Credit reports
Identity theft and credit freezes: what to do
If you think someone has your personal information, freeze your credit at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion today. It is free, takes a few minutes online at each bureau, and stops most new credit from being opened in your name. If someone has already used your information, also go to IdentityTheft.gov for a free, personalized recovery plan.
What to do in the first hour
- Freeze your credit at all three bureaus. Use the official sites: equifax.com, experian.com and transunion.com. A freeze at one bureau does not freeze the others.
- Lock down your key accounts. Change passwords for your email, bank, payment apps and phone carrier, and turn on two-step verification. Ask your mobile carrier for a port-out PIN or number lock to make SIM swapping harder.
- Call the fraud department of any affected company. Use the number on your card or the company's official website, not one from an email or text. Close or freeze accounts that were misused and ask for written confirmation.
- Report it at IdentityTheft.gov. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) site creates an identity theft report and a step-by-step plan.
- Check your credit reports. Get free weekly reports at annualcreditreport.com and look for accounts, inquiries or addresses you do not recognize.
Credit freeze or fraud alert?
Both are free. A freeze is stronger. A fraud alert is easier to set up. You can have both at the same time.
| Tool | What it does | How long | How to set it up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit freeze | Blocks most lenders from seeing your report, so new credit in your name is usually refused | Until you lift it | Contact each of the three bureaus separately |
| Initial fraud alert | Tells lenders to take reasonable steps to verify your identity before opening credit | 1 year, renewable | Contact one bureau, which must tell the other two |
| Extended fraud alert | Same as above, plus removes you from prescreened credit offer lists for 5 years | 7 years | Requires an identity theft report, such as one from IdentityTheft.gov |
| Active duty alert | For service members deployed away from their usual duty station | 1 year, renewable | Contact one bureau |
A freeze does not affect your credit score, and you can keep using your existing cards and loans. Your current lenders, and some others such as debt collectors and government agencies, can still see your report.
How to freeze your credit
You can freeze online, by phone or by mail with each bureau. By law, a bureau must place the freeze within one business day of an online or phone request, and within three business days of receiving a mailed request.
- have your Social Security number, date of birth and addresses from the past two years ready
- create an account or save the PIN each bureau gives you, and store it somewhere safe
- repeat the process at all three bureaus
- save the confirmation for each freeze
Parents and guardians can also freeze the credit of a child under 16, and guardians can freeze the credit of an adult in their care. Children rarely need credit, so a freeze is a simple way to stop thieves from using a child's clean record for years without anyone noticing.
Lifting a freeze temporarily
When you apply for a loan, a credit card, an apartment or sometimes a job, the company will need to see your report. You do not have to remove the freeze for good.
- Ask which bureau they use. Many lenders check only one or two, so you may only need to lift those.
- Choose a temporary lift. You can lift a freeze for a set number of days, and it turns back on automatically.
- Allow a little time. Online and phone requests to lift a freeze must be handled within one hour. Mailed requests take up to three business days.
Lifting and refreezing are free every time.
Other freezes worth placing
The three nationwide bureaus are not the only companies that keep files on you. Thieves sometimes open accounts with companies that check other databases. These also offer free security freezes:
- ChexSystems - used by many banks and credit unions to screen people opening checking and savings accounts.
- NCTUE (National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange) - used by many phone, cable, internet and utility companies.
- Innovis - a smaller, fourth credit bureau that some lenders use.
- LexisNexis Risk Solutions - used by some insurers, lenders and landlords.
Two government tools help too:
- IRS Identity Protection PIN. Anyone with a Social Security number or ITIN can get one at irs.gov. It stops someone else from filing a tax return with your number.
- A my Social Security account. Creating your own account at ssa.gov means a thief cannot create one in your name.
If your identity has already been stolen
Start at IdentityTheft.gov. You answer questions about what happened, and the site creates an FTC identity theft report, a personalized recovery plan and prefilled letters you can send to businesses and bureaus. Save your report - you will need it.
An identity theft report gives you extra rights. You can:
- ask each bureau to block fraudulent information from your report, which it generally must do within 4 business days of accepting your request
- place a 7-year extended fraud alert
- get copies of the applications and records for accounts the thief opened
- ask debt collectors to stop reporting debts that resulted from the theft
Some businesses also ask for a police report. File one with your local police if a creditor requires it, if you know who the thief is, or if the thief used your name in an encounter with police.
Recovery checklist
- call and write to every company where a fraudulent account was opened, and ask them to close it and confirm in writing that you are not responsible
- dispute fraudulent charges on your existing accounts
- dispute fraudulent information with each bureau - see how to dispute a credit report error
- for tax identity theft, follow the IRS steps, which usually include filing Form 14039
- for medical identity theft, review explanation of benefits statements from your health insurer and ask providers to correct your records
- for fraudulent unemployment or benefits claims, report it to the agency that paid the benefits
- keep a log of every call, letter, date and name
Keep watching
- check your credit reports every few months, since weekly reports are free
- review bank, card and payment app statements every month
- turn on account alerts for large transactions, password changes and new devices
- keep your freezes in place and lift them only when needed
- get a new IRS Identity Protection PIN each tax season
- be wary of anyone who contacts you first and asks you to confirm personal information
You do not need to pay for identity theft protection to get these protections. Freezes, fraud alerts and credit reports are free. Some paid services add monitoring or insurance, but they cannot do anything you cannot do yourself.
Questions and answers
Does freezing my credit hurt my credit score?
No. A credit freeze has no effect on your score, and your existing accounts keep reporting normally. It only stops most new lenders from seeing your report until you lift the freeze.
How long does a credit freeze last?
A credit freeze stays in place until you remove it. You can lift it temporarily when you apply for credit, and it is free to freeze, lift and refreeze as often as you need.
Can I still use my credit cards if my credit is frozen?
Yes. A freeze does not affect accounts you already have. You can keep using your cards, paying your loans and getting your own credit reports.
Is a credit freeze better than a fraud alert?
A freeze offers stronger protection because most lenders cannot see your report at all. A fraud alert only asks lenders to verify your identity. You can use both, and a fraud alert only needs to be placed with one bureau.
Do I need to pay for identity theft protection?
No. The most important protections - credit freezes, fraud alerts, free credit reports and the IdentityTheft.gov recovery plan - are free. Paid services can add monitoring and convenience, but they are optional.
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