A credit freeze, also called a security freeze, restricts access to your credit report in a way that prevents most lenders from pulling it. Since lenders typically need to check your credit report before approving an application, a freeze makes it nearly impossible for someone to open a new account in your name even if they have your personal information. Given how frequently data breaches expose Social Security numbers and other identifying details, a credit freeze is one of the most practical protective measures available.
What a freeze does and does not do
A credit freeze prevents new credit from being opened in your name by blocking access to your credit report for new lender inquiries. It does not affect your existing accounts in any way, does not hurt your credit score, and does not prevent you from using your current credit cards or accessing existing loans. It also does not block all access to your report — employers, landlords, insurance companies, and government agencies may still be able to access it depending on the bureau and the type of inquiry. But it blocks the category of access that matters most for identity theft: new credit applications.
You need to freeze all three bureaus separately
Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion each maintain their own credit files, and a freeze at one bureau does not automatically apply to the others. To get full protection, you need to place a freeze with all three. Each bureau has an online process for this, and by law they are required to provide it for free. The three websites are equifax.com, experian.com, and transunion.com. The process for each takes about five minutes and requires verifying your identity with personal information and creating a PIN or account you will use to lift the freeze when needed.
Lifting a freeze when you need to apply for credit
When you want to apply for credit, you temporarily lift the freeze at the bureau or bureaus the lender will check. Many lenders check all three, so you would lift it at all three. You can lift a freeze for a specific period, such as one week, or permanently remove it, and then refreeze after the application is processed. The lift typically takes effect immediately or within one business day. It is slightly inconvenient, but if you are not frequently applying for new credit, this represents an occasional 10-minute task in exchange for meaningful protection the rest of the time.
Consider freezing your children's credit too
Children's Social Security numbers are a common target for identity thieves because the theft often goes undetected for years, sometimes until the child applies for credit as an adult and discovers a history they never created. Parents can place a credit freeze on a minor child's report at all three bureaus, which prevents anyone from using the child's information to open accounts. This requires some additional documentation to verify the parent's authority to act on behalf of the child, but the process is free and the protection is significant.
Who should consider freezing their credit now
Anyone who has been notified of a data breach involving their Social Security number should freeze their credit immediately rather than waiting to see whether anything happens. Anyone who is not planning to apply for a mortgage, car loan, or new credit card in the next several months has little reason not to freeze. And anyone who is simply cautious about identity theft will find that the minor inconvenience of temporarily lifting the freeze when applying for credit is a reasonable trade for the protection it provides the rest of the time.