Good morning.
Today's 2-minute fix: start a credit freeze for the whole family
A credit freeze stops anyone from opening new credit in your name. It's free. It doesn't hurt your score. You can lift it any time you need a loan. The FTC explains how it works.
Kids are an easy target. Nobody checks a 9-year-old's credit, so a thief can use a stolen number for years.
Do this today:
Freeze your own credit online at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. A few minutes each.
Start your kids' freezes (under 16). Each bureau needs copies of your ID, proof of address, and your child's birth certificate and Social Security card, sent by mail. Equifax and Experian start with an online form. TransUnion needs a letter. Experian lists the steps.
Ask your parents if they've frozen theirs. Retirees rarely open new credit, so a freeze costs them nothing.
Going around now
Pentagon breach exposed Social Security numbers of 2.8 million people.
Hackers had access to a Defense Department personnel system from October 2025 to mid-July 2026, TechCrunch reports. The stolen records include names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers. They were not encrypted. Records of nearly 300,000 people who have died were also taken.
Did anyone in your family serve in the military or work for the Defense Department? Put today's freeze at the top of your list.
Quick alerts
Californians: one free request deletes you from 600+ data brokers. The state's DROP tool is live. Brokers had to start processing requests on August 1.
A package you didn't order? The FTC says it may be a "brushing" scam. Someone has your name and address and may have opened an account in it. Check your accounts and change passwords.
Forward this to Mom and Dad
Mom, Dad, freezing your credit is free and takes a few minutes per bureau. It stops anyone from opening a card in your name. I can do it with you on the phone this weekend.
From the Look Twice editors. Every fact links to its source. This is a sample issue. Get the next one free.
