Your protections, free and paid
- Credit freeze
- Free to place and lift. Blocks most new accounts from being opened in your name until you lift it.
- Fraud alert
- Free. Lenders must check with you before opening new credit. Lasts one year, or seven years after identity theft.
- Report checks
- Free weekly reports from all three bureaus show accounts you don't recognize.
- Monitoring
- Optional paid services that alert you to changes and may add identity theft insurance.
Your plan, step by step
Timelines are a guide. Everyone's starting point is different.
Today
Lock the doors
- Freeze your credit at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. It's free, and you need to contact all three.
- Save each bureau's PIN or account login so you can lift the freeze when you apply for credit.
- Pull your free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and look for accounts or addresses you don't recognize.
Every few months
Keep watch
- Check your reports again. Weekly access is free, so there's no cost to looking often.
- Review bank and card statements for charges you didn't make.
- Lift your freeze only when you're applying for credit, then put it back.
If something looks wrong
Act quickly
- Report it at IdentityTheft.gov to get a recovery plan and an identity theft report.
- Place an extended fraud alert, which lasts seven years with an identity theft report. Contacting one bureau is enough; it notifies the others.
- Dispute the fraudulent accounts with each bureau and contact the businesses involved.
Tools that can help
Frequently asked questions
Is a credit freeze free?
Yes. Placing and lifting a credit freeze is free at all three bureaus. You have to contact Equifax, Experian and TransUnion separately.
What's the difference between a credit freeze and a fraud alert?
A freeze blocks access to your credit report for most new accounts until you lift it. A fraud alert lets lenders see your report but requires them to verify it's you before opening new credit. Both are free.
Does freezing my credit hurt my score?
No. A freeze doesn't affect your credit score, and you can keep using your existing accounts normally.
Do I need to pay for credit monitoring?
Not to protect yourself. Freezes, fraud alerts and free weekly reports cover the basics. Paid monitoring can add convenience, alerts and identity theft insurance if you want them.
Get a plan built for your situation
Answer a few questions about your budget and what's on your reports, and we'll match the steps above to specific options that fit.
Get my protection plan