How To Freeze Your Credit – Pros & Cons (2026 Guide)

In the increasingly digital world, protecting your identity is more crucial than ever. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received a record 880,418 complaints in 2023, with losses surpassing $12.5 billion. Identity theft remains a significant concern, with criminals continually finding new ways to exploit personal information. If you’re worried about being a victim of identity theft or a data breach, one proactive measure you can take is placing a credit freeze on your report. This article explains the ins and outs of credit freezes, helping you make informed decisions to protect your financial future.

A credit freeze, also known as a security freeze, is a free tool that limits access to your credit report. By placing a freeze, you make it significantly harder for identity thieves to open new credit accounts in your name without your permission. This can be especially helpful after a data breach, where your personal information might be exposed.

When you apply for a new credit card, loan, or even certain services, lenders and service providers check your credit report to assess your creditworthiness. This process is known as a credit inquiry or “pull.” A credit freeze blocks access to your credit report, preventing these inquiries from being completed. Without access to your credit report, it’s unlikely that a lender will approve a new account in your name, effectively stopping identity thieves in their tracks.

Thanks to the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018, you can now freeze and unfreeze your credit files at no cost. This law also allows you to place a free freeze on your child’s credit file if they are 16 or under, providing an extra layer of protection for minors.

Although it may seem unnecessary to freeze a child’s credit, child identity theft is a growing issue. According to the IC3, there were over 18,000 complaints from victims under the age of 20 in 2023, leading to losses totaling $40.7 million. Criminals often target children because their credit files are clean and parents may not discover the theft until years later. Freezing your child’s credit report can prevent such fraudulent activities.

To freeze your credit report, you must contact each of the three nationwide credit reporting bureaus individually:

Online: Visit Equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services
By phone: Call 800-349-9960
By mail: Complete this form and send it to:
Equifax Information Services LLC
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788

Online: Visit Experian.com/help
By phone: Call 888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742)
By mail: Send your request to Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013.

Online: Visit TransUnion.com/credit-help
By phone: Call 888-909-8872
By mail: Send your request to TransUnion, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094

If you request a credit freeze online or by phone, credit bureaus are required to place the freeze within one business day. When you want to lift the freeze, the bureau must comply within one hour of your request. For requests made by mail, the freeze must be placed within three business days. You can also temporarily lift the freeze without incurring any fees.

A credit freeze is an effective tool against identity thieves trying to open new accounts in your name. However, it won’t prevent criminals from using your existing accounts. Most identity theft cases involve fraudulent charges on existing credit cards or bank accounts. In these scenarios, a credit freeze will not offer any protection.

To close this security gap, it is essential to also monitor your credit for signs of account takeover or suspicious transactions that a freeze simply cannot block.

Despite these limitations, with over a million new accounts fraudulently opened each year using stolen personal information, a security freeze can be crucial for many consumers. Besides credit freezes, identity theft and credit monitoring services offer additional layers of protection, such as dark web monitoring, safe browsing tools, and credit score tracking.

While security freezes don’t offer total protection against identity theft, they are a valuable tool in safeguarding your credit. They are free and straightforward to implement, providing peace of mind when your personal information may be at risk. The inconvenience of lifting a freeze when applying for credit is minor compared to the protection it offers against unauthorized accounts being opened in your name.

Remember, credit freezes are just one part of a broader strategy to protect your identity. You may also want to consider services from credit monitoring companies that provide additional security measures.