Donna LeValley
Used to be you'd freeze your credit if you'd suffered identity theft or some other compromise of your personal information. But as data breaches have piled up, a pre-emptive credit freeze has become a popular way to protect your credit, even if a thief hasn't yet made fraudulent use of your info.
If you're one of the 190 million impacted by the United Health Care data breach or the more recent breach affecting Hilton and Marriott customers, then you might be considering some options to protect your data. Here's a look at how a credit freeze can help you.
What does a credit freeze do?
When you put a credit freeze (sometimes called a security freeze) in place, new creditors can't review your credit reports to judge whether you're eligible for a credit card or loan — and in turn, lenders are unlikely to grant credit to fraudsters posing as you. When you need to shop for credit for yourself, you can temporarily lift the freeze.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
How much does a credit freeze cost?
Do I have to pay to freeze my credit? Nope. Placing and lifting a freeze is free at each of the major credit agencies, thanks to federal law.
How do I freeze my credit?
To set up a credit freeze, take these three steps.
1. Gather your information. In the past, all three of the credit agencies had consumers use a PIN to confirm their identities when they wanted to temporarily lift or permanently remove a freeze. But TransUnion, Equifax and Experian no longer require a PIN. Instead, you can set up a password-protected online account or provide identity-verification information by phone or mail. But if you go online, you can manage your freeze with a password-protected account instead.
2. Contact each credit agency. The web pages or phone numbers below are the quickest avenues to imposing a freeze. To submit your request by mail, use these addresses.
Freeze your credit with Equifax
Equifax Information Services LLC,
P.O. Box 105788,
Atlanta, GA 30348
(Fill out and submit this form to request a freeze by mail.)
888-298-0045
Freeze your credit with Experian
Experian Security Freeze,
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
888-397-3742
Freeze your credit with TransUnion
TransUnion
P.O. Box 160
Woodlyn, PA 19094
888-909-8872
3. Save your passwords. We're all guilty of using the same passwords for everything. However, that also means if hackers can crack your password, it won't take them long to access all of your information. For this reason, having a password manager is essential. Some of the top options include Dashlane and NordPass. They can create unique passwords for each of your online accounts to keep you safe, and store them securely for when you need to use them.
Other steps to protect your credit
- Monitor your credit reports regularly. While you can receive a free credit report from each bureau annually, having a service like MyFico helps you stay on top of any credit changes, like new accounts opening or inquiries. And if you don't recognize any changes, you can place freezes on your credit history right away before more damage happens.
- Store documents securely. If you can, sign up for electronic statements with your lenders. They'll arrive in your email, reducing the likelihood of anyone intercepting information through the mail. You can also use a service like Quicken's LifeHub to store any documents securely on the cloud. That way, you can shred paper files and have access on the go, anytime you need it.
- Use a password manager. A password manager creates difficult passwords to crack and stores them securely for you. Services like 1Password protect every aspect of your digital life, tying in all your online accounts with all of your devices in one hub to secure all data points.
- Use credit repair services to fix errors. If you notice errors in your credit report, you might be wondering how to fix them. Credit Saint specializes in helping customers improve their credit scores by working on their behalf to remove incorrect information on your credit reports.
Related Content
- Things to Do Immediately If You're Involved in a Data Breach
- How to Fix Errors in Your Credit Report
- How to Protect Your Home From Deed Theft
-
Stock Market Winners and Losers of the 'Big, Beautiful' BillDefense, manufacturing and tech should prosper, while health care and green energy stocks face hurdles.
-
I'm 68 and health issues forced me to retire. Should I claim Social Security or use my savings until I'm 70?We asked financial planning experts for advice.
-
Four Ways a Massive Emergency Fund Can Hurt You More Than It HelpsSaving too much could mean you're missing opportunities to put your money to work. Redirect some of that money toward paying off debt, building retirement funds, fulfilling a dream or investing in higher-growth options.
-
Noctourism: The New Travel Trend For Your Next Trip"Noctourism" is a new trend of building travel and vacations around events and plans that take place at night. Take a look at some inspiring noctourism ideas.
-
Eight Tricks to Shop for Glasses if You're Over 50Shopping for glasses often gets trickier — and more expensive — as you age. If you've over 50, take these steps when you set out to buy a new pair.
-
My First $1 Million: Electric Utility Executive, 56, South CarolinaEver wonder how someone who's made a million dollars or more did it? Kiplinger's My First $1 Million series uncovers the answers.
-
How to Turn Amazon Prime Day Into a Travel WindfallDuring Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale, skip the fluff — here’s how to extract real travel value via gear, services and strategic credit cards.
-
Need a Reason to Retire Early? Consider These Eye-Opening StatsThe majority of people retire early, leaving the workforce before reaching their Full Retirement Age (FRA). Maybe you should, too.
-
Seven Things You Should Do Before 2026 Because of One Big Beautiful Bill ChangesThe new law ushers in significant changes for most taxpayers. Make these moves now to take advantage of them.
-
I'm an Insurance Expert: This Is Exactly Why Your Insurance Rates Are Soaring (and What You Can Do)A dramatic rise in the frequency and cost of severe weather and wildfires means you need to prepare, prepare, prepare — no matter where you live — for higher premiums.
