A credit freeze gives consumers a free way to make it harder for somebody to open a credit account using their personal information. It restricts access to a credit report, which lenders usually want to see before issuing a new card or loan. Consumers can place a freeze before their information is exposed and can lift it when they need to apply for credit.
Federal consumer guidance reviewed November 14, 2026, explains that freezes are free to place and lift. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau distinguishes a security freeze from a credit lock, which a company may bundle with paid services.
How to place a freeze
Contact Equifax, Experian and TransUnion separately. Placing a freeze with one bureau leaves the others accessible. The Federal Trade Commission’s guide links to all three bureaus and explains how to reach them online, by phone or by mail.
Keep any confirmation and instructions you receive. If you later apply for a credit card, auto loan or mortgage, ask the lender which bureau it uses and when it expects to check your report. You can temporarily lift the freeze at that bureau for a set period. If the lender cannot tell you which bureau it will use, you may need to lift more than one.
What a freeze covers
A freeze is aimed at new accounts. It does not stop someone who already has your card number from making charges on an existing account. Continue checking bank and card statements and contact the issuer promptly if you spot an unfamiliar transaction. You can also still request and review your own credit reports while the freeze is in place.
If you suspect your identity has already been used, the FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov walks you through reporting the theft and making a recovery plan. That can include steps to dispute accounts you never opened.
How a fraud alert differs
A fraud alert tells businesses that check your report to verify your identity before granting new credit. For an initial fraud alert, contacting one of the three bureaus is enough because it must notify the other two. A freeze instead restricts access to the report itself. Both are free, and the FTC says you can have a freeze and a fraud alert at the same time.