Credit freeze
A free restriction on your credit file so that nobody, including you, can open a new credit account in your name until you lift it. In the US you place it with each of the three credit bureaus.
A credit freeze is the blunt instrument against identity theft. The FTC explains that while a freeze is in place, nobody can open a new credit account in your name, and that includes you. It is free, it lasts until you lift it, and you set it up with each of the three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
When you need credit yourself, you contact the bureau or bureaus and ask for the freeze to be lifted. The FTC notes you can lift it at individual bureaus, so you can open your file only to the lender that needs it.
A freeze is different from a fraud alert, which leaves your file open but asks businesses to check with you first. If your personal information has been exposed, a freeze is a step you can take before any new account is opened in your name.
Where it shows up
- Synthetic identity fraud · A stolen Social Security number, given a name and a birthday that were never real, aged for years until a bank finally believes it.
- Phishing and smishing · A small, cheap problem and a link that fixes it, on a screen where you cannot see where the link goes.
- Unemployment insurance fraud · A stranger claims benefits in your name, and the first sign you get is a tax form for money you were never paid.
Sources
- What To Know About Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts. US Federal Trade Commission. Accessed 2026-10-10. Supports: That a freeze blocks new credit accounts in your name, is free, lasts until lifted, and is placed with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.