A freeze blocks new credit accounts in your name; a fraud alert asks lenders to verify it is really you first. Both are free. Here is how to set them up, bureau by bureau.
If your information has surfaced in a breach, or you would rather lock the door before anyone tries it, credit freezes and fraud alerts are the two tools the Federal Trade Commission points to first. Both are free, both make it harder for someone to open new accounts in your name, and neither requires you to be an identity theft victim. The process does involve three separate companies and a handful of terms that sound alike. This guide walks through what each option blocks, how to set it up, and what it will not do.
What a Credit Freeze Actually Blocks
Start with the basics. Three companies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, keep files on your borrowing history. Lenders pull those files, called credit reports, when you apply for a credit card, a loan or other new credit.
A credit freeze, sometimes called a security freeze, restricts access to those reports. While the freeze is in place, nobody can open a new credit account in your name, and that includes you. Because creditors usually will not approve credit if they cannot check your report, most applications from an identity thief get rejected outright.
Some details worth knowing before you start:
- A freeze does not affect your credit score, and you can keep using your existing credit cards and loans.
- It does not interfere with applying for a job, renting an apartment or buying insurance.
- Anyone can place one, at any time, for any reason. You do not have to wait for a breach or for misuse of your Social Security number.
- A freeze lasts until you lift it yourself.
Since September 21, 2018, a federal law has made freezing and unfreezing your credit file free at all three bureaus. Before that, fees depended on state law. There is no charge to place, lift or remove one.
Freeze vs. Fraud Alert vs. Credit Lock
These three get mixed up constantly, and the differences matter.
A freeze blocks access to your credit report. A fraud alert does not block anything; it flags your report and tells businesses to verify your identity before opening a new account, usually by contacting you first to confirm the applicant is really you. A lender can still see your report with an alert in place. An alert is a checkpoint, a freeze is a wall.
A credit lock is a different product offered by the bureaus themselves. It works in a similar way to a freeze, but the FTC points out that locks may come with monthly fees. If you want the version guaranteed free by federal law, ask for a freeze, not a lock.
How to Place a Freeze at Each Bureau
You must contact each of the three bureaus separately. Placing a freeze at Equifax does nothing at Experian or TransUnion. Each bureau accepts requests online, by phone or by mail, and the online route is typically the fastest, often processing right away.
The law sets deadlines for the bureaus. A freeze requested online or by phone must be placed within one business day. A request by mail must be handled within three business days after it arrives. The bureau must also send you written confirmation within five business days of placing the freeze, along with instructions for removing it.
Expect to verify your identity. Online, that generally means creating a free account with each bureau and working through its credit freeze section. Over the phone, you may need to answer identity questions. Keep whatever confirmation details each bureau gives you, since you will need them later.
Two related protections come free as well. Parents and guardians can place a free freeze for children under 16, and if you are someone’s guardian, conservator or hold a valid power of attorney, you can freeze that person’s file too. At least one bureau handles requests for a minor’s file by mail, so check each company’s instructions before you start.
Worth doing
A fraud alert placed at one bureau spreads to all three automatically. A credit freeze does not. Each bureau needs its own request.
What a Freeze Does Not Stop
A freeze is a strong tool with real gaps, and it helps to know them up front.
It does nothing for your existing accounts. If someone gets hold of a current credit card number, the freeze will not prevent fraudulent charges on that card, so regular review of your bank and card statements still matters. The same is true of scams that talk you into paying or sharing information directly; our piece on how tech support scams work covers one common version.
It also does not cover accounts that do not require a credit check. Banks typically do not pull your credit report when opening a checking or savings account, which means someone could still open a bank account in your name even with a freeze active.
The scope of the federal rule has limits too. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau notes that the rule requiring free security freezes is aimed at creditors deciding whether to extend credit, and that requesters checking your report for employment, tenant screening or insurance purposes fall outside it.
A few things keep working normally. Companies you have hired to monitor your credit file can still see it, and you can still request and review your own reports, including your free annual reports.
Freezes only prevent activity that needs access to your credit report. For everything else, monitoring and habits carry the load. Our explainer on what identity monitoring services actually do breaks down what those services watch for, and their limits.
Thawing and Unfreezing When You Need Credit
A freeze is not permanent unless you want it to be. When a loan or card application is coming up, you can suspend the freeze for a short window at no charge, then switch it back on once the lender has finished checking your file.
Timing rules again work in your favor. A lift requested by toll-free phone or through secure electronic means must happen within one hour. A request by mail takes up to three business days after the bureau receives it. You can also lift a freeze for a specific period you set, or schedule a thaw in advance with start and end dates, which is convenient when you know a loan application is coming.
One practical trick from the FTC: figure out which bureau a lender will actually check, lift the freeze only at that one, and refreeze it once the credit check is done. Since each bureau runs its own freeze, there is no reason to open all three at once.
Plan for some friction. Because you have to lift and restore the freeze each time, applying for new credit can take longer than it used to. If a temporary lift ends and you want protection back in place, make sure the freeze is actually reinstated rather than assuming it happened.
Fraud Alerts, Extended Alerts and Active Duty Alerts
There are three kinds of fraud alerts, and which one fits depends on your situation.
An initial fraud alert can be placed by anyone, for any reason. It runs for one year, and renewing it costs nothing. You only need to contact one of the three bureaus; the one you contact must notify the other two. You can place one even if you already have a freeze in place, and the two stack.
An extended fraud alert lasts seven years and is for people who have experienced identity theft. To qualify, you must submit an identity theft report, such as the one you can create on the FTC’s identity theft website, or a law enforcement report.
An active duty alert is for military service members, lasts one year and can be renewed as often as needed during deployment. It carries one extra benefit: the bureaus will remove your name from their marketing lists for prescreened credit card offers for two years, unless you ask to be added back.
What Each Step Costs and How Long It Lasts
Here is the full picture in one place.
| Step | Cost | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Credit freeze at each bureau | Free | Until you lift or remove it |
| Temporary lift of a freeze | Free | For the period you specify |
| Initial fraud alert | Free | One year, renewable |
| Extended fraud alert | Free | Seven years |
| Active duty alert | Free | One year, renewable during deployment |
| Credit lock | May carry monthly fees | Set by the lock provider |
On timing, online or phone requests for a freeze must be handled within one business day, and lifts within one hour. Mail requests get three business days.
If a bureau does not seem to be placing a freeze or alert the way the law requires, the FTC takes complaints online and by phone at 855-411-2372. And if someone has already stolen your identity, the FTC’s identity theft site walks you through reporting it and puts together a personal recovery plan.
The smallest sensible first step: pick one of the three bureaus, set up its free online account, and request the freeze. Then repeat at the other two.
A freeze closes one door, but old accounts left open around the web can leak the very details thieves use. Our guide to cleaning up old online accounts before they leak pairs well with this one, and if you are tightening things across the board, what to check before you install a password manager is a sensible next read.
You may also want to read Identity Monitoring: What Those Services Actually Do and What to Check Before You Install a Password Manager.
The essentials
- A credit freeze stops anyone, including you, from opening a new credit account in your name until you lift it.
- Freezes and fraud alerts are free under federal law and do not affect your credit score.
- You must request a freeze separately at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion; one fraud alert at a single bureau covers all three.
- An initial fraud alert lasts one year and is renewable for free; identity theft victims can request an extended alert for seven years.
- A freeze does not stop fraud on your existing accounts, and banks usually do not check your credit report before opening a checking or savings account.
Reader questions
Do I need to be an identity theft victim to freeze my credit?
No. Anyone can place a freeze at any time, for any reason, even if your information has never been exposed or misused. The FTC says a freeze is a good idea for anyone, and even more so after a breach.
How fast does a freeze go into place?
If you request it online or by phone, the bureau must place the freeze within one business day, and lift it within one hour when you ask. Mail requests take up to three business days after the bureau receives them.
Can I have a freeze and a fraud alert at the same time?
Yes. You can place a fraud alert even when a credit freeze is already in place. If you suspect identity theft, using both together is a reasonable option.
Is a credit lock the same thing as a credit freeze?
No. They work in a similar way, but locks are commercial products that may carry monthly fees. Only the freeze is guaranteed free by federal law.
We describe how services generally work; features, settings and terms change often, and they differ between companies. This is general information, not legal advice. Check the provider’s current policies and official sources such as FTC.gov.