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Legal & Civic

Freezing your credit

A credit freeze stops lenders from seeing your credit report, so nobody can open new credit in your name. It's free to place and lift at each of the three bureaus, and it doesn't affect your score.

Easy20 min to doFree

You'll need

  • Your Social Security number and address history
  • A safe place to store any PINs or logins you create

Do it like this

  1. Contact each bureau separately: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You can do it online, by phone or by mail (USA.gov).
  2. Request the freeze. It's free to place and lift, and it doesn't affect your score (FTC).
  3. Online or phone requests must be done within one business day; mail requests within three (USA.gov).
  4. Store your login or PIN somewhere safe, like a password manager.
  5. Before you apply for a loan, card or apartment, lift the freeze. Online or phone lifts must happen within one hour (USA.gov).
Watch out. While a freeze is on, nobody can open a new credit account in your name, including you (FTC). Plan ahead before big applications.

See it done

Protect your identity by freezing your creditFederal Trade Commission · Length 0:12 · 2026

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If it doesn't work

  • Can't get into your bureau account? Use the bureau's phone line and have your SSN and past addresses ready.
  • Lender says it can't see your report? Ask which bureau it uses and lift the freeze there, temporarily if you like.
  • Bureau won't place or lift a freeze? You can submit a complaint to the CFPB.

Good to know

You don't have to wait for a breach

You don't need to wait for your information to be exposed before you freeze (FTC).

Freeze vs. fraud alert

A fraud alert tells businesses to check with you before opening a new account. You can place one even with a freeze in place (FTC).

Locks cost money; freezes don't

Bureaus sell "credit locks" for a fee. The CFPB says locks are no more effective than freezes, which are free by law (CFPB).

Sources

  1. Federal Trade Commission Credit freezes and fraud alerts
  2. USA.gov How to place or lift a security freeze
  3. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau What is a credit freeze?

Lesson L6.1 · Last checked October 2, 2026 against the sources listed. See a mistake?