Protecting Personal Data ...

The massive 2017 Equifax data breach prompted Congress to pass a law letting consumers place a free security freeze on their credit reports. 

That was important because without a freeze, credit bureaus will sell your data to any lender that asks. With a freeze in place, they can't do so without getting your explicit 

consent--- making it harder for identity thieves to open an account in your name. 

Security freezes are optional, however, and consumers must actively set up a freeze at each of the three major bureaus. 

Info obtained from CR Consumer Reports