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A credit freeze is generally the stronger barrier against new-account fraud because it restricts creditors’ access to your credit report. A fraud alert leaves the report accessible but asks businesses to verify your identity before granting new credit. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says both are free, and you can use them together.
How a credit freeze and fraud alert differ
| Protection | What happens to your credit report | How to place it | How long it lasts | Victim-specific documentation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credit freeze | Restricts creditors’ access to your report, making it harder for someone to open new credit in your name. | Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion individually. | Until you lift it. | None; the FTC says you can freeze your credit anytime, for any reason. |
| Initial fraud alert | Leaves your report accessible but tells businesses to verify your identity before opening new credit. | Request it from one of the three bureaus; that bureau must notify the other two. | One year; it can be renewed. | No identity-theft documentation is required. It is also available if you suspect you may be affected. |
| Extended fraud alert | Leaves your report accessible and asks businesses to take steps to verify your identity before granting credit. | Request it through one bureau. | Seven years. | You must have experienced identity theft and provide an FTC identity-theft report or police report. |
These are free measures, according to the FTC’s guide to credit freezes and fraud alerts. Its 2025 consumer alert says, “A credit freeze is something you can do anytime, for any reason.”
Which should you choose after identity theft?
Choose a freeze for a stronger barrier to new credit
If someone has your personal information and you want to make it harder to open new credit in your name, place a freeze at all three bureaus. A lender generally needs access to a credit report to evaluate an application, and a freeze restricts that access. A freeze does not guarantee that every creditor will catch fraud or that every type of account is covered, but it is the more restrictive of these two options for new-credit access.
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Add an alert to ask businesses to verify your identity
A fraud alert is useful as an added warning to businesses reviewing your credit. It does not block access to your report, so it is not a substitute for a freeze if your priority is restricting new-credit access. You can have an alert and a freeze in place at the same time.
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Use an extended alert if you qualify
If you experienced identity theft and have an FTC identity-theft report or police report, you can request a seven-year extended alert through one bureau. See the FTC’s explanation of identity theft and extended fraud alerts for the documentation requirement.
How to handle a credit application while your credit is frozen
A freeze does not permanently prevent you from applying for credit. If you are applying for a loan, card, or other credit product, temporarily lift the freeze so the lender can access your report, then put it back in place when access is no longer needed. If you know which bureau the lender uses, you may lift the freeze only at that bureau; otherwise, you may need to arrange access with more than one bureau. The FTC describes temporary lifting in its freeze and alert guidance.
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What to do after discovering identity theft
A freeze or alert addresses only part of the recovery process. The FTC recommends taking steps to stop further misuse, secure accounts, and understand what information was affected.
- Contact the companies where fraud occurred. Use the contact details on an official statement or the company’s official website. Report the unauthorized activity and ask the provider to close or freeze affected accounts.
- Secure affected accounts. Change passwords, logins, and PINs. Use unique credentials, especially for accounts that share a password or email address.
- Place an alert and check your credit reports. Contact one bureau for an initial fraud alert, which must be shared with the other two, and review your reports for accounts or inquiries you do not recognize.
- Consider a freeze. If you have not already frozen your credit, contact all three bureaus individually to restrict access to your reports.
- Report the theft at IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC’s site provides a personalized recovery plan and guidance for the next steps in your situation.
For further recovery guidance, see the FTC’s identity theft guide.
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What a freeze and alert do not protect against
Neither measure reverses fraud or secures every account. In particular, a credit freeze does not stop unauthorized charges on existing bank or credit-card accounts. Keep reviewing account statements, report unfamiliar transactions promptly to the relevant institution, and follow its process for disputing them. The FTC explains this limitation in its guide to recovering from identity theft.
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- Personal Information Protection: there are 4 pieces of address blocker roller stamps in 2 different sizes, and 5 pieces of 1.5 ml inks, a total of 9 pieces. Mainly applied to hide information such as social security numbers, bank statements, billing addresses, shipping addresses, tax documents and so on, protecting your personal information
- Re Inking Unlimitedly: the information blocker stamp can cover information of the length about 100 meters. And each security stamper roller has an oil hole, so you don't have to worry about you having to throw away the roller stamps when the ink runs out. They can be refilled with oil for repeated use, saving time and energy
- Cover Fast: our identity protection rollers come in 2 different sizes, and you can choose different sizes according to different areas of information to cover large amounts of private information in a fast and clean way, avoiding identity theft and rejecting privacy disclosure harassment
- Easy to Use: just remove the lid on the ID stamp blocker roller and open it, and then gently slide it on the place where the information needs to be covered. It is suitable for most ordinary paper with black words, and can protect your personal privacy in time
- Save Time and Energy: compared with the shredder, the personal confidential stamp has a small size, easy to carry, can be applied anytime and anywhere. Compared to the marker, it covers a larger area and can be quickly covered with a single swipe. There is no need to worry about whether you can not protect your privacy in time
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