Nerd Wallet, Sep 21, 2018
Freezing your credit is the best way to keep criminals from accessing your credit without your consent.
If you want to freeze your credit, you’ll need to contact each of the three major credit bureaus individually; each has a slightly different process. Generally, you need to provide your Social Security number, birthdate and other information confirming your identity.
Freezing credit and lifting freezes are now free for all consumers, thanks to changes to the Dodd-Frank Act signed into law in May.
How to freeze your credit
- Equifax: Call 800-349-9960 or go online. Check out a step-by-step Equifax credit freeze guide.
- Experian: Call 888‑397‑3742 or go online. Here’s a detailed walk-through on a credit freeze with Experian.
- TransUnion: Call 888-909-8872 or go online. Read our TransUnion credit freeze guide.
Once a credit freeze, also known as a security freeze, is in place, it secures your credit file so nobody can access it unless you give direct authorization to the credit bureaus, usually through a PIN.
Store your PIN in a secure location. If you misplace it, you may not be able to undo the freeze easily when you need to apply for a credit card or a loan, for instance.
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