A credit freeze limits access to your credit file. Because many lenders review a credit report before opening an account, a freeze can make it harder for an identity thief to obtain new credit in your name.
What a freeze does
A freeze restricts prospective creditors from accessing your credit file. It can be useful after identity theft, a data breach, or anytime you want an added barrier against someone opening an account with your information.
A freeze does not lower your credit score, and it does not stop you from checking your own credit reports. Your existing creditors and certain other organizations may still have access for permitted purposes.
What a freeze does not do
A credit freeze is aimed mainly at new-account fraud. It does not prevent a thief who already has access to an existing bank or credit-card account from trying to use it. Continue monitoring statements, alerts, and transactions even when your files are frozen.
It also does not remove incorrect information from a report. If an account or payment history is inaccurate, use the credit reporting company’s dispute process. If your identity was stolen, create a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov.
How to freeze your files
- Go directly to the official freeze page for each nationwide credit reporting company.
- Provide the information needed to confirm your identity.
- Follow each company’s instructions to place the freeze.
- Save the confirmation and the sign-in or recovery information in a secure place.
- Check all three reports for accounts or addresses you do not recognize.
Avoid links in unexpected messages that claim to be from a credit bureau. Starting from the FTC’s official freeze page or typing the bureau address yourself reduces the chance of landing on an imitation site.
When you need to apply for credit
You can temporarily lift a freeze for a period of time or remove it. Ask the lender which credit reporting company it expects to use; if the lender cannot tell you, you may need to lift all three. Leave enough time to complete the request before applying, and refreeze the file afterward if you removed the freeze rather than scheduling a temporary lift.
Freeze or fraud alert?
They are different tools. A freeze restricts access to your credit file. A fraud alert tells businesses checking your report to verify your identity before opening new credit. According to the FTC, contacting one of the three nationwide credit reporting companies to place a fraud alert requires that company to notify the other two. A freeze still requires a separate request with each company.
Neither tool replaces careful account monitoring. Think of a freeze as one strong layer in a broader identity-protection routine.