Equifax hack & Apple Financing - New iPhones

[bencjedi]

So if I freeze my credit and planned to finance the iPhone X purchase on October 27th with Apple, will the pre-ordering process do a credit check immediately? How much lead-time to unfreeze to avoid a denial during preorder? Should I just wait to freeze after my iPhone is preordered?

Thanks a lot Equifax for making things more complicated during an expected difficult time if you want to be in the front of initial shipments of the new phone! Equifax allows a free lock (usually $10) up until October 11th, so since the preorder doesn't open until October 27th for the iPhone X you will have to pay $10 to freeze your Equifax report if you intend to freeze AFTER the iPhone X is preordered.

 

[jeremysteele]

IMO, "I pay with cash" or "I don't finance" should be an option.

Thaws/temporary lifts can take a few days. If you are expecting to finance, it may make sense to wait. Also, the fees change depending on the state. In many states initial freezes are free, and you only pay for thaws and refreezes.

 

[Givmeabrek]

I wouldn't trust Equifax as far as I can throw them.

As Randy Moss said, "Straight Cash Homey". Problem solved...

 

[cbreze]

OP. you realize you need to freeze with all the credit reporting agencies not just Equifax since all our info is out there now. Question is do you need to unfreeze all or just one for a credit check.

 

[EDH667]

So if I freeze my credit and planned to finance the iPhone X purchase on October 27th with Apple, will the pre-ordering process do a credit check immediately? How much lead-time to unfreeze to avoid a denial during preorder? Should I just wait to freeze after my iPhone is preordered?

Thanks a lot Equifax for making things more complicated during an expected difficult time if you want to be in the front of initial shipments of the new phone! Equifax allows a free lock (usually $10) up until October 11th, so since the preorder doesn't open until October 27th for the iPhone X you will have to pay $10 to freeze your Equifax report if you intend to freeze AFTER the iPhone X is preordered.

I have had my credit frozen for several years. If I unfreeze all three credit bureaus, my credit is unfrozen instantly after I compete the online verification on each site.

 

[cbreze]

I have had my credit frozen for several years. If I unfreeze all three credit bureaus, my credit is unfrozen instantly after I compete the online verification on each site.

This is good to know. Mine's been frozen for about 10 months and was wondering how quickly I could thaw all 3. On another note I'm wondering if the hackers probably have the pin code to unfreeze since they have all our info. So a frozen account may not help.

 

[oplix]

Freeze your credit after. Fairly simple solution

 

[ckurt25]

This is good to know. Mine's been frozen for about 10 months and was wondering how quickly I could thaw all 3. On another note I'm wondering if the hackers probably have the pin code to unfreeze since they have all our info. So a frozen account may not help.

You can change your pin, right? I froze my credit after the breach so my pin wouldn't be out there anyway.

 

[cbreze]

Mine was frozen before the breach . My concern was if they had my pin number in their file then the hackers could’ve got that as well as my other information. That’s kind of what was concerning. No idea. Massive fail on Equifax’s part in any case. So Yeah, maybe I can change it. Not sure will do any good though or make any difference.

 

[bencjedi]

Looks like Apple is inviting existing upgrade users early qualification but if you are like me and never used it you cannot do the prequalification until the iPhoneX preorder window opens on the 27th; when everyone and their dog is trying to preorder and causing a denial of service to compete the process. Really disappointed Apple hasn't made prequalification available to everyone