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A free security freeze is the strongest default for limiting new-credit access after identity theft. Place one separately with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion; a lock is a bureau-specific product whose terms and features can differ. Neither tool handles the whole recovery: contact companies where fraud occurred and follow the free recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov.
At a glance
| Name | Best for | Key spec | Free plan / price | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security freeze | Restricting access to your credit reports for new-credit applications after identity theft | Set separately at all three nationwide bureaus; remains until you lift it | Free to place and lift | November 2026 |
| Credit lock | People who prefer a bureau’s app or online controls | Bureau- and product-specific; not identical to a security freeze | Depends on the bureau’s product and terms | November 2026 |
Which protects you better after identity theft?
For most people, the security freeze is the better first move: it is free, is a right under federal law, and stays in place until you lift it. A credit lock can also limit access to a bureau report for new credit, but it is a product feature governed by that bureau’s terms, not a legally identical substitute for a freeze.
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The practical distinction is control and coverage. A freeze must be placed separately with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. A lock applies to the report and service offering that lock, so you need to check the bureau’s scope and enrollment terms rather than assume that one lock covers all three reports. A lock may be convenient if you value app-based controls, but convenience does not remove the need to understand what is protected.
Neither is a complete identity-theft remedy. A freeze or lock is aimed at access to a credit report when someone seeks new credit. It does not stop someone from using an existing bank or card account, protect every type of personal information, or reverse fraudulent transactions. Start the recovery process as well as restricting new-credit access.
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Think in two separate problems
Identity theft often creates both a new-account problem and an existing-account problem. The freeze addresses the first by limiting a lender’s ability to review a report for a new application. The second requires direct action with the bank, card issuer, insurer or other company involved. Treating a freeze as a universal block can leave an already-open account exposed.
What does a credit freeze do—and what does it not do?
A security freeze restricts access to your credit report, which can make it harder for a thief to open a new account that requires a lender to review that report. It does not block every possible form of identity theft, and it does not itself repair damage already done.
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There is a trade-off when you apply for new credit. A lender may be unable to review a frozen report, so an application can be delayed or blocked until you temporarily lift the freeze. If you know which bureau the lender will check, you can lift the freeze at that bureau rather than removing protection everywhere, then restore the freeze afterward. Confirm the lender’s bureau and the bureau’s current instructions before a time-sensitive application.
A freeze also does not secure existing deposit, credit-card, insurance or other accounts. If the theft involved an existing account, contact the institution’s fraud department, ask it to close or freeze the affected account as appropriate, change passwords and PINs, and monitor statements. The FTC’s credit guidance and recovery materials distinguish credit-report protections from the work of protecting accounts and resolving fraud.
What a freeze cannot promise
- It does not guarantee that no fraudulent account will ever be attempted or opened through a channel that does not rely on a frozen report.
- It does not erase an account or inquiry that is already on a report.
- It does not investigate the theft, obtain a police report, contact creditors, or submit disputes for you.
- It does not prevent unauthorized purchases, withdrawals or transfers on accounts that already exist.
Those limits are reasons to use a freeze as one part of a coordinated response, not reasons to skip it.
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How is a credit lock different from a freeze?
A credit lock is a bureau’s service or feature; a security freeze is a federally protected option. Equifax says its own lock has a similar general effect to its freeze while also explaining that the two products are not identical. That description is specific to its product and should not be generalized to every bureau’s lock.
| Decision factor | Security freeze | Credit lock |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free to place and lift | Depends on the bureau’s product and terms |
| Coverage | Place separately with each of the three nationwide bureaus | Applies to the bureau report and product offering the lock; check the scope |
| Duration and control | Stays in place until you lift it; may be lifted temporarily or removed | Online or app control may be convenient; provider terms govern |
| Status | A right under federal law | A bureau product feature; do not assume it has the same legal status or terms |
| New applications | A lender may not be able to review the report until you lift the freeze | Generally limits access for new credit, subject to the provider’s terms and exceptions |
For details about one bureau’s products, see Equifax’s explanation of fraud alerts, freezes and its credit lock. The key point is not that a lock is useless; it is that its coverage, cost, exceptions and controls depend on the provider. After identity theft, use the free freeze at all three bureaus as the baseline. Consider a lock only after checking what it covers and whether it adds a convenience you actually want.
Questions to ask before choosing a lock
- Does the offer cover only this bureau’s report, or is another bureau enrollment required?
- Is the feature free, bundled with a paid product, or subject to a recurring charge?
- Can you lock and unlock online or in an app, and what identity verification is required?
- What exceptions let a business access the report while it is locked?
- What happens if you cancel the underlying product?
If the terms are unclear, the free freeze is easier to compare and does not depend on maintaining a subscription.
What should you do first after identity theft?
Secure affected accounts and begin the official recovery process. A credit freeze helps reduce one route to further harm, but the accounts, disputes and documentation tied to the specific theft need attention too.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →- Contact each company where fraud occurred. Use its fraud department and ask whether the affected account should be closed or frozen. Change the passwords and PINs associated with impacted accounts, especially credentials that may have been reused. Ask what documents the company needs and record the date, representative and reference number for each contact.
- Consider a fraud alert. If you want creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening new credit, place an initial fraud alert with one of the three nationwide bureaus. That bureau must notify the other two. A fraud alert and a freeze are different tools, and you can use a freeze as well.
- Review your credit reports. Look for accounts or activity you do not recognize. Keep notes on suspicious entries and the companies involved; they will help you follow up and dispute activity. Save copies of reports and correspondence in a secure location.
- Report the theft at IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC’s site creates an Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan, including steps and forms for contacting companies and disputing fraudulent accounts or charges. The FTC recovery steps are a practical guide to working through those tasks.
- Freeze each credit report. Place a separate freeze with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Do not assume that contacting one bureau automatically freezes the other two.
- Keep monitoring existing accounts. Check bank, card and insurance statements for further unauthorized activity. A credit freeze does not stop misuse of an account that is already open.
Change credentials from a device you trust, and avoid reusing a password that was exposed. When contacting a company, use the phone number or website on a statement or official site rather than a link in an unexpected message. Keep a timeline of calls, letters, reports and promised follow-ups; it makes the recovery plan manageable and helps show what you have already done.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s identity-theft guidance likewise directs victims toward reporting, contacting affected companies and addressing compromised accounts. If multiple steps seem urgent, prioritize preventing ongoing account access and use the FTC plan to organize the recovery work.
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How do you place and later lift a freeze?
Make a separate request to each bureau using its current official instructions. The precise interface and verification steps can change, so use the bureau’s own current freeze process rather than an unfamiliar third-party link.
- Go to each bureau’s official site or contact channel. Request a security freeze from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion individually. The FTC’s guide to credit freezes and fraud alerts explains the separate-bureau requirement.
- Complete the bureau’s identity-verification process. Follow its current instructions and retain any confirmation or account details it provides so you can manage the freeze later.
- Check that each request is in place. Do not treat a confirmation from one bureau as confirmation for the other two. Keep the confirmations with your recovery records.
- Before applying for credit, ask the lender which bureau it expects to check. Then request a temporary lift from that bureau, or from multiple bureaus if the lender needs more than one report. Re-freeze the report after the lender’s access window or application process.
According to the FTC, bureaus generally must place a freeze within one business day after an online or telephone request and lift it within one hour. Requests made by mail have a longer processing window. These are general processing requirements, not a guarantee that every time-sensitive application will proceed smoothly; verify current instructions and allow time for the lender’s process.
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Ask the lender before you lift anything: which bureau or bureaus will it use, when will it pull the report, and how long should access remain available? Lift only the report needed for that window when possible, then confirm that the freeze is back in place. If the lender cannot tell you which report it uses, you may need to coordinate access with more than one bureau; do not guess and leave all three reports open longer than necessary.
A lift is different from permanently removing a freeze. A temporary lift preserves the default protection once the stated period ends, while removal leaves the report available until you request a new freeze. Read the bureau’s choices carefully and save the confirmation.
Should you add a fraud alert?
A fraud alert asks businesses to verify your identity before extending new credit; a freeze restricts access to your report. An initial alert can be placed with one bureau, which must notify the other two, while a freeze needs to be set separately at all three.
A fraud alert can be useful as an additional signal to creditors, but it is not a replacement for freezing reports if your goal is to restrict access. The FTC explains the distinction in its consumer guide to freezes and fraud alerts. If you are unsure which to choose after identity theft, you do not have to treat them as mutually exclusive: you can add an alert and also place freezes.
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Use the alert to tell a creditor that identity verification matters, and use the freeze to limit routine report access. Neither one closes an existing account or resolves a fraudulent charge, so continue working directly with each affected company.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do you need to pay for identity monitoring or recovery help?
No paid subscription is required to place a freeze or obtain an FTC recovery plan. Monitoring, recovery assistance and identity-theft insurance are optional services, not substitutes for contacting affected institutions and completing the recovery steps.
Monitoring services may send alerts when they detect activity in the data they cover; recovery services may help with documents or communications with creditors. If considering one, compare which bureaus and data sources it monitors, what human assistance it includes, its exclusions and ongoing cost. Some similar benefits may be available through a bank, card issuer, employer or insurer. The CFPB’s explanation of identity-monitoring services can help distinguish monitoring from recovery assistance. FTC guidance also cautions that identity-theft insurance generally does not reimburse money stolen by scammers, so read coverage limits carefully.
Ask whether a trial converts to a recurring plan, whether cancellation ends a lock or other feature, and whether family members or all three bureaus are included. Compare the service with benefits you already receive before paying. Alerts can be useful, but an alert is not proof that every account or data source is being watched.
Start with the free steps: contact the affected companies, use IdentityTheft.gov, review reports and freeze all three bureaus. Decide whether a paid service adds something you need only after those protections and recovery tasks are underway.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Freezing only one report. Each nationwide bureau maintains a separate report, so one request does not cover the other two.
- Assuming a lock is legally identical to a freeze. A lock’s features, exceptions, cost and cancellation rules come from the provider.
- Stopping after the freeze. Existing accounts still need password changes, fraud-department contact and statement review.
- Leaving every report open for a loan. Ask which report the lender needs, lift only what is necessary and restore the freeze.
- Paying for a service before using free resources. IdentityTheft.gov and the bureaus’ freeze processes are available without a monitoring subscription.
- Using an outdated contact route. Bureau interfaces and terms can change; verify current instructions on official sites.
A simple decision checklist
If you are deciding what to do today, use this order:
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- Contact every company tied to the suspected fraud and secure the affected accounts.
- File at IdentityTheft.gov and follow its personal recovery plan.
- Place a free freeze separately with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
- Add a fraud alert if you want creditors to perform extra identity checks.
- Review all three reports and document unfamiliar accounts, inquiries and contacts.
- Consider a lock or paid monitoring only after comparing its exact coverage, price and terms with the free protections already in place.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze my credit before someone steals my identity?
Yes. The FTC says a credit freeze is something you can do at any time and for any reason, so you do not need to wait for confirmed fraud to request one. A freeze does not change your credit score.
Will a credit freeze stop a lender from checking my credit for an existing account?
A freeze is designed to limit access for new-credit applications, not to secure an account you already have. Contact the bank or card issuer directly if an existing account may be compromised.
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Do I have to freeze all three bureaus?
For the broadest new-credit protection, yes. Equifax, Experian and TransUnion keep separate reports, and a freeze request with one does not automatically freeze the other two.
Can I apply for a mortgage or credit card while my reports are frozen?
Yes, but ask the lender which bureau or bureaus it will check. Temporarily lift the freeze at the needed bureau or bureaus, allow the lender’s process to finish, and restore the freeze afterward.
Does a freeze lower my credit score?
No. The FTC says a credit freeze does not affect your credit score. It can, however, prevent a lender from reviewing a report until you lift the freeze.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: After identity theft, freeze your Equifax, Experian and TransUnion reports separately at no cost. Add a fraud alert if helpful, follow the IdentityTheft.gov recovery plan, and secure every affected existing account. A credit lock may offer convenient app controls, but it is not a universal or legally identical replacement for the three freezes.
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