A credit freeze stops prospective lenders from pulling your credit report, which means a new credit account generally cannot be opened in your name while it is in place. It is free to place and free to lift, it does not affect your credit score, and it lasts until you lift it. You place it separately at each of the three nationwide credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Federal law requires each bureau to place a freeze within one business day of an online or phone request, and to lift it within one hour.
A freeze is a different tool from a people-search opt-out. It does not take your name, address or phone number off any website. It controls who can read your credit file.
What a freeze does
The CFPB describes it plainly: a freeze "prevents prospective creditors from accessing your credit file." Since most lenders check a credit report before opening an account, the FTC notes that while a freeze is in place, "nobody can open a new credit account in your name, including you."
The key facts, from the FTC, the CFPB and the federal statute (15 U.S.C. §1681c-1(i)):
- Cost: free to place, free to lift. The statute requires both "free of charge."
- Score: it "doesn't affect your credit score," per the FTC.
- Length: it "lasts until you lift it."
- Who can: "Anyone can freeze their credit report, for any reason," per the FTC.
What a freeze does not do
A freeze limits new-credit checks. It does not stop everything:
- Your existing creditors can still see your file to review or collect on accounts you already have. The statute lists them among the exceptions, and the CFPB says the same.
- Other exceptions in the statute include government agencies acting under court or administrative authority, child-support agencies, agencies collecting taxes or investigating fraud, a credit monitoring service you subscribed to, employment background checks, and insurance underwriting.
- It does not touch websites. People-search profiles, marketing lists and Google results are all unaffected.
- It does not stop misuse of accounts you already have. It is about new accounts.
The CFPB also notes that paid "credit lock" products are "no more effective than security freezes, which are free."
How to place a freeze, bureau by bureau
You have to contact all three. A freeze at one bureau does not carry to the others.
Equifax
- Online: create a myEquifax account at
my.equifax.comand place the freeze there. - Phone: (888) 298-0045.
- Mail: Equifax's page says to contact its customer care for mail instructions.
Equifax says "Placing, lifting and removing a security freeze is free." You must be 18 to create an online account.
Experian
- Online: create a free Experian account. Experian says you "can freeze and unfreeze your Experian credit file in real time."
- Phone: 1-888-EXPERIAN (1-888-397-3742).
- Mail: Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013. Experian asks for 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.
Experian says you no longer need a PIN to manage a freeze; the account is enough.
TransUnion
- Online: the CFPB points to TransUnion's credit help pages at
transunion.com/credit-help.
TransUnion's own freeze page could not be loaded when this guide was checked, so it is not quoted here. Follow the steps on TransUnion's site.
How fast it happens
Under 15 U.S.C. §1681c-1(i), a bureau must:
- place a freeze within 1 business day of a request made by toll-free phone or secure electronic means, or within 3 business days of a request by mail
- lift a freeze within 1 hour of a request made by toll-free phone or secure electronic means, or within 3 business days of a request by mail
Online and phone requests are the fast route both ways.
Lifting a freeze when you apply for credit
When you need a lender to check your credit, lift the freeze first. You can usually lift it at only the bureau the lender uses; the FTC suggests asking the lender which one that is. Experian lets you schedule a temporary lift with a start and end date. Equifax lets you lift temporarily or remove the freeze permanently through your account or by phone.
Freezes for children
The statute gives parents and guardians the right to freeze the credit file of a child under 16. The parent or guardian must provide proof of their own identity and proof of their authority to act for the child. The FTC says the freeze stays in place until you ask the bureaus to remove it, and that each bureau has its own process for children. Equifax has request forms for minors under 16 and for incapacitated adults.
Fraud alerts: a lighter option
A fraud alert asks lenders to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening an account. Per the FTC:
- an initial fraud alert is free, lasts one year, and you only need to contact one bureau
- an extended fraud alert lasts seven years and is available if you have filed an identity theft report with the FTC or a police report
A fraud alert leaves your file open to lenders; a freeze closes it to new-credit checks. Some people use both.
Where this fits with removing your information
People-search opt-outs and a credit freeze address different things:
- Opt-outs ask websites to stop publishing your name, address, phone number and relatives. See how to remove yourself from people-search sites and the free kit.
- A freeze limits who can pull your credit file to open a new account.
Neither one does the other's job. Removal requests are not guaranteed — some sites don't comply — and a freeze has the exceptions listed above. Doing both covers more ground than either alone.
The three bureaus also run marketing and data businesses that are separate from the credit file. Our guides to Equifax data products, Experian Marketing Services and TransUnion TLOxp cover what those hold and how to send them requests. A freeze does not reach those businesses.