Credit freeze
Also called: security freeze
A credit freeze, also called a security freeze, limits who can see your credit report, so new creditors generally cannot check it and new credit in your name becomes much harder to open. It is free to place and lift.
By Beacon · Updated
How it works
You do not need to be a fraud victim to freeze your credit reports; anyone can. Each of the three nationwide credit bureaus handles its own freeze, so covering all three reports takes three separate requests. A freeze lasts until you choose to lift it, and your credit score is unaffected. The restriction applies to you too: while it is on, new credit generally cannot be opened in your name.
A freeze can be lifted for a short time when a credit check is needed, for example for a loan, a rental application, a job or an insurance quote, and then restored. If the business tells you which bureau it checks, you may only need to lift that one. Parents can also request a free freeze for a child under 16, through a process that differs from the one for adults.
A freeze targets new accounts, not activity on accounts you already hold, so an unauthorized charge on an existing card is a separate problem to raise with that card issuer. It also leaves in place any fraudulent account opened before the freeze. Reviewing statements and credit reports still matters, and a fraud alert can be added on top of a freeze for an extra identity check.
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Sources and further reading
Examples are illustrative and focus on U.S. personal finance. This page is educational, not individual financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Read our editorial approach or report a correction.