When you “freeze” your credit, new accounts cannot be opened in your name. Freezing credit helps prevent identity theft.
You can freeze your credit online, by phone, or by mail with Transunion, Experian, and Equifax. If your credit is frozen, new credit accounts cannot be opened. If you need to open a new account, you can unfreeze your credit and then freeze it again when the new account is opened. You can also schedule a “thaw”, where your credit is unfrozen for a given amount of time before automatically being frozen again.
You can build credit using existing accounts when your credit is frozen; your score will still go up or down, depending on your credit behavior. You just can’t open any new accounts.
We recommend freezing your credit to protect yourself from identity theft. Remember to unfreeze when you apply for new credit, and to freeze again when the new account is open.
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To Do: Freeze your credit with all 3 credit bureaus by following the directions on the websites for Transunion, Experian, and Equifax.
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