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The fastest way to reduce new-account identity theft is to freeze your credit reports with all three nationwide bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. A freeze is free, does not change your credit score and stays in place until you remove it. It limits a lender’s access to your report when someone tries to open new credit in your name.
A freeze is not a complete identity-theft solution. It does not secure accounts you already have, reverse fraudulent charges or prevent every kind of misuse of your personal information. Use the steps below to freeze your reports, lift a freeze safely when you need credit and respond if fraud has already occurred.
What a credit freeze does—and what it does not do
A credit freeze, also called a security freeze, restricts access to your credit report for most new-credit decisions. If a criminal has your Social Security number and other identifying details, the lender may be unable to review the frozen report and may decline or pause the application.
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- It does not affect your credit score. Your score and existing credit history remain intact.
- It lasts until you lift it. You can remove it temporarily for an application or remove it permanently.
- It must be requested separately at each bureau. Freezing one report does not freeze the other two.
- It does not stop activity on existing accounts. A thief can still use a stolen card number or an account that is already open.
The Federal Trade Commission describes a freeze as “free to place or lift — and doesn’t affect your credit score.” A lender may still use other information or another bureau, so freezing all three reports is important.
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A freeze does not erase your report, close your cards or prevent you from seeing your own information. It controls when businesses can obtain the report for a new-credit decision. Existing creditors and certain other permitted users may still have access under applicable rules. The FTC says a freeze generally does not block checks for employment, rental housing or insurance.
Choose a freeze, a fraud alert, or both
A freeze is the stronger barrier when you do not expect to apply for new credit and are willing to manage a temporary lift later. A fraud alert keeps your report accessible but asks businesses to verify your identity before opening new credit. The tools can coexist.
| Question | Credit freeze | Fraud alert |
|---|---|---|
| What happens to your report? | Access is restricted for most new-credit decisions. | The report remains accessible, with a notice asking businesses to verify your identity. |
| How many bureaus must you contact? | All three: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. | For an initial alert, contact one bureau; it must notify the other two. |
| How long does it last? | Until you lift it. | An initial alert lasts one year. An eligible identity-theft victim can request an extended alert lasting seven years. |
| What happens when you apply for credit? | You may need to lift the freeze at the bureau the lender checks, then reinstate it. | The business should contact you or take reasonable steps to verify that the applicant is you. |
| Does it protect existing accounts? | No. | No. |
If you are actively applying for a mortgage, auto loan or several credit products, an alert may involve less scheduling. If you are not seeking credit, a freeze generally creates a firmer block against new-account applications. Neither tool replaces account monitoring or fraud recovery.
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How to freeze all three credit reports
1. Start with the FTC’s current bureau contacts
Use the Federal Trade Commission’s current credit-freeze guidance to reach the official freeze pages. Bureau addresses and phone numbers can change, so verify the contact details on that page rather than relying on an old list. The FTC guide identifies these contacts:
- Equifax: Equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services or 1-800-685-1111.
- Experian: Experian.com/help or 1-888-397-3742.
- TransUnion: TransUnion.com/credit-help or 1-888-909-8872.
Navigate from each bureau’s official site to its security-freeze request. Avoid search advertisements or look-alike sites that ask for unnecessary payment information. The freeze itself should not require a subscription or a paid “activation.”
2. Submit a request to each bureau
- Open the bureau’s freeze request page and choose the option for placing a security freeze.
- Provide the identity information requested for verification. The bureau may ask for your name, address, date of birth and Social Security number, plus answers to additional questions.
- Create or use the bureau account credentials required to manage the freeze online. Save the username, password and any PIN or confirmation number in a secure password manager.
- Complete the same process separately with the other two bureaus. A confirmation from one bureau does not cover the others.
There is no charge to place the freeze. If online verification fails, use the bureau’s telephone or mail option shown on its official page. Keep confirmation emails, letters and reference numbers so you can lift or restore the freeze later. Do not send sensitive documents to an address found in an unsolicited email or text; navigate to the bureau site yourself.
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3. Know the processing deadlines
FTC guidance states that bureaus must place an online or telephone freeze within one business day and lift one within one hour. A mailed request must be processed within three business days. These are statutory processing deadlines, not a promise that every identity-verification step will be instantaneous; an incomplete request or failed verification can require follow-up.
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The deadlines also matter when timing a loan application. A one-hour lift is a processing standard after a valid request, not a guarantee that a lender’s system will refresh immediately. If an application is time-sensitive, ask the lender when it will pull the report and allow time to confirm the status.
4. Confirm that every report is frozen
After each request, sign in to the bureau account or use the confirmation supplied to verify the freeze status. Record which bureau was completed and the date. If one bureau shows a pending or failed request, resolve that issue before assuming all three reports are protected. Keep a simple list of all three accounts, confirmation numbers and the recovery method for each login.
How to lift a freeze for a credit application
Do not remove all three freezes automatically. Lift only the report the lender expects to use, and choose a temporary end date when the bureau offers one.
- Ask the lender first. Before submitting an application, ask which bureau or bureaus it will check. A lender can use more than one, and some applications are routed to a bureau selected by the lender’s system.
- Choose the right bureau. Sign in to that bureau’s freeze-management page or call the number on its official site. Request a temporary lift for the application period, or remove the freeze if a temporary option is unavailable.
- Allow for processing. Online or telephone lifts have an FTC-described one-hour processing deadline. A mailed request can take up to three business days.
- Apply after the lift is active. If the lender still cannot access the report, confirm that it is checking the bureau you lifted and that identity verification is complete.
- Restore protection. Reinstate the freeze as soon as the application or decision process ends. Check the account to confirm that the freeze is active again.
A temporary lift does not expose the other two reports. If the lender checks multiple bureaus, you may need to schedule a lift at each one and then restore each freeze separately. If you permanently remove a freeze, remember to place a new one when the application is finished if you still want the protection.
What a freeze cannot prevent
A freeze is designed for new-account fraud, not every form of identity theft. The following activity can continue while your reports are frozen:
- Unauthorized charges on an existing credit card, debit card or line of credit.
- Takeovers of bank, email, shopping, telephone or other online accounts.
- Fraud involving an account that a criminal opened before you placed the freeze.
- Use of your information for purposes that do not require a frozen credit report.
- Many checks for employment, rental housing or insurance, which FTC guidance says are generally not blocked by a freeze.
Continue reviewing bank, credit-card and insurance statements for unfamiliar transactions. Review your reports even when they are frozen; a freeze does not prevent you from obtaining your own reports. A freeze is therefore one layer in a broader routine: protect logins, watch transactions, and respond quickly to anything you do not recognize.
Monitor your accounts and obtain your reports
Review statements on a schedule
Look at every statement for merchants, withdrawals, address changes or new payment methods you do not recognize. Report an unfamiliar transaction promptly to the financial institution or insurer that issued the account. A freeze does not stop additional charges while an existing account remains open. Save the date, time and case number for each fraud call.
Get all three credit reports
You can obtain free reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion through AnnualCreditReport.com. Check for new accounts, hard inquiries, collection accounts, unfamiliar addresses and changes to personal information. A report can show evidence of an account even when the account has not yet appeared on a statement. A freeze does not prevent you from requesting or reading your own reports.
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Dispute information you do not recognize
Contact the bureau displaying the error and the company that furnished the information. Explain what is wrong, include supporting documents and keep copies of your dispute and delivery confirmation. If the same account appears on more than one report, follow the dispute process with each bureau showing it. Continue checking for updates after the dispute; discovering one fraudulent account can reveal additional activity.
If identity theft or fraud has already happened
When you find an unauthorized account or charge, act in this order so the affected company can limit additional loss while you create a formal record.
- Contact the company where the fraud occurred. Ask for its fraud department. Request that the account be closed or secured, unauthorized charges be stopped, and replacement credentials or cards be issued. Ask what documentation it needs to remove the fraudulent activity.
- Change compromised passwords and PINs. Start with the affected account, then change any other account that reused the same password or security questions. Use unique passwords and enable multifactor authentication where available.
- Place a fraud alert. An initial alert is free, lasts one year and can be requested from one bureau; that bureau must notify the other two. If you have experienced identity theft, ask whether you qualify for a seven-year extended alert.
- Obtain and review your reports. Use AnnualCreditReport.com and identify every unfamiliar account or inquiry. Dispute each item with the relevant bureau and furnisher.
- Report the theft at IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC site creates an Identity Theft Report and a personalized recovery plan based on the details you enter. Follow the plan’s instructions for the specific account or document involved.
- Freeze all three reports. If you had only placed an alert, add freezes at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion and keep the confirmation details.
Do not assume that closing one fraudulent account resolves the incident. Continue checking statements and reports for additional accounts or transactions and update the recovery plan as new facts appear. IdentityTheft.gov’s plan is tailored to the facts you submit, so include each affected account and document.
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Freezing only one bureau
Problem: A fraudster applies through a lender that uses a different bureau. Fix: Submit and confirm a separate freeze with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Losing the management credentials
Problem: You cannot lift the freeze when a legitimate lender needs access. Fix: Store each account login, PIN and confirmation number in a secure password manager. Use the bureau’s account-recovery process rather than paying an unrelated service.
Lifting every freeze for convenience
Problem: All reports remain open longer than necessary. Fix: Ask the lender which bureau it will check, lift only that report and reinstate it after the application.
Assuming a freeze stops card fraud
Problem: You miss unauthorized purchases because the report is frozen. Fix: Keep reviewing bank and card statements and contact the account provider’s fraud department immediately.
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Waiting for proof of a breach
Problem: You delay protection while a thief may be using your information. Fix: Anyone can place a free freeze at any time; no breach or known fraud is required.
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Confusing a freeze with an alert
Problem: You expect an alert to block every application or a freeze to contact you about transactions. Fix: Remember that a freeze restricts report access, while an alert prompts identity verification. Neither tool monitors existing accounts for you.
Should you pay for identity monitoring?
The core protections in this guide—freezes, fraud alerts, credit reports, account reviews and the FTC recovery process—are available without a subscription. The FTC notes that companies selling credit or identity monitoring may also offer identity-recovery services, but that observation is not an endorsement and does not establish that any particular service is necessary.
Before paying for a service, identify what it actually monitors, which reports or databases it checks, how quickly it sends alerts, whether recovery assistance is included, the recurring price and the cancellation terms. A paid service does not replace freezes or direct contact with a bank, card issuer, insurer or bureau when fraud occurs. Start with the free steps and buy only a clearly understood service that addresses a gap you actually have.
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- Keep all three freeze-management logins and confirmation records in a secure place.
- Review financial and insurance statements whenever they arrive.
- Check your credit reports periodically at AnnualCreditReport.com.
- Before applying for credit, ask the lender which bureau it will use and plan a targeted lift.
- After the application, verify that each temporarily lifted freeze is active again.
- If you discover fraud, follow the company’s fraud process and the tailored steps at IdentityTheft.gov rather than relying on the freeze alone.
Frequently asked questions
Will freezing my credit lower my score?
No. The FTC says a freeze does not affect your credit score. It restricts access to your report for new-credit decisions; your existing history remains in place.
Do I have to pay to freeze or unfreeze a report?
No. Placing and lifting a freeze are free. Be cautious of a site demanding payment to activate the basic security freeze.
Can I freeze just one bureau?
You can request one freeze, but it protects only that bureau’s report. For broad new-account protection, submit separate requests to Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
How long does a freeze last?
It lasts until you lift it. The FTC describes a freeze as continuing until the consumer removes it, whether temporarily or permanently.
Will a freeze stop charges on my current card?
No. A freeze is aimed at new-credit applications. Contact the card issuer or bank immediately about an unfamiliar charge and ask its fraud department to secure the account.
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Can I still rent an apartment, get insurance or apply for a job?
FTC guidance says a freeze generally does not block many employment, rental-housing or insurance checks. Ask the organization what type of report it uses if you are unsure.
What if I need credit while frozen?
Ask the lender which bureau it will check, lift that bureau temporarily through its official site or phone line, wait for confirmation, and restore the freeze after the application. If several bureaus will be checked, manage each one separately.
Is a fraud alert enough after identity theft?
An alert adds an identity-verification step but leaves the report accessible. After theft, consider freezes at all three bureaus and follow the personalized plan from IdentityTheft.gov.
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Freeze Equifax, Experian and TransUnion separately for free, keep the management details secure, and lift only the report a lender needs. Because a freeze does not protect existing accounts, pair it with statement reviews, free credit reports, prompt disputes and the FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov recovery process if fraud occurs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I freeze my credit?
Use the FTC’s current credit-freeze page to reach Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Request a separate freeze with each bureau, complete identity verification, and save every confirmation and login.
Is a credit freeze or fraud alert right for me?
A freeze is the stronger barrier when you do not expect to seek new credit and can manage temporary lifts. A fraud alert keeps reports accessible but asks businesses to verify your identity. You may use both.
How quickly can a freeze be placed or lifted?
FTC guidance lists one business day for online or telephone placement, one hour for an online or telephone lift, and three business days for mailed requests. Verification problems can require additional time.
Where can I get my free credit reports?
Use AnnualCreditReport.com to obtain reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. A freeze does not prevent you from checking your own reports.
What should I do when I find an unauthorized account?
Contact the company’s fraud department, secure or close the account, change compromised passwords and PINs, place an alert, review and dispute your reports, report the theft at IdentityTheft.gov, and freeze all three reports.
The Bottom Line
Freeze all three reports, not just one. The service is free, does not change your score and remains until you lift it. Temporarily lift only the bureau a lender needs, then restore it. Keep monitoring existing accounts and use IdentityTheft.gov and the company’s fraud department if theft has already occurred.
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