How to freeze your credit
A credit freeze is free in the US, takes about 15 minutes, and is the strongest single defense against new accounts being opened in your name. Here is exactly how it works.
What a credit freeze does
When you apply for a credit card, loan, phone contract or some utility accounts, the lender checks your credit report. A credit freeze (also called a security freeze) blocks most lenders from seeing your report. Without that check, a criminal who has your name, date of birth and Social Security number usually cannot open new credit in your name.
Key facts for the US:
- It is free at all three national credit bureaus, by federal law since 2018.
- It does not affect your credit score.
- It does not stop you from using your existing cards and accounts.
- You can lift it temporarily in minutes when you need to apply for credit.
- It does not expire; it stays on until you remove it.
Freeze vs fraud alert vs monitoring
| Option | What it does | Cost | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit freeze | Blocks most access to your report | Free | Strong: prevents new-account fraud |
| Fraud alert | Asks lenders to verify your identity before opening credit; lasts one year (seven years for confirmed identity theft victims) | Free | Medium: relies on lenders following it |
| Credit lock | A bureau's app-based version of a freeze, sometimes bundled with paid products | Varies | Similar to a freeze, but governed by the product's terms |
| Credit monitoring | Alerts you after something changes on your report | Free to paid | Detection only, not prevention |
A freeze prevents; monitoring only tells you after the fact. Many people use both.
Step by step
You must freeze at each of the three bureaus separately, because lenders may check any one of them.
- Equifax: equifax.com, look for "Security Freeze", or call 1-888-298-0045.
- Experian: experian.com/freeze, or call 1-888-397-3742.
- TransUnion: transunion.com/credit-freeze, or call 1-888-909-8872.
For each one you will create an account, verify your identity, and switch the freeze on. Store each login in your password manager and turn on two-factor authentication where offered, because whoever controls these accounts can lift the freeze.
Phone numbers and web addresses can change. If in doubt, find the bureaus through the FTC's identity theft pages or USA.gov rather than search ads.
When you need credit
Before applying for a loan, card, apartment or new phone plan, ask the lender which bureau it uses and lift the freeze at that bureau only, for a set number of days. Online requests are usually processed within minutes; by law, online and phone requests to lift must be completed within one hour.
Freezes worth adding
- Your children's credit. Parents can freeze a child's credit at all three bureaus. Child identity theft can go unnoticed for years.
- ChexSystems, which banks use when you open checking accounts.
- The National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange (NCTUE), which some phone and utility companies check.
- Your Social Security account: create your own account at ssa.gov so no one else can create one in your name.
- An IRS Identity Protection PIN, available to any taxpayer, which helps stop fake tax returns.
Outside the US
Credit systems differ by country. In the UK, the main reference agencies are Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, and the fraud-prevention service Cifas offers Protective Registration for a fee, which adds extra identity checks on applications. Check what your country's consumer protection agency recommends.
This guide is general education, not legal or financial advice. Bureau procedures change; confirm details on each bureau's official website.
