Wis. Stat. § 100.545 — WI Code / Chapter 100 / Section 100.545
Section 100.545
Status: in_force

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.

2. Provides to the consumer reporting agency sufficient proof of identification of the protected consumer and the representative.

3. Provides to the consumer reporting agency sufficient proof of authority to act on behalf of the protected consumer.

4. Pays to the consumer reporting agency a fee as provided in sub. (5) .

(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.

(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.

(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.

(e) A security freeze for a protected consumer placed under par. (c) remains in effect until one of the following occurs:

1. The protected consumer or the protected consumer’s representative requests the consumer reporting agency to remove the security freeze in accordance with sub. (4) .

2. The security freeze is removed in accordance with sub. (6) .

(4) Removal of security freeze.

(a) If a protected consumer or a protected consumer’s representative wishes to remove a security freeze for the protected consumer, the protected consumer or the protected consumer’s representative shall do all of the following:

1. Submit a request for the removal of the security freeze to the consumer reporting agency at the address or other point of contact and in the manner specified by the consumer reporting agency.

2. Provide to the consumer reporting agency sufficient proof of identification of the protected consumer and one of the following:

a. For a request by the protected consumer, proof that the sufficient proof of authority for the protected consumer’s representative to act on behalf of the protected consumer is no longer valid.

b. For a request by the representative of the protected consumer, sufficient proof of identification of the representative and sufficient proof of authority to act on behalf of the protected consumer.

3. Pay to the consumer reporting agency a fee as provided in sub. (5) .

(b) Within 30 days after receiving a request that meets the requirements of par. (a) , the consumer reporting agency shall remove the security freeze for the protected consumer.

(5) Fees.

(a) Except as provided in par. (b) , a consumer reporting agency may not charge a fee for any service performed under this section.

(b) A consumer reporting agency may charge a reasonable fee, not exceeding $10, for each placement or removal of a security freeze for a protected consumer.

(c) Notwithstanding par. (b) , a consumer reporting agency may not charge any fee under this section if any of the following applies:

1. The protected consumer’s representative has obtained a police report or affidavit of alleged identity fraud against the protected consumer and provides a copy of the report or affidavit to the consumer reporting agency.

2. A request for the placement or removal of a security freeze is for a protected consumer who is under the age of 16 years at the time of the request and the consumer reporting agency has a file pertaining to the protected consumer.

(6) Material misrepresentations. A consumer reporting agency may remove a security freeze for a protected consumer or delete a record of a protected consumer if the security freeze was placed or the record was created based on a material misrepresentation of fact by the protected consumer or the protected consumer’s representative.

(7) Penalty; enforcement.

(a) A person who violates this section may be required to forfeit not more than $1,000 for each violation.

(b) The department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection or the department of justice, after consulting with the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, may bring an action for temporary or permanent injunctive or other relief for any violation of this section or an action for the penalty authorized in par. (a) .

History: 2013 a. 78 ; 2017 a. 334 ; 2025 a. 129 .