![]() Step 3: Jot down your 10-digit PIN number, as you will need it to change the status of your freeze, like when you want to “thaw” or unfreeze it to get a loan for a new car or apply for a mortgage. Or if you already have a freeze in place, select whether you want to temporarily “unfreeze” it or remove the freeze permanently. Step 2: Select the security freeze option. (Note: You can also submit a credit freeze request via phone or in writing.) ![]() For Equifax, the link is Experian is and TransUnion is Type in your name, address, social security number and date of birth. Step 1: Go to the credit bureau websites and locate the “security freeze” link. “Credit freezes are the nuclear option when it comes to identity theft protection, because it completely locks down your credit report, even to you,” says Matt Schulz, chief industry analyst at, an affiliate of online lender LendingTree. ![]() Placing a freeze should be fast and relatively easy, although you will have to sign up for separate ones at each of the three credit bureaus. The bill also extends from 90 days to 12 months the length of so-called credit “alerts,” which remain free and let lenders know that they should check with you before opening a new account. Credit bureaus will be required to fulfill those initial freeze requests in one business day after receiving them online or through a toll-free phone call, and three days if received through regular mail. People will also be able to temporarily or permanently unfreeze their reports for free under the law. 21, freezes, which used to cost between $3 and $10 in most states, will be free, including for children under age 16, thanks to a new law passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump in May. This precautionary step stops identity-theft thieves from opening up an account or getting credit in your name, even if they have your personal data.īut a freeze also means credit reporting bureaus can't give potential lenders, like mortgage providers or auto finance companies, information about your credit report, unless you lift it using a personal identification number you get when you set it up. A freeze also keeps you from applying for a new credit card, unless you unfreeze it.īut while having to go through the "thaw" process can be inconvenient and take at least one hour if you request it online or by phone, or three days through the mail, the protection is worth it, security pros say.Īnd now there's one less excuse to avoid freezing your credit. It pays to stay vigilant.”Ī credit freeze placed with the three major credit bureaus - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion - basically blocks access to your credit report. ![]() “It still definitely makes sense to do a credit freeze,” says Ted Rossman, industry analyst at. It’s not uncommon for thieves to sit on stolen data for a while before using it to apply for mortgages or credit cards in your name, or gain access to bank statements and other financial accounts. 7, 2017 - there were plenty of opportunities for thieves to access your vital financial data, including breaches at internet portal Yahoo, retailers like Target and Home Depot, and numerous health care organizations. But that doesn't mean you're not at risk and shouldn't protect yourself by freezing your credit, cyber security and credit card experts say.Įven if you haven’t been a victim of credit-related fraud, you should assume that your most sensitive information – social security number, date of birth and driver's license - is floating around on the internet or in the hands of bad guys.Įven before the Equifax hack - which was announced Sept. That alarming news has faded from the headlines, and maybe your fear of identity theft has too. Watch Video: Worried about Equifax? Freeze your credit!Įquifax stunned Americans a year ago when the credit reporting bureau revealed a breach that has now put the personal data of 148 million people in the hands of cyberthieves. ![]()
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