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CREDIT Credit Freeze Guide: How and Why to Freeze Your Cred... 2026-02-27 · 5 min read · credit freeze · identity theft · credit protection

Credit Freeze Guide: How and Why to Freeze Your Credit Right Now

credit 2026-02-27 · 5 min read credit freeze identity theft credit protection security

Freezing your credit is one of the most effective security measures you can take to protect yourself from identity theft — and since 2018, it's been free at all three major credit bureaus. If your personal information has ever been part of a data breach (and statistically, it almost certainly has), a credit freeze is your most powerful defense.

Here's everything you need to know to do it in about 15 minutes.

What Is a Credit Freeze?

A credit freeze (also called a security freeze) restricts access to your credit report. When your credit is frozen, lenders cannot pull your credit report — and without a credit report, they cannot approve new credit applications.

This means: if an identity thief tries to open a credit card, take out a loan, or establish new credit using your stolen information, the application is rejected because the lender can't access your credit history.

A credit freeze does NOT affect:

Why You Almost Certainly Need One

Consider the scale of data breaches over the past decade:

The dark web marketplace for stolen personal information is well-organized and functional. Your Social Security number, date of birth, and address have almost certainly been exposed in at least one breach. The question is whether anyone has used that information yet.

Without a credit freeze, the only thing preventing a thief from opening new credit accounts in your name is whether they've bothered to try. With a freeze, even if they try, they can't succeed.

How to Freeze Your Credit: Step by Step

You must freeze at all three major bureaus separately. The process takes 5 minutes per bureau.

Equifax

Website: equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze Phone: 1-800-349-9960

You'll create an account and be asked for: your Social Security number, date of birth, current address, and some verification questions from your credit history. After your freeze is confirmed, Equifax provides a PIN — save it somewhere secure.

TransUnion

Website: transunion.com/credit-freeze Phone: 1-888-909-8872

Similar process. You'll create a myTransUnion account. TransUnion allows you to manage your freeze through the app, which is convenient for temporary lifts.

Experian

Website: experian.com/freeze/center.html Phone: 1-888-397-3742

Experian's process is slightly different — you create an Experian account and manage freezes through it. Keep your login credentials stored securely.

ChexSystems (often forgotten)

ChexSystems is used by banks for checking and savings account applications — it's separate from the three credit bureaus. If you want to prevent fraudulent bank account openings in your name, freeze ChexSystems too.

Website: chexsystems.com/security-freeze

NCTUE / Innovis (optional but thorough)

Some lenders use NCTUE (National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange) for phone and utility accounts, and Innovis for additional credit checks. Freezing these provides more comprehensive protection.

How to Temporarily Lift Your Freeze

If you want to apply for new credit — a mortgage, car loan, new credit card — you'll need to lift the freeze temporarily. Here's how:

  1. Log into each bureau's website (or call) and select "Lift Freeze" or "Temporary Unfreeze"
  2. Choose between: a specific date range lift (e.g., 2 days), or a specific lender lift (some bureaus support this)
  3. The lift takes effect immediately or within 1 hour

When applying for credit, ask the lender which bureau they use for the hard pull. Then you only need to lift the freeze at that bureau, not all three. Many lenders pull from all three, in which case lift all three.

After the application is processed (usually 1-5 business days), refreeze the accounts.

Timing tip: If you're in the early stages of shopping for a mortgage or car loan, temporarily lift your freeze for 5-7 days, complete all your rate comparisons during that window, then refreeze. Multiple hard inquiries for the same loan type within a 14-45 day window (depending on scoring model) count as a single inquiry on your credit score, so shopping around during one window minimizes the credit impact.

Credit Freeze vs. Fraud Alert vs. Credit Lock

These three options are often confused:

Credit freeze: The most protective option. Completely restricts new account openings. Free and permanent until you lift it yourself. Requires contacting each bureau separately.

Fraud alert: A notation on your credit file that lenders must take "reasonable steps" to verify your identity before opening new accounts. Easier to set up (one call to one bureau notifies all three), but less protective than a freeze because lenders can still pull your credit. Lasts 1 year (7 years if you're an identity theft victim with documentation).

Credit lock: A product sold by the credit bureaus themselves (often as part of a paid monitoring subscription). Similar effect to a freeze but no federal legal protections. Easier to toggle on/off via app. Avoid paying for this when a free freeze provides the same protection with stronger legal backing.

Recommendation: Use a credit freeze (not a lock), set it at all three bureaus, and lift it only when actively applying for new credit.

What About Credit Monitoring?

Credit freezes prevent new account openings but don't protect against misuse of existing accounts (someone getting your credit card number and making charges — that's fraud on an existing account, not a new account opening).

For comprehensive protection:

Credit Karma and Credit Sesame provide free credit score monitoring using VantageScore and alert you to new accounts or significant changes. Enabling these alongside a freeze provides layered protection.

The One Legitimate Downside

A credit freeze creates minor friction when you want to open new credit. Lifting it takes 5-10 minutes online or 15 minutes by phone. For most people, this is a small inconvenience that happens a few times per year at most.

If you're actively shopping for a home loan or anticipate opening several new accounts in the near future, consider waiting until that process is complete. Otherwise, freeze now and lift only when needed.

Given that the cost is zero, the protection is substantial, and the process takes 15 minutes once — there's essentially no good reason not to do this.