Credit 'freeze' under fire

The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

Orinda resident Sylvia Coates compiles book indexes for a variety of publishers and authors. So that she can be paid, her Social Security Number has ended up in a lot of different hands over the years.

To protect herself from identity theft, Coates maintains a "freeze" on her credit files -- a system whereby no lender can run a credit check without first seeking her permission. California has required that consumers be granted this right since 2003.

But federal legislation that could come up for a vote as early as this week would pre-empt credit-freeze laws in California and 17 other states, and would limit the right to victims of I.D. theft.

"I'm very, very concerned," Coates said. "I haven't had my identity stolen, but I've got numerous friends that this has happened to. Without a credit freeze, I'd feel like a sitting duck."

Do you think the federal government really cares about you?