#Lifting credit freeze equifax free

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We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. And, if identity theft happens to you, visit to report it and get a personal recovery plan. Learn more about credit freezes, fraud alerts, and active duty alerts for service members. If you’ve experienced identity theft, you can get an extended fraud alert that lasts for seven years. A fraud alert lasts one year and you can renew it for free. Place a fraud alert by contacting any one of the three national credit bureaus. Usually, that means calling you first to make sure the person trying to open a new account is really you. A freeze lasts until you remove it.Ī fraud alert doesn’t limit access to your credit report, but tells businesses to check with you before opening a new account in your name. Place a credit freeze by contacting each of the three national credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Placing and lifting the freeze is free, but you must contact the national credit bureaus to lift it and put it back in place. If you need to apply for new credit, you can lift the freeze temporarily to let the creditor check your credit. A credit freeze won’t affect your credit score or your ability to use your existing credit cards, apply for a job, rent an apartment, or buy insurance. And don’t let the “freeze” part worry you. Because creditors usually won’t give you credit if they can’t check your credit report, placing a freeze helps you block identity thieves who might be trying to open accounts in your name.Ī freeze also can be helpful if you’ve experienced identity theft or had your information exposed in a data breach.

When in place, it prevents potential creditors from accessing your credit report.

One may be right for you.Ī credit freeze is the best way you can protect against an identity thief opening new accounts in your name.

#Lifting credit freeze equifax free

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