What is a freeze on my credit file?
What if I place a credit freeze on my file and I need new credit?
Who has access to my credit file once it’s frozen?
How much does it cost?
Who are the 3 credit agencies and how do I contact them?
How do I get free credit reports annually from each agency?
What if I am a victim of ID theft?
Are minor children eligible for a credit freeze?
Q. What is a freeze on my credit file and how will it stop someone from stealing my identity?
A. Many states have laws that let consumers “freeze” their credit – in other words, letting a consumer restrict access to his or her credit report. If you place a credit freeze, potential creditors and other third parties will not be able to get access to your credit report unless you temporarily lift the freeze. This means that it’s unlikely that an identity thief would be able to open a new account in your name. Placing a credit freeze does not affect your credit score – nor does it keep you from getting your free annual credit report, or from buying your credit report or score.
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Q. What if I place a credit freeze on my file and I need new credit?
A. Credit freezes are designed to prevent a credit reporting company from releasing your credit report without your consent. However, you should be aware that using a credit freeze may delay, interfere with or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, insurance, government services or payments, rental housing, employment, investment, license, cellular telephone, utilities, digital signature, Internet credit card transaction or other services, including an extension of credit at point of sale.
When you place a security freeze on your file, you will be provided a personal identification number or password to use if you choose to remove the credit freeze from your file or authorize the temporary release of your credit report for a specific person or period after the security freeze is in place. To provide that authorization, you must contact the reporting agency and provide the following:
- Sufficient identification to verify your identity.
- Your personal identification number or password provided by the credit reporting company.
- A statement that you choose to remove the credit freeze from your file or that you authorize the reporting agency to temporarily release your credit report. If you authorize the temporary release of your credit report, you must name the person who is to receive your credit report or the period for which your credit report must be available.
If you are actively seeking credit, you should understand that the procedures involved in lifting a security freeze may slow your own applications for credit. You should plan ahead and lift a freeze, either completely if you are shopping around, or specifically for a certain creditor, a few days before actually applying for new credit.
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Q. Who has access to my credit file once it’s frozen?
A. Those with whom you have an existing account or a collection agency acting on behalf of the existing account, for purposes of reviewing (account maintenance, monitoring, credit line increases and account upgrades and enhancements) or collecting the account will have access. If you place a credit freeze on your credit file, your information also may be used for the purposes of prescreening as provided for by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, even if a credit freeze is on the file.
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Q. How much does it cost?
A. This is the tricky part. Fees range from $0 to $10 per agency with the exception of Nebraska which may be $15 and Delaware which may be $20. The fees are generally driven by state law or the voluntary compliance program in place at each agency. Factors which dictate fees for each individual include the state in which you reside, your age, whether or not you have been a victim of ID fraud (and have proof via a complaint or police report). In some states the fee may be waived for the spouse of a victim of ID theft, and in some states it depends on whether or not you have filed a freeze request in the past. There are other factors as well. Go to our State Guidelines page for a list of fees, if any, for your state.
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Q. Who are the 3 credit agencies and how do I contact them?
A. The three agencies are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Clicking on the credit agency name in the preceeding sentence will open each of their home pages on the Internet. Contact information can be found on their home page (generally in the top right hand corner of the page).
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Q. How do I get a free credit report annually from each agency?
A. To get a free credit report from each credit agency, click here. A new window will open and will take you to the AnnualCreditReport.com website. This was developed as a joint effort by the three credit agencies to help make this process easy for you. To read more about your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), go to our In the News page and click on the FCRA link. A credit report has a wealth of information about you. We recommend you check it regularly and carefully for outdated, inaccurate or fradulent information. Look for new credit lines, loans, or accounts opened in your name. Verfiy your address and employment information. It's important to conduct this review regularly; you may already be a victim of identity theft or credit fraud and not even know about it. When crimnals open new lines of credit or accounts in another person's name, they often change the billing address. Since you don't get the bills, you have no way of knowing these accounts exist until it's too late. That's why it pays to freeze your credit report and to be diligent in reviewing your credit records.
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Q. What government agency tracks and has information on Identity theft and what if I am a victim of ID theft?
A. Being a victim of ID theft can be time consuming, expensive, and scary. There are stories about people being put in jail due to confusion over their real identities and being mistaken for criminals. We have found the best resource for addressing an ID Theft problem at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website,,, Deter, Detect, and Defend. Click here to open a new window to the FTC website.
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Q. Are minor children eligible for a credit freeze?
A. Yes. Minor children are eligible to freeze their credit files. When submitting a credit freeze request on their behalf, a copy of their social security card (a SS# number is required) and birth certificate will be required in place of the standard (e.g., recent utility bill, drivers license) documentation. Each credit agency will use this documentation to create a credit file in their name (if one does not already exist) and will place a freeze on their credit file. The freeze will automatically be lifted on their 18th birthday. Applicable agency fees apply.
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