How to Freeze and Unfreeze Your Credit at All 3 Bureaus

A credit freeze (also called a security freeze) locks your credit report so that no lender can open a new credit account in your name without your permission. This is one of the most powerful tools available to protect yourself from identity theft — and it is completely free by law.

When you freeze your credit, existing accounts (credit cards, loans) still work normally. You can still use your current credit cards and your credit score is not affected. The freeze only prevents new accounts from being opened. If someone steals your Social Security Number and tries to open a credit card or take out a loan using your identity, the lender will run a credit check, hit a wall, and the application will be denied.

There are three major credit reporting bureaus in the US: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You need to freeze your credit at ALL THREE. They are separate companies and do not share freezes with each other.

The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act requires all three bureaus to provide free credit freezes. You can do it online in about 5 minutes per bureau.

When you need to apply for new credit (a car loan, a mortgage, a new credit card), you temporarily "thaw" or lift the freeze at the specific bureau the lender uses. After the application, you freeze it again. You can unfreeze for as few as one day.

(Source: FTC, consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-credit-freezes-and-fraud-alerts)