallen 35 percent since the breach was disclosed on July 29; now it turns out t the company suffered an earlier breach in March.
Bloomberg did a piece on what’s your credit information worth?
How much is your personal data worth to you? A lot. (Thanks, Equifax.) And how much is it worth to an identity thief?
You may be surprised, or insulted, or enraged, to find out.
Click here.
Equifax has produced a “consumer information” website. It’s semi-useless. Click here.
Wired has a piece saying Equifax officially has no excuse for the breach. Click here.
In my youth I was an investigative financial journalist. If I were that today, I’d rip shreds off Equifax’s management. But I’m more mature now. Still, I can’t imagine how this disgusting, lazy, immoral company will survive — especially if we all freeze our credit records with them. Now they have nothing left to sell. Couldn’t happen to nicer people.
This stock is going to zero.
The Vietnam War on PBS. Fantastic TV.
Tonight will be the third episode. Try and watch the previous two episodes (the first two). Here’s one way:
This is the best thing I’ve seen on TV in years. It has meaning for memories. I came to America in 1967 — at the height of the Vietnam War. And it has meanings for what we’re doing today in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, etc. To watch The Vietnam War streaming, go here.
Rosh Hashanah begins tomorrow night (Wednesday) night, September 20.
You can now officially wish all your Jewish friends, “Happy New Year.”
A woman goes to the post office to buy stamps for her Rosh Hashanah “Happy New Year” cards. She says to the clerk “May I have 50 Rosh Hashanah stamps please.”
“What denomination?” says the clerk.
The woman says “Oy vey … my God, has it come to this?
Okay, give me six orthodox, twelve conservative and thirty-two reform!”
Harry Newton, reminds you that Apple’s IOS 11 is out today. It’s a huge improvement. It will give you new features you will now get on your iPhone and your iPad. You should install it. Unlike Microsoft, Apple doesn’t mess you up with new operating systems, like the ultra-horrible Windows 10. More on that later. Meantime, what could be a nicer way to start my day than with pictures of Sophie and Peter, received via PhotoStream on my trusty iPhone 6.
First, Peter:
Second, Sophie.
I’m doing well. So far, I haven’t changed one diaper on any of my four grandkids. Am I a great manager or not?
Our stocks continue to do well. I sold Dish because no one seems to want to buy it. But I’ll buy it back if it gets much cheaper. FANG, Microsoft, Alibaba, Square — the big tech names — continue to do well. For how long? I have no clue. My friends are increasingly bullish.
“My friends are increasingly bullish.” THis is a very bad sign for the market. Your friends are consistently bullish AFTER the market has shot way up and regularly BEARISH after the market has dropped a ton. Exactly the opposite of what they should be.
Oh, and if you freeze your credit expect your credit score to drop between 50 and 100 points. Don’t freeze your credit if you expect to buy a home, a car or anything else on credit in the next five – ten years.
The cost of freezing your account depends on the State you live in. Some States are free and others charge based on State requirements.
“All freezing is free. Don’t fall for the fancy offers with the fancy names. You don’t need them.”???
Tried to freeze credit reports and Experian has a charge of $10.39 per account!!
How can I get this done free?
I don’t know. They didn’t charge me anything.
Mr. Newton – Thank you. The links to freeze credit reports were very helpful. I just retired from Verizon after 30 years and have followed you since the Call Center Magazine days. Your guidance from afar has helped me retire a millionaire. Again, thank you. Glad you have the grandchildren, I know you waited patiently for them..now 4 of them!
Great advice on freezing credit reporting accounts. So many people have been badly hurt both financially and mentally through identity theft over the years.
On DISH, after 21 years paying through the nose to them I have “cut the cable” and gone OverTheAir for free TV plus great movies from Amazon. Also cancelled Netflix too for the same reason.