Choose a credit freeze if you want to restrict access to your credit reports for new-credit decisions and do not expect to apply for credit soon. Choose an initial fraud alert if you suspect identity theft and want businesses to verify your identity before granting new credit without restricting access to your reports. Both are free, and you can use them together. This guidance is for U.S. consumers.
Credit freeze vs. fraud alert: the key differences
| Question | Credit freeze | Initial fraud alert |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Restricts access to your credit report for new-credit decisions. | Asks businesses to verify your identity before granting new credit; your report remains accessible. |
| Cost | Free to place and lift. | Free. |
| How long it lasts | Until you lift it. | One year; you can renew it for free. |
| Where to request it | Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion separately. | Contact one of the three nationwide credit bureaus; it must notify the other two. |
| When you apply for credit | You may need to temporarily lift the freeze at the bureau the lender checks. | No lift is needed, though businesses are asked to follow the identity-verification request. |
| Who can use it | Anyone, for any reason. | Anyone who is or suspects they may be affected by identity theft. |
| Credit score | Does not affect your credit score. | The FTC describes the verification process; it does not characterize an alert as a score-changing action. |
A freeze is the stronger restriction: a prospective creditor generally cannot access your report for a new-credit decision while the freeze is active. A fraud alert does not block access; it requests an extra identity check. Neither protection guarantees that all identity theft or misuse will be prevented. See the FTC’s current guidance on credit freezes and fraud alerts.
Which protection fits your situation?
Use a freeze for ongoing protection against new-account fraud
If you are not planning to apply for credit soon and want to limit access to your reports for new-credit decisions, freeze your credit with all three nationwide bureaus. A legitimate application can require an extra step: you may need to lift the freeze so the lender can check the relevant report.
Use an initial fraud alert when you suspect identity theft
If your personal information may be exposed and you want lenders to take an identity-check step while your reports remain accessible, request an initial fraud alert from one bureau. That bureau must tell the other two. The alert lasts one year and can be renewed for free.
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Consider both if identity theft is suspected or confirmed
The FTC says you may place an initial fraud alert as well as a freeze. They serve different purposes: the freeze restricts report access for new-credit decisions, while the alert asks businesses to verify your identity.
How to place or lift a credit freeze
- Contact each bureau separately. Request a freeze from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion using their current official freeze-request pages. A request to one does not freeze your reports at the other two.
- When applying for credit, find out which bureau the lender will check. Ask the lender if you are unsure; avoid lifting more freezes than necessary.
- Temporarily lift the freeze at the relevant bureau. Use that bureau’s current official process, then reinstate the freeze after the lender completes its report check.
A freeze does not lower your credit score. The FTC also identifies renting an apartment, employment, and insurance as situations where a business may need access to a report; check with the business about whether a lift is needed and which bureau it uses. The freeze’s central role is to restrict report access for new-credit decisions, not to block activity on existing accounts. For details, see the FTC’s freeze and alert guidance.
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Fraud alert options beyond the initial alert
Extended fraud alert: seven years
An extended fraud alert is for people who have experienced identity theft and completed an FTC identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov or filed a police report. It lasts seven years. It also requires the bureaus to remove you from marketing lists for unsolicited credit and insurance offers for five years, unless you ask otherwise.
Active duty alert: one year
An active duty alert is for active duty servicemembers. It lasts one year and may be renewed for the length of deployment. It asks businesses to verify identity before granting new credit. The FTC also describes free electronic credit monitoring for active duty servicemembers and National Guard members through contact with each bureau.
If identity theft has already happened
A freeze or alert is a protective measure, not a complete recovery plan. Report identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov and follow the personalized recovery plan. Keep reviewing bank, credit-card, and insurance statements for suspicious activity on existing accounts; a credit freeze does not stop charges to accounts already open.
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