How to Freeze Your Credit

Freezing your credit is one of the fastest ways to protect yourself from identity theft and unauthorized activity on your accounts. Whether you’re dealing with fraud right now or just planning ahead, knowing how to freeze credit can help you stay in control of your financial identity.

A credit freeze prevents lenders from accessing your credit report. As such, it’s nearly impossible for scammers to open new accounts in your name when your report is frozen. Best of all, the process is free and relatively simple.

Here’s how to freeze credit and how doing so can impact your financial flexibility. 

How to freeze your credit

If you need to freeze your credit right away, you’ll need to contact each major credit bureau individually. It’s important to note that a freeze with one bureau doesn’t apply to the others. 

Here’s a simple step-by-step overview of how to freeze credit:

• Contact a credit bureau online, by phone, or by mail
• Provide your Social Security number, date of birth, home address, and a valid email address
• Create or save your login credentials 

Repeat this process for each of the three major bureaus. Once you’re finished, lenders will no longer be able to view your credit report unless you authorize them to. 

What is a credit freeze?

A credit freeze blocks access to your credit report. This means that new applications are automatically blocked until you lift the freeze.

A credit freeze does several important things:

• Stops new loans, credit cards, and accounts from being opened
• Protects against identity theft and fraud
• Costs nothing under federal law

However, it does not:

• Close existing accounts
• Prevent legitimate account activity
• Lower or raise your credit score

You can still use your existing credit cards and make payments. You’ll also be able to build credit while your file is frozen. 

Is a credit freeze the right course of action for you?

You should consider freezing your credit if any of the following apply to your situation:

• Your personal data was exposed in a breach
• You’ve experienced identity theft or fraud
• You don’t plan to apply for credit soon
• You want maximum protection with minimal effort 

That said, freezing your credit may be inconvenient if you aren’t at risk due to a breach or recent identity theft. Keep in mind that you’ll be unable to apply for any new loans or credit cards while your credit is frozen.

If your goal is to build your credit steadily while protecting yourself from the fallout of a breach, a freeze can be a good choice. Tools like Kikoff focus on reporting on-time payments and rewarding you for responsible usage. 

How long do credit freezes last?

A credit freeze will remain in place until you take action to remove it. You must contact each credit bureau separately to remove the freeze from your file.

If you need to apply for credit, you can temporarily lift the freeze for a specific lender. Alternatively, you can lift it for a set period while you compare options or remove it entirely. 

Rebuilding after a credit freeze

Freezing your credit is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from fraud, but it doesn't have to stall your financial progress. You can still focus on forming healthy credit habits and reporting on-time payments.

Kikoff helps you add positive payment history without hard credit checks or taking out new loans. Start building a positive credit history with Kikoff today.