5- You have the choice of using Email, Mail, or Fax, or you can call the number: 866-222-5880
6- I chose to call 866-222-5880
7- Press 1 for English
8- You will be presented with 3 options
9- Option 3 "To report a possible identity theft" is what you want
Someone will answer your call, ask your name, phone number, email address and finally ask why you are calling. Tell them "I'd like to put a freeze on my employment data". They will ask you for a reason; just say "It's personal".
You will be asked for your account ID and other information to verify your identity (they will ask your SSN).
Finally you will receive a text message with a code. You will give this code back to your interlocutor.
It seems like you can't create an account if you don't have an employer they can find. Several of my previous employers are listed, but that just redirects to a sign on screen for those employers. The current employer is not listed.
My go-to used to be GetHuman[0], where they ask your number and the company you want to reach and (I'm assuming) robotically spam their customer service line to get any human on the phone and call you when a human is reached to connect you. I've received a call as late as 30 minutes after submitting a request on the website. When I pick up, I have to speak right away because it seems like the customer service rep has been on the phone for a few seconds.
Note: Sometimes that rep is not from the department you want to reach, but I've found their call transfer happens faster than calling via the typical process. I also haven't used the service in over a year, so I don't know how much this process has changed.
This comment is the absolute pinnacle of... I don't even have the words to describe it.
"I've slogged through it and, after much trouble and time spent, have come upon the golden path. Here is the map of it; deviate from it at your peril."
Sometimes when I try to do this, people don't take it well; perhaps they think poorly of me for what they feel is me infantilizing them. I hope nobody feels that way about your comment.
This takes a while, but it does work. The agent I spoke with initially directed me towards completing and mailing in the form (BTW, they ask for your SSN on the form and think it's okay to send that via email), but when I asked if I could complete this via the phone call, she confirmed that I could.
1- Head to https://theworknumber.com/view-my-data-sign-up
2- Create an account: you must create an account and make note of your account ID (that you choose yourself). You will be asked for it.
3- If you're curious, download your report (I did, it was interesting to know what they have on me)
4- Then go here https://theworknumber.com/employee-data-freeze/
5- You have the choice of using Email, Mail, or Fax, or you can call the number: 866-222-5880
6- I chose to call 866-222-5880
7- Press 1 for English
8- You will be presented with 3 options
9- Option 3 "To report a possible identity theft" is what you want
Someone will answer your call, ask your name, phone number, email address and finally ask why you are calling. Tell them "I'd like to put a freeze on my employment data". They will ask you for a reason; just say "It's personal".
You will be asked for your account ID and other information to verify your identity (they will ask your SSN).
Finally you will receive a text message with a code. You will give this code back to your interlocutor.
They will put a freeze on your data.