How to Freeze Your Credit at All Three Bureaus — Free
A credit freeze (also called a security freeze) blocks lenders from pulling your credit file, which means no one — including an identity thief with your SSN — can open new credit in your name. It's free by federal law, doesn't affect your credit score, and you can lift it anytime in minutes.
Step 1: Freeze at each bureau
You must place a freeze with each of the three bureaus separately. Create an account at each site, verify your identity, and select the freeze option:
- Equifax — equifax.com (look for "Place a security freeze")
- Experian — experian.com/freeze
- TransUnion — transunion.com/credit-freeze
Each takes about five minutes online. Save the login credentials and any PINs — you'll need them to lift the freeze later.
Step 2: Know how to thaw
When you apply for credit yourself — a card, a car loan, a mortgage — you'll temporarily lift ("thaw") the freeze, usually instantly online. Ask the lender which bureau they pull from and you may only need to thaw one.
What a freeze does NOT do
This is the part most articles skip. A freeze only blocks new credit accounts. It does not stop:
- Fraud on your existing accounts (stolen card numbers, account takeover)
- Tax refund fraud — someone filing a return with your SSN
- Medical identity theft or insurance fraud
- Employment or government benefits fraud using your SSN
- Your information being sold on the dark web
Freeze + monitoring is the complete setup. The freeze blocks new accounts; monitoring catches everything else. IdentityIQ watches all three bureaus daily, scans the dark web for your SSN and passwords, and backs you with up to $1M in identity theft insurance.
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