How to Freeze Your Credit (Free, DIY)
A credit freeze stops new accounts from being opened in your name without your permission. It's free, it takes about 15 minutes, and it's the single most effective thing you can do against identity theft.
What a freeze actually does
A credit freeze locks your credit file at each of the three major bureaus. When a lender (or scammer) tries to open a new account in your name, they can't pull your credit report — so the application gets denied. Your existing accounts and credit score are unaffected.
What it doesn't do
- It doesn't stop fraud on cards or accounts you already have. Watch your statements for that.
- It doesn't fix identity theft that's already happened. For that, file at identitytheft.gov.
- It doesn't replace an IRS Identity Protection PIN, which is a separate tool for tax-return fraud.
Three bureaus, three freezes
Each bureau is a separate company. You need to freeze all three; freezing only one leaves the other two open. There's no single button.
What to expect
Each bureau takes about five minutes online. You'll create an account (or use an existing one), verify your identity with questions about your past addresses or accounts, and either set a PIN or get one assigned. Save the PIN somewhere safe — a password manager is ideal. You'll need it to lift the freeze later.
When you need to apply for credit
Temporarily lift the freeze (called a "thaw") for the bureau the lender pulls from. Most thaws are instant online. You can choose a date range so it re-freezes automatically. There's no fee.