How To Freeze Your Credit

Freezing your credit is a smart way to protect yourself from identity theft.

Here's how you can do it:

Gather Your Information: You’ll need personal details such as your Social Security number, date of birth, address, and possibly information about your current or previous employers.

Contact the Credit Bureaus: Reach out to each of the three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You need to freeze your credit with all three to ensure complete protection.

Equifax: Visit Equifax’s website or call 1-800-349-9960.

Equifax Information Services, LLC
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30374-0256

Experian: Go to Experian’s website or call 1-888-397-3742.

Experian
P.O. Box 4500
Allen, TX 75013

TransUnion: Visit TransUnion’s website or call 1-888-909-8872.

TransUnion Consumer Solutions
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016

Follow the Instructions: Each bureau will have its own process, but generally, you’ll need to provide personal information to verify your identity. You may be asked to create a PIN or password for future use.

Confirmation: Once the freeze is in place, each bureau will send you a confirmation letter or email. Keep these documents safe, as you’ll need your PIN or password to lift the freeze later.

Verify the Freeze: After receiving confirmation, check your credit reports to ensure the freeze was successfully applied. You can get a free report from each bureau once a year at AnnualCreditReport.com.

Lifting the Freeze: If you need to apply for credit, you’ll need to temporarily lift the freeze. You can do this online or by phone with each bureau using the PIN or password you set up.

Freezing your credit won’t impact your credit score or prevent you from getting your credit report or score. It’s a proactive step to protect against unauthorized credit checks.