How-to
How to freeze your credit
A credit freeze stops lenders from opening new credit in your name. It is free, does not affect your credit score, and lasts until you lift it. In the US you have to place it separately at each of the three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Each takes a few minutes online.
When you need this
- Your Social Security number or other personal details were exposed in a data breach.
- You gave your details to a scammer, or someone already opened an account in your name.
- You want to block new credit in your name before anything happens. Anyone can freeze their credit, for any reason.
Equifax
Written for equifax.com in a desktop browser on Windows (2026-10-03). Steps checked against Equifax's Security Freeze page on October 3, 2026.
Equifax calls it a security freeze. You need a myEquifax account, and you must be 18 or older to create one.
Open equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze in your browser.
Click Place a Security Freeze.
Create a myEquifax account, or sign in if you already have one.
Verify your identity as asked and confirm the freeze.
By phone: call (888) 298-0045. You verify your identity with a one-time PIN by text or by answering questions from your Equifax credit report.
To lift it: on the same page click Manage a Freeze, sign in, and lift it for a period or remove it.
A freeze at Equifax does not freeze your Experian or TransUnion reports. Do the other two tabs as well.
Sources
- Equifax: Security Freeze (read October 3, 2026)
- FTC Consumer Advice: Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts (read October 3, 2026)
Experian
Written for experian.com in a desktop browser on Windows (2026-10-03). Steps checked against Experian's credit freeze page on October 3, 2026.
Experian no longer uses a freeze PIN; a free Experian account is all you need.
Open experian.com/help/credit-freeze in your browser.
Click Create a free account, or Sign in if you already have one.
Complete the sign-up and identity check.
Place the security freeze on your Experian credit file.
To lift it: sign in and remove the freeze, or schedule a thaw with a start and end date. Online changes take effect in real time, and Experian emails you when the freeze changes.
By phone: 1-888-397-3742 (1-888-EXPERIAN).
By mail: Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013. Include your full name, Social Security number, addresses for the past two years, date of birth, a copy of a government ID and a copy of a utility bill or bank statement. Mailed requests take up to 3 days after Experian receives them.
Experian CreditLock is a paid membership feature. The free security freeze blocks new credit just as well.
Sources
- Experian: Freeze your credit file for free (read October 3, 2026)
TransUnion
Written for transunion.com in a desktop browser on Windows (2026-10-03). Steps checked against TransUnion's Credit Freeze page on October 3, 2026.
TransUnion manages freezes in its free TransUnion Service Center account.
Open transunion.com/credit-freeze in your browser.
Click Add Freeze.
Create a TransUnion Service Center account, or log in if you have one.
Add the freeze to your TransUnion credit report.
To lift it temporarily: log in, select Temporarily Lift Freeze and enter the dates. You can schedule a lift up to 15 days ahead. Wait a few minutes after lifting before a lender pulls your report.
By phone: 800-916-8800. By mail: TransUnion, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094, with your name, address and Social Security number. Mailed requests can take up to three business days after TransUnion receives them.
A TransUnion credit lock from a monitoring product is not the same as a freeze. In the Service Center you can replace the lock with a free freeze.
Sources
- TransUnion: Credit Freeze (read October 3, 2026)
If the steps did not help
How to unfreeze your credit
Before you apply for a loan, a card, an apartment or a job that checks credit, lift the freeze. Ask the lender which bureau it uses and lift only that one, then put the freeze back when the check is done. Lifting and re-freezing is free at all three bureaus. The details are in the after-steps of each tab above.
Fraud alert: a lighter option you can add on top
- Initial fraud alert: lenders must verify it is you before opening new credit, but they can still see your report. It lasts one year and can be renewed. Contact one bureau; it must tell the other two.
- Extended fraud alert: for identity theft victims with an FTC report from IdentityTheft.gov or a police report. It lasts seven years.
- Active duty alert: for servicemembers, one year, renewable for the length of the deployment.
- All fraud alerts are free, and you can have one together with a freeze.
Freezing a child's credit
Parents and guardians can freeze the credit of a child under 16. This is done by mail with proof of identity and authority, not through the online accounts. Each bureau has its own form: Equifax, Experian, TransUnion (protected consumer freeze, P.O. Box 380, Woodlyn, PA 19094).
After a breach or a scam, also
- If someone already used your details, report it at IdentityTheft.gov to get a recovery plan.
- Change the passwords of the exposed accounts and turn on two-step verification.
- If you paid a scammer, see what to do after paying a scammer.
Questions
Does freezing my credit hurt my credit score?
No. A freeze does not affect your credit score, and placing or lifting it is free.
Do I have to freeze my credit at all three bureaus?
Yes. A freeze at one bureau is not shared with the others, so a lender that checks a bureau you did not freeze can still open an account. A fraud alert, by contrast, is passed on to the other two.
Who can still see my credit report while it is frozen?
You, your current lenders and card issuers, debt collectors, and some others such as employers you authorized for a background check or government agencies with a court order. A freeze blocks new credit applications, not these checks.
How long does a credit freeze last?
Until you remove it. There is no expiry.