Take control of your credit report with a credit freeze

If you are worried about identity theft, data breaches, or unauthorized access to your credit report, you should place a credit freeze on your report.

Also known as a security freeze, this free tool lets you restrict access to your credit report. This makes it harder for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name. A credit freeze does not affect your credit score, nor does it prevent you from getting your free annual credit report. It also doesn’t prevent a thief from making charges to your existing accounts. So, it is a good idea to monitor all bank, credit card and insurance statements for unauthorized transactions.

If you would like to put a credit freeze in place, simply contact the credit bureaus. Each credit bureau will set you up with a PIN and password to manage your credit freeze. It is absolutely free to freeze or un-freeze your credit report.

Equifax
Equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services
800-685-1111

Experian
Experian.com/help
888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742)

Transunion
TransUnion.com/credit-help
888-909-8872