A credit freeze, also called a security freeze, blocks new creditors from accessing your credit report. If they can’t pull your report, they can’t approve new credit in your name. It’s the most effective tool available to prevent new-account identity theft.
Credit freezes are free, permanent until you lift them, and have no effect on your credit score.
How a Credit Freeze Works
When you apply for new credit, the lender checks your credit report to evaluate your application. A credit freeze blocks that access. The lender can’t see the report and will typically deny or pause the application.
This protects you because identity thieves can’t open accounts in your name, even if they have your Social Security number, date of birth, and address, if no lender can pull your credit.
The freeze doesn’t affect:
- Your existing credit accounts and their activity
- Your credit score
- Credit checks by existing creditors who already have a relationship with you
- Checks by employers, landlords, or background screeners (they use different permissible purpose codes)
- Checks for pre-screened offers (though you can opt out of those separately at optoutprescreen.com)
Where to Place a Freeze
There are three major credit bureaus, and each operates independently. You must place a freeze at all three:
| Bureau | Freeze Website | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Equifax | equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/ | 1-800-349-9960 |
| Experian | experian.com/freeze/center.html | 1-888-397-3742 |
| TransUnion | transunion.com/credit-freeze | 1-888-909-8872 |
There are also two smaller specialty bureaus worth freezing if you want more comprehensive coverage:
- Innovis: innovis.com/security-freeze
- ChexSystems: chexsystems.com (primarily used by banks for checking account applications)
Each freeze is free under federal law.
How to Lift a Freeze
When you want to apply for new credit, you lift the freeze, either permanently or for a specific time window, at whichever bureau the new lender uses. Most lenders will tell you which bureau they pull from, or you can lift all three temporarily to be safe.
To lift, log in to the bureau’s website with the account you created when freezing, and select unfreeze. It typically takes effect within minutes online or within one hour if done by phone. Older paper-based freezes sometimes took up to three business days, but that’s largely a legacy issue now.
You can re-freeze at any time.
Credit Freeze vs Fraud Alert
These serve different purposes:
| Credit Freeze | Fraud Alert | |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks new credit | Yes, entirely | No, flags it for extra verification |
| Requires bureau action | All three separately | One call notifies all three |
| Duration | Permanent until removed | 1 year (or 7 years for extended fraud alert) |
| Who to use | Anyone wanting maximum protection | Someone who suspects recent fraud |
| Affects score | No | No |
A fraud alert is easier to place (one call reaches all three bureaus) but provides weaker protection, it tells lenders to take extra steps to verify identity, not to deny the pull entirely. Use a fraud alert as a first response when you suspect your information may be compromised, and consider upgrading to a freeze if you want permanent protection.
What a Freeze Does Not Protect
A credit freeze isn’t a complete identity theft shield. It only blocks new credit applications. It doesn’t prevent:
- Fraudulent charges on your existing accounts
- Tax fraud (someone filing a return in your name to claim your refund)
- Medical identity theft (someone using your insurance)
- Employment fraud (someone using your Social Security number for work)
- Government benefit fraud
For those risks, other tools apply: monitoring your existing accounts, using the IRS Identity Protection PIN program, and checking your Social Security earnings record annually.
Who Should Have a Credit Freeze
Anyone who isn’t actively planning to open new credit soon. If you’re not shopping for a mortgage, car loan, or new credit card in the near future, a freeze costs nothing and adds meaningful protection.
Particularly important for:
- Anyone whose personal data was exposed in a data breach
- People who have experienced identity theft before
- Parents freezing credit for minor children (children’s identities are often targeted because the fraud can go undetected for years)
- Older adults who may be targeted by scammers
Freezing Your Child’s Credit
Minors don’t have credit files, but someone can create one fraudulently. You can request that a bureau create and then immediately freeze a credit file for a minor child. The process requires submitting documentation (proof of identity for you and the child). Each bureau’s process varies slightly, contact them directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will a credit freeze hurt my credit score?
No. The freeze itself has no effect on your score. Your existing accounts still report to the bureaus normally.
Q: Do I need to freeze at all three bureaus?
Yes. Lenders can pull from any of the three, so freezing only one or two leaves the third open. Freezing all three takes about 15 minutes total.
Q: What if I forget my PIN or login?
You can recover access through the bureau’s account recovery process. It takes more time than a standard login, but it’s recoverable. This is another reason to save login credentials in a password manager when you freeze.
Q: Does a credit freeze expire?
No. A freeze is permanent until you lift it. It doesn’t expire or require renewal.
Q: Can I still get pre-approved credit card offers with a freeze?
Pre-screened offers use a soft inquiry that bypasses the freeze. You can opt out of pre-screened offers permanently at optoutprescreen.com.
Learn More
- USAGov: How to place or lift a security freeze on your credit report
- FTC: Credit freeze FAQs
- Equifax: Security freeze
- Experian: Security freeze
- TransUnion: Credit freeze