Resource note
Resources / Financial Identity
A credit freeze restricts access to your credit report for new credit checks. It can make it harder for someone to open a new credit account in your name, but it does not protect existing bank, payment, or email accounts.
Place and manage a freeze
- Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion separately to place a freeze.
- Save each confirmation and any PIN or recovery detail in a secure place.
- Before applying for new credit, ask which bureau the lender will check and follow that bureau's process to lift the freeze temporarily.
- Check statements and account alerts with your banks and payment providers; a credit freeze does not monitor those accounts for you.
If you suspect identity theft, use the official recovery resources for your country and contact the affected financial institutions. A freeze can help limit new-account risk, but it does not stop every form of identity misuse.