Did you know that over 278 million people in the US were affected by data breaches and other security breaches last year? The highest number of security failures occurs in 2026, leaving more people vulnerable to crimes like identity theft and credit fraud than ever before.
If you’ve been affected by a security breach, or if your personal information has been stolen in some other way, there’s a chance that a criminal could try to apply for credit cards or loans in your name.
How can you protect yourself from this crime? As a financial educator and former NFCC certified credit counselor, I’ve spent over a decade teaching consumers how to protect their credit, and one of the most used tools available is a free security method called a credit freeze. Here’s what you need to know.
What does it mean to ‘freeze’ your credit?
Credit bureaus, sometimes called security, are a free service you can use at credit bureaus to protect your credit information. When you put a credit freeze in place, you stop lenders and other companies from pulling your credit reports. After you put a credit freeze in place, you’ll need to remove it if you want to apply for new credit cards or loans.
Why should you freeze your credit? Here are the main reasons I recommend considering this free security measure:
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Identity theft: If you’ve been a victim of identity theft or a data breach, credit freeze can prevent a criminal from using your stolen information to apply for credit cards and loans in your name.
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Child protection: Many people do not check their children’s credit files. Unfortunately, there are criminals who take advantage of that fact by using children’s identities to get credit. To prevent fraudsters from using your child’s credit information, you can freeze credit for any dependents under the age of 16.
How to stop your credit
Each of the three major credit bureaus has its own foreclosure process. At each office, it takes a few minutes to complete the process online, including setting up an account. Be prepared to provide your contact information, Social Security number, and government-issued ID to get started.
Once you’ve completed the process, the credit freeze should take effect almost immediately, and you can remove it at any time.
Experian
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Create or sign in to your Experian account.
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Go to the Security settings on your account and change it to “Frozen.”
Equifax
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Create or sign in to your account at my.Equifax.com.
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Visit the myEquifax home page.
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Select “Freeze.”
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Follow the instructions to complete the process.
TransUnion
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Create or sign in to your TransUnion account.
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Click the “Freeze Credit” button on the home page.
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Click the “Add Freeze” button.
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Click “continue” on the pop-up page.
How to clear your debt
Relieving your debt is easy. You will just need to log in to your credit bureau account and follow the steps to manage the suspension, which usually takes just a few clicks. Here are the options you can expect to see:
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Permanently remove the credit freeze
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Temporarily “freeze” or release your report
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Schedule a meltdown for an upcoming date
Once you submit your application, the change should take effect immediately.
Credit freeze versus credit lock
Credit freezes and credit locks can both provide protection, but they are not the same.
Credit Lock is a paid service that restricts access to your credit report, usually allowing you to quickly lock or unlock it with one click in the app.
If you are concerned about protecting your identity, I recommend going with credit freeze as it is the only free option and gives you permanent protection from credit fraud. Here’s how to compare the two:
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THE DEBT HAS COME |
FORECLOSURE OF DEBT |
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|---|---|---|
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Costs |
It’s free |
Up to $24.99/month, depending on service |
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The way to remove |
On the credit bureau’s app or website |
Provide a password or PIN |
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How long does it take |
Until you remove it |
Until you remove it or cancel the payment |
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Job alerts? |
No |
It varies by credit bureau |
|
Impact on credit scores |
Nothing |
Nothing |
Alternatively, you might consider setting up a fraud alert.
A fraud alert is a free alternative, but it’s designed to help people who have already been victimized by fraud on their credit reports. The main advantages of fraud alerts are that you only have to contact one credit bureau to file an alert with all three, and creditors will be required to verify your identity whenever someone applies for an account in your name.
