Criminals can get your personal information for many reasons, including data breaches, phishing attacks, scams, and stolen devices. If a bad guy has enough of that information, they can try to apply for a credit card or loan using your identity. This is especially true if a cybercriminal has your Social Security number. 

Keeping your credit frozen, though, is one of the best ways to prevent identity theft. Basically, a credit freeze restricts access to your credit report, preventing creditors from approving new credit in your name in many cases.  

Credit freezes are free, don’t hurt your credit score, and you can place one even if you don't think your information has been compromised. In fact, we recommend keeping your credit frozen by default, and you can even freeze your children's credit!  

If you want to apply for credit, you can unfreeze (or “thaw”), apply, and then freeze your credit reports again.

What is a credit freeze? 

A credit freeze restricts access to your credit report. When your credit is frozen, potential creditors generally can't access your credit report to approve a new credit account. Basically, neither cybercriminals nor you can get new lines of credit while your credit is frozen.  

A credit freeze (sometimes called a security freeze) becomes an important layer of protection if a criminal has your Social Security number or other personal information and tries to use it to apply for credit. 

A freeze doesn't mean your credit history disappears or that you lose access to your own credit information, i.e., your existing cards still work. Existing creditors and certain other entities can still access your report under permitted circumstances. 

Importantly, a credit freeze won't prevent all forms of identity theft. For example, it can't stop someone from taking over an existing account, using stolen payment information, or committing certain types of fraud that don't involve opening new credit. 

A credit freeze isn't a total identity-theft silver bullet, but it is one security control among other habits, like using strong passwords and enabling multifactor authentication.  

Why freeze your credit?

There are many good reasons to keep your credit frozen, like:

• Your personal information was exposed in a data breach.

• You suspect someone has stolen your identity.

• You've received an identity-theft notification.

• You want a barrier against scam credit applications.

You don't have to wait until you’re holding a breach letter to freeze your credit—freezing your credit is a great preventative control against identity theft!

How to freeze your credit

To freeze your credit, you'll need to contact all three major credit bureaus separately:

• Equifax

• Experian

• TransUnion

You can request a freeze online, by phone, or by mail. Online or phone requests are the quickest options.

The process is free. Each bureau will have you verify your identity before placing the freeze.

Here is how to get in touch with each bureau. We highly recommend setting up credit freezes through the bureaus' websites:

Equifax credit freeze 

• Online: Go to https://www.equifax.com/ and set up an "myEquifax" account. You do not need to pay for anything.  

• By Phone: Call 888-298-0045.  

• By Mail: Complete a security freeze request form, which is available at equifax.com.  
  Send the form and related documents to:  
  Equifax Information Services LLC  
  P.O. Box 105788  
  Atlanta, GA 30348 

Experian credit freeze 

• Online: Go to https://www.experian.com/ and set up a free Experian account – you do not need to pay for an account to freeze your credit.  

• By Phone: Call 888-397-3742.  

• By Mail: Send a request letter including your full name, Social Security number, complete addresses for the past two years, date of birth, a copy of a government-issued identification card such as a driver's license, and a copy of a utility bill or bank statement. 
  Send your request letter and documents to:  
  Experian Security Freeze  
  P.O. Box 9554  
  Allen, TX 75013 

TransUnion credit freeze

• Online: Go to https://www.transunion.com/and set up an account – you do not need to pay for an account to freeze your credit.  

• By Phone: Call 800-916-8800.  

• By Mail: Send a request letter including your name, address, and Social Security number, plus a photocopy of a government ID with your Social Security number and two proofs of your current address. 
  Send your request and documents to: 
  TransUnion  
  P.O. Box 160  
  Woodlyn, PA 19094

You can also freeze your credit at secondary credit bureaus like Innovis, ChexSystems, and NCTUE, but start your freezing spree with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. 

Be cautious when searching for a credit freeze and avoid clicking unfamiliar ads or third-party websites. Since you're providing sensitive personal information, always go directly to the credit bureau's official website.

How long does a credit freeze last?

A credit freeze stays in place until you decide to lift it. You don't need to renew it. You can leave your credit frozen indefinitely and temporarily lift the freeze when you need a creditor to access your report.

How do you unfreeze your credit?

If you're applying for a credit card, mortgage, auto loan, or another service that requires a credit check, you'll need to temporarily lift your freeze. Contact the three bureaus and request them to remove the freeze. If you want to be more specific, you can ask the lender which bureau or bureaus it plans to check and then unfreeze with only those ones.

Generally, a credit freeze is removed within one hour of your request.

Once the credit check is finished, you can put the freeze back in place. Again, we recommend keeping your credit frozen by default!

You can also do a “credit thaw,” where you schedule your credit report to be unfrozen and then refrozen so you can apply for credit. You need to schedule this with all three credit bureaus, or check with the lender to see which bureau it utilizes.

Does a credit freeze affect your credit score?

No, a credit freeze does not affect your credit score. It also doesn't prevent you from using your existing credit cards or bank accounts. The main inconvenience is that you'll need to lift the freeze to get new credit or give another legitimate party access to your credit report.

Credit freeze vs. fraud alert

A credit freeze restricts access to your credit report and can prevent creditors from opening new credit accounts in your name, while a fraud alert tells businesses checking your credit to take extra steps to verify that someone applying for credit is actually you.

Because it isn't as stringent, we recommend freezing your credit over just having a fraud alert on. You can do both!  

Is freezing your credit worth it? 

We think keeping your credit frozen is a relatively simple way to reduce your risk of identity theft.  

It's free, your credit score won't get dinged, and the freeze stays in place until you remove it. For more tips on protecting your identity and online safety, sign up for our free email newsletter. 

FAQs about credit freezes

Is it free to freeze your credit?

Yes. Credit freezes are free to place and lift with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Do I need to freeze my credit with all three credit bureaus?

Yes. You should place a freeze with all three major credit bureaus because that gives you the most protection.

Can I still use my credit card if my credit is frozen?

Yes. A credit freeze doesn't prevent you from using existing credit accounts. It primarily restricts access to your credit report to open new accounts.

Can I freeze my credit if I haven't been a victim of identity theft?

Yes. Anyone can freeze their credit, whether or not their information has been stolen or exposed.