Freeze Like Your Credit Depends On It
Don’t tread on thin ice. Photo by Arisa Chattasa on Unsplash
As you know, your personal data is out there. That means chances aren’t terrible that someone, somewhere, can use your name, your birthday, and one other piece of personal info to pretend to be you, and go out and buy a jet ski. Rude, right?
If you’d prefer not to sponsor a stranger’s adventures, lock in. It’s time to freeze your credit.
What’s a credit freeze?
A credit freeze stops lenders from accessing your credit report, which means no one (not even you!) can open new credit accounts in your name.
How do you freeze your credit?
Placing a freeze can be a bit tedious. There are three major credit bureaus and you’ll need to freeze your credit with each one individually.
The fastest way to set up a credit freeze is online. You have to create a profile with each credit bureau, but this will allow you to freeze and unfreeze as you need. Placing a freeze via phone is fast, too.
Contact each of the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — individually to freeze your credit:
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Manage your Equifax credit freeze:
Call: 888-298-0045
Equifax Info Services LLC
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788See NerdWallet’s guide to getting an Equifax credit freeze.
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Manage your Experian credit freeze:
Call 888-397-3742
Experian Security Freeze
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013See NerdWallet’s guide to getting anExperian credit freeze.
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Manage your TransUnion credit freeze:
Call 800-916-8800
TransUnion
P.O. Box 160
Woodlyn, PA 19094Nerdwallet’s guide to getting a TransUnion credit freeze.
Bureaus must place the freeze within one business day if you request it online or by phone, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The bureaus have three business days to freeze your credit after receiving a mailed request.
What information do you need to freeze your credit?
While all three credit bureaus have slightly different requirements, here is the information you will generally need to provide:
Social Security number.
Date of birth.
Address.
Depending on how you initiate the credit freeze — online, by phone or by mail — you might also need copies the following to verify your identity and address:
Passport, driver’s license or military ID.
Tax documents, bank statements or utility bills.
If you call in, expect to answer authentication questions.
Can I still use my credit?
Absolutely. A freeze doesn’t affect your score, your existing cards, or your ability to check your own report. It just stops new accounts from being opened without your say-so. Like a velvet rope, but less glamorous.
What if I need to unfreeze?
Easy. You log in, thaw your credit, do your thing (buy a house, apply for a loan, finance a suspiciously expensive couch), then re-freeze it when you're done. It's the financial equivalent of “set it and forget it,” but with fewer infomercials.
Screams in Elsa: Now let it go!
Freezing your credit won’t stop every scam, but it’s a great way to put a nice, icy moat around your financial life. It’s free. It’s fast. And unlike your social media privacy settings, it actually does what it promises.
