How to Freeze Your Credit to Prevent Identity Theft

A credit freeze, also called a security freeze, restricts access to your credit report so lenders can't view it to open new accounts in your name. To freeze your credit, you contact each of the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, separately and request a freeze, either online, by phone, or by mail. It's free under federal law, doesn't affect your credit score, and can be lifted temporarily whenever you actually need to apply for credit.

A credit freeze is one of the strongest tools available to individuals for blocking new-account identity theft, but it only covers one piece of the problem. Below is a step-by-step walkthrough of how to set one up at all three bureaus, what it does and doesn't protect against, and how it compares to a fraud alert or a bureau's proprietary "lock" product.

What a Credit Freeze Actually Does

When your credit is frozen, the bureau will not release your credit report to a business that's checking whether to open a new line of credit, a new credit card, auto loan, or utility account, for example. Since most lenders won't approve an application without pulling a report, a freeze effectively stops most attempts to open new accounts in your name using stolen personal information.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a freeze does not affect your existing credit accounts, your ability to use your current credit cards, or your credit score. You can still open new accounts yourself, you just need to temporarily lift the freeze first, either for a set time period or for a specific creditor.

What a Freeze Does Not Cover

A credit freeze is not a complete identity theft shield. It won't stop someone from misusing an account you already have open, filing a fraudulent tax return in your name, using your health insurance information, or committing employment fraud with a stolen Social Security number. It also doesn't stop background-check companies, existing creditors, debt collectors, or government agencies from accessing your report in specific circumstances the law allows.

You can place, lift, or remove a freeze online through each bureau's dedicated freeze center: Equifax's credit freeze pageExperian's freeze center, and TransUnion's credit freeze page. Phone and mail options are also listed on each site if you'd rather not create an online account. Under the federal law that made freezes free nationwide, online and phone requests must take effect within one business day, and requests to lift a freeze must be processed within one hour when submitted online or by phone.

Credit Freeze vs. Credit Lock vs. Fraud Alert

These three terms get mixed up often, but they work differently. A freeze is a legal right created by federal and state law, free at all three bureaus, and governed by consumer protection statutes. A lock is a proprietary product each bureau sells or bundles into a paid monitoring service; it works similarly but isn't covered by the same legal guarantees. A fraud alert doesn't block access to your report, it just requires a business to take extra steps to verify your identity before extending credit, and it only needs to be placed with one bureau, which is required to notify the other two.

When to Freeze Your Credit

A freeze makes sense any time you're not actively applying for new credit and want the strongest available protection against new-account fraud. Common triggers include receiving a data breach notification, losing your wallet or Social Security card, noticing unfamiliar accounts or inquiries on your credit report, or simply wanting a standing layer of protection you don't have to think about day to day.

You can also freeze credit reports for children under 16 and for adults who can't manage their own affairs, through a similar process with each bureau. This is worth doing proactively, since a child's Social Security number can go unused for years, making stolen identity harder to detect.

Building a Complete Identity Theft Defense

A credit freeze pairs well with other habits that reduce your exposure in the first place. Use how to create strong passwords and a password manager for financial accounts, following the CISA use password manager unique passwords guidance to avoid reused credentials that make account takeover easier. Learn how to spot phishing emails, since many identity theft cases start with a stolen password or Social Security number obtained through a convincing fake message. Securing your home network also matters, see our guide on home networks security for router and Wi-Fi hardening steps.

If you want ongoing monitoring in addition to a freeze, our breakdown of identity theft protection services compared walks through what paid monitoring adds on top of a free freeze. And if you already suspect you're a victim, our identity theft recovery steps guide covers what to do next, including filing a report with the FTC and disputing fraudulent accounts.