Privacy Law Library

Consumer Empowerment and Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2006 (credit security freeze and Social Security number protection)

RI Security Freeze / SSN Act

Credit reporting · Financial · Data security

Lets Rhode Island residents freeze their credit reports free of charge so credit cannot be opened in their name without authorization, and sets deadlines for credit bureaus to place, lift and remove freezes. It also restricts how businesses and agencies may display, mail or require transmission of Social Security numbers.

Where
Rhode Island
Citation
R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 6-48-1 to 6-48-9
Status
In force
Enforced by
Courts via consumer suits; civil fines and misdemeanor prosecution for SSN violations
People can sue
Yes
Penalties
Willful noncompliance makes the violator liable to the consumer for actual damages or $100 to $1,000, punitive damages and attorney's fees; negligent noncompliance for actual damages and fees (§ 6-48-7). SSN violations carry a civil fine up to $3,000, and knowing violations are a misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and/or a $5,000 fine (§ 6-48-8(d)).
Applies to
  • Consumer reporting agencies holding credit reports on Rhode Island residents (security freeze duties; resellers, check-services, deposit-account and adverse-information databases are exempt from placing freezes)
  • Any person or entity, including state and local agencies, that handles individuals' Social Security numbers (§ 6-48-8)

What a privacy notice must say

  • Include the statutory Rhode Island security-freeze notice whenever a consumer must receive the FCRA section 609 summary of rights.R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-48-6

Rights it gives people

  • Consumers may place a security freeze on their credit report; the agency must place it within 5 business days, send confirmation and a PIN or password within 10 business days, and may not charge any fee for freeze services.R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-48-5(a)(1)-(3), (13)

Practices it requires

  • Temporarily lift a freeze within 3 business days of a proper request and remove it within 3 business days; remove a freeze otherwise only on consumer request or material misrepresentation, with prior written notice.R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-48-5(a)(5), (7), (9)
  • A consumer reporting agency may not suggest to third parties that a freeze reflects a negative credit score, history or rating.R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-48-5(a)(11)
  • Do not publicly display all or part of an SSN, print it on cards needed to access products or services, or print it on mailed materials unless law requires (and never on postcards or visible through envelopes).R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-48-8(a)(1)-(2), (5)

Security duties

  • Do not require an individual to transmit an SSN over the internet unless the connection is secure or the number is encrypted, or to use an SSN to access a website without a separate password or authentication device.R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-48-8(a)(3)-(4)

Sources

Checked against these sources on 2026-09-25 by research agent (Claude), primary sources.

Unverified: The statutory consumer notice in § 6-48-6 still describes fees of up to $10, which conflicts with the no-fee rule in § 6-48-5(a)(13) added by later amendments; the notice text appears not to have been conformed. | Latest amendment of § 6-48-5 is P.L. 2019, ch. 308, art. 2, § 3; its exact effective date was not confirmed, so last_amended is null.

Research reference, not legal advice.