100.54(6)(a)(a) An individual may request removal of a security freeze included with the individual's consumer report by doing all of the following:
100.54(6)(a)1.
1. Contacting the consumer reporting agency using a point of contact designated by the consumer reporting agency.
100.54(6)(a)2.
2. Providing proper identification and the personal identification number, password, or other device specified in
sub. (2) (b) 2.
100.54(6)(b)
(b) If an individual requests removal of a security freeze under
par. (a), the consumer reporting agency shall remove the security freeze from the individual's consumer report no later than 3 business days after the individual satisfies the requirements under
par. (a) 1. to
3. and the consumer reporting agency's release of the report is no longer subject to this section.
100.54(7)(a)(a) If a 3rd party requests access to an individual's consumer report that includes a security freeze, the request is made in connection with the individual's application for an extension of credit, and the consumer reporting agency is prohibited under this section from releasing the report to the 3rd party, the 3rd party may treat the individual's application as incomplete.
100.54(7)(b)
(b) This section does not prohibit a consumer reporting agency from advising a 3rd party that an individual's consumer report includes a security freeze and that the consumer reporting agency must obtain the individual's authorization before releasing the individual's consumer report.
100.54(8)
(8) Exceptions. This section does not apply to an individual's consumer report that a consumer reporting agency releases to, or for, any of the following:
100.54(8)(a)1.a.a. A person with whom the individual has, or had prior to assignment, an account or contract, including a demand deposit account; a person to whom the individual issued or is otherwise personally liable on a negotiable instrument; or a person who otherwise has a legitimate business need for the information in connection with a business transaction initiated by the individual; for the purpose of preventing or investigating potential fraud or theft of identity, reviewing the account, collecting the financial obligation owing for the account, contract, or negotiable instrument, or conducting the business transaction.
100.54(8)(a)1.c.
c. An assignee of a financial obligation owing by the individual to a person specified in
subd. 1. a.
100.54(8)(a)1.d.
d. A prospective assignee of a financial obligation owing by the individual to a person specified in
subd. 1. a. in conjunction with the proposed purchase of the financial obligation.
100.54(8)(a)2.
2. For purposes of
subd. 1. a., "reviewing the account" includes activities related to account maintenance, monitoring, credit line increases, and account upgrades and enhancements.
100.54(8)(b)
(b) A subsidiary, affiliate, agent, assignee, or prospective assignee of a person to whom the consumer reporting agency has released the consumer report during the time period authorized by the individual under
sub. (4).
100.54(8)(c)
(c) Any state or local agency, law enforcement agency, court, or private collection agency acting pursuant to a court order, warrant, or subpoena.
100.54(8)(e)
(e) The state or its agents or assigns acting to investigate fraud or acting to investigate or collect delinquent taxes or unpaid court orders or to fulfill any of its other statutory responsibilities.
100.54(8)(g)
(g) A person administering a credit file monitoring subscription service or similar service to which the individual has subscribed.
100.54(8)(h)
(h) A person for the purpose of providing an individual with a copy of his or her consumer report upon the individual's request.
100.54(8)(i)
(i) An insurer authorized to do business in this state that uses the consumer report in connection with the underwriting of insurance involving the individual. For purposes of this paragraph, "underwriting" consists of the activities described in the Federal Trade Commission's interpretation of
15 USC 1681b (a) (3) (C) in
16 CFR Part 600, App. A.
100.54(8)(j)
(j) A person who intends to use the information for employment purposes.
100.54(9)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), a consumer reporting agency may charge an individual a fee of no more than $10 each time that the individual requests a security freeze under
sub. (2), authorizes release of a consumer report under
sub. (4), or requests removal of a security freeze under
sub. (6).
100.54(9)(b)
(b) A consumer reporting agency may not charge a fee to an individual who submits evidence satisfactory to the consumer reporting agency that the individual made a report to a law enforcement agency under
s. 943.201 (4) regarding the individual's personal identifying information or a personal identifying document. A copy of a law enforcement agency's report under
s. 943.201 (4) is considered satisfactory evidence for purposes of this paragraph.
100.54(10)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), if a consumer reporting agency includes a security freeze in an individual's consumer report, the consumer reporting agency may not change the individual's name, date of birth, social security number, or address in the report unless, within 30 business days of changing the information, the consumer reporting agency sends written notice of the change to the individual. If the notice concerns a change of address, the consumer reporting agency shall send the notice to both the new and former address.
100.54(10)(b)
(b) Notice is not required under
par. (a) for changing abbreviations for names or streets, correcting spelling, transposing numbers, or making other technical changes.
100.54(11)
(11) Notices. Whenever a consumer reporting agency is required to provide an individual with a notice under
15 USC 1681g regarding consumer rights under the federal credit reporting law, the consumer reporting agency shall also provide the individual with the following notice:
"Wisconsin Consumers Have the Right to Obtain a Security Freeze.
You have a right to include a "security freeze" with your credit report, which will prohibit a consumer reporting agency from releasing information in your credit report in connection with a credit transaction without your express authorization. A security freeze must be requested in writing by certified mail or by any other means provided by a consumer reporting agency. The security freeze is designed to prevent an extension of credit, such as a loan, from being approved in your name without your consent. However, you should be aware that using a security freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a loan, credit, mortgage, or Internet credit card transaction, including an extension of credit at point of sale.
When you request a security freeze for your credit report, you will be provided a personal identification number or password to use if you choose to remove the security freeze from your credit report or authorize the release of your credit report for a period of time after the security freeze is in place. To provide that authorization you must contact the consumer reporting agency and provide all of the following:
(1) The personal identification number or password.
(2) Proper identification to verify your identity.
(3) The period of time for which the report shall be made available.
(4) Payment of the appropriate fee.
A security freeze does not apply to a person or its affiliates, or collection agencies acting on behalf of a person, with which you have an existing account, that requests information in your credit report for the purposes of reviewing or collecting the account. Reviewing the account includes activities related to account maintenance, monitoring, credit line increases, and account upgrades and enhancements.
Unless you are a victim of identity theft with a police report to verify the crime, a consumer reporting agency has the right to charge you no more than $10 to include a security freeze with your credit report, no more than $10 to authorize release of a report that includes a security freeze, and no more than $10 to remove a security freeze from your credit report."
100.54(12)
(12) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules specifying what constitutes proper identification for purposes of
subs. (2) (a) 2.,
(4) (a) 2., and
(6) (a) 2. The rules shall be consistent with any requirements under federal credit reporting law pertaining to proper identification.
100.54(13)(a)(a) Any person who obtains a consumer report from a consumer reporting agency, requests a consumer reporting agency to include or remove a security freeze in a consumer report, or authorizes a consumer reporting agency to release a consumer report that includes a security freeze, under false pretenses or in knowing violation of, or in an attempt to knowingly violate, this section or federal law, shall be liable to the consumer reporting agency for actual damages sustained by the consumer reporting agency or $1,000, whichever is greater.
100.54(13)(b)
(b) A person who fails to comply with this section is liable for any actual damages sustained by an individual as a result of the failure and, notwithstanding
s. 814.04 (1), the costs of the action, including reasonable attorney fees.
100.54 History
History: 2005 a. 140;
2007 a. 97.
100.54 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also ch.
ATCP 112, Wis. adm. code.
100.545
100.545
Security freezes for protected consumers. 100.545(1)(c)
(c) "Protected consumer" means an individual who is one of the following:
100.545(1)(c)1.
1. Under the age of 16 years at the time a request for the placement of a security freeze is made under
sub. (3) (a).
100.545(1)(c)2.
2. An individual for whom a guardian or conservator has been appointed.
100.545(1)(d)
(d) "Record" means a compilation of information about a protected consumer that satisfies all of the following:
100.545(1)(d)2.
2. The compilation is created by a consumer reporting agency solely for the purpose of complying with this section.
100.545(1)(e)
(e) "Representative" means a person who provides to a consumer reporting agency sufficient proof of authority to act on behalf of a protected consumer.
100.545(1)(f)
(f) "Security freeze for a protected consumer" means one of the following:
100.545(1)(f)1.
1. If a consumer reporting agency does not have a file pertaining to a protected consumer, a restriction placed on the protected consumer's record that prohibits, except as provided in this section, the consumer reporting agency from releasing the protected consumer's record.
100.545(1)(f)2.
2. If a consumer reporting agency has a file pertaining to the protected consumer, a restriction placed on the protected consumer's credit report that prohibits, except as provided in this section, the consumer reporting agency from releasing the protected consumer's credit report or any information derived from the protected consumer's credit report.
100.545(1)(g)
(g) "Sufficient proof of authority' means documentation that shows a representative has authority to act on behalf of a protected consumer, including any of the following:
100.545(1)(g)3.
3. A written, notarized statement signed by a representative that expressly describes the authority of the representative to act on behalf of a protected consumer.
100.545(1)(h)
(h) "Sufficient proof of identification" means information or documentation that identifies a protected consumer or a representative of a protected consumer, including any of the following:
100.545(1)(h)1.
1. A social security number or a copy of a social security card issued by the social security administration.
100.545(1)(h)2.
2. A certified or official copy of a birth certificate issued by the entity authorized to issue the birth certificate.
100.545(1)(h)3.
3. A copy of an operator's license issued under
ch. 343 or under a comparable law of another state, an identification card issued under
s. 343.50 or under a comparable law of another state, or any other government issued identification.
100.545(2)
(2) Exceptions. This section does not apply to the use of a protected consumer's credit report or record by any of the following:
100.545(2)(a)
(a) A person administering a credit file monitoring subscription service to which the protected consumer has subscribed or the representative of the protected consumer has subscribed on behalf of the protected consumer.
100.545(2)(b)
(b) A person providing the protected consumer or the protected consumer's representative with a copy of the protected consumer's credit report on request of the protected consumer or the protected consumer's representative.
100.545(2)(d)
(d) An insurance company for the purpose of conducting its ordinary business.
100.545(2)(e)
(e) A consumer reporting agency's database or file that consists of information concerning, and used for, one or more of the following, but not for credit granting purposes:
100.545(3)(a)(a) A consumer reporting agency shall place a security freeze for a protected consumer if the consumer reporting agency receives a request from the protected consumer's representative for the placement of the security freeze and the protected consumer's representative does all of the following:
100.545(3)(a)1.
1. Submits the request to the consumer reporting agency at the address or other point of contact and in the manner specified by the consumer reporting agency.
100.545(3)(a)2.
2. Provides to the consumer reporting agency sufficient proof of identification of the protected consumer and the representative.
100.545(3)(a)3.
3. Provides to the consumer reporting agency sufficient proof of authority to act on behalf of the protected consumer.
100.545(3)(b)
(b) If a consumer reporting agency does not have a file pertaining to a protected consumer when the consumer reporting agency receives a request under
par. (a), the consumer reporting agency shall create a record for the protected consumer. Upon receiving the request, the consumer reporting agency shall verify that no file pertains to the protected consumer by checking for existing files relating to the protected consumer's name and social security number and for existing files relating only to the protected consumer's social security number. A record created under this paragraph may not be used to consider the protected consumer's creditworthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living.
100.545(3)(c)
(c) Within 30 days after receiving a request that meets the requirements of
par. (a), a consumer reporting agency shall place a security freeze for the protected consumer.
100.545(3)(d)
(d) Unless a security freeze for a protected consumer is removed in accordance with
sub. (4) or
(6), a consumer reporting agency may not release the protected consumer's credit report, any information derived from the protected consumer's credit report, or any record created for the protected consumer.
