# Credit Freeze vs Fraud Alert: How to Place Each at All Three US Bureaus > Understand the difference between a credit freeze and a fraud alert, which one to use after a data breach, and how to place each at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion for free. Source: https://www.epifive.com/blog/credit-freeze-vs-fraud-alert-us-bureaus · Published 2026-10-29 · EpiFive ## Key takeaways - A credit freeze blocks lenders from accessing your credit file, lasts until you lift it, and is free at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. - A fraud alert only requires lenders to verify your identity, lasts one year (initial) or seven years (extended), and one bureau notifies the other two. - You must place a freeze at each of the three bureaus separately, but a fraud alert needs only one request. - A freeze and a fraud alert can be used together, and the CFPB says a freeze does not affect your credit scores. - Plan to lift a freeze temporarily, ideally at the one bureau a lender will check, when you apply for credit. After a data breach, a credit freeze is the stronger protection: it blocks lenders from accessing your credit file until you lift it, and it is free at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. A fraud alert is lighter, requiring lenders to verify your identity, and one request to any bureau covers all three. You can use both together. ## Who this is for and what you will have at the end This guide is for US consumers who were told their personal data was exposed in a breach, who gave a Social Security number to a scammer, or who simply want to lock down their credit. By the end you will know which tool fits, how to place it at each bureau, and how to lift a freeze when you need credit. The rules below come from the FTC, the CFPB and the bureaus' own pages listed in the References. Bureau websites and phone menus change, so follow the on-screen prompts if they differ from what is described here. ## Freeze vs fraud alert at a glance The FTC's comparison of the options covers these points: | | Credit freeze | Initial fraud alert | Extended fraud alert | |---|---|---|---| | Effect | Blocks new credit accounts from being opened, including by you, until lifted | Lenders must verify your identity before granting new credit | Same as initial | | Your credit report | Blocked for lenders | Still visible to businesses | Still visible to businesses | | Who can place it | Anyone, for any reason | Anyone who is or suspects they may be affected by identity theft | Identity theft victims with an FTC identity theft report or police report | | Duration | Until you lift it | One year, renewable | Seven years, renewable | | Marketing lists | No change | No change | Removes you from unsolicited credit and insurance offer lists for five years | | Cost | Free | Free | Free | | How to place | Contact all three bureaus | Contact one bureau, which must notify the other two | Contact one bureau, which must notify the other two | Two other points from the FTC: you can use a freeze and a fraud alert together, and active duty servicemembers can place an active duty alert, which lasts one year and removes them from marketing lists for two years. ### How to choose - **Your data was in a breach, or you want strong protection and rarely apply for credit:** place a freeze at all three bureaus. - **You are actively applying for credit, such as a mortgage or car loan, and suspect identity theft:** an initial fraud alert needs one request and does not block you from applying, though lenders will verify your identity. - **You are a confirmed identity theft victim with a report:** an extended fraud alert, possibly alongside a freeze. - **You want the least friction:** the FTC notes a freeze blocks even you from opening new credit until you lift it, so expect an extra step each time you apply. A freeze does not stop misuse of accounts you already have. Watch your existing accounts and check your reports regularly. ## What a freeze does and does not do According to the CFPB: - A freeze prevents prospective creditors from accessing your credit file, which makes it harder for an identity thief to open new accounts in your name. - Existing creditors, certain government agencies and companies you have hired to monitor your file can still see your file. - Freezing and unfreezing are free at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, and a freeze does not affect your credit scores. - Credit locks, which the bureaus sell for a fee, are no more effective than free security freezes. - The free-freeze requirement does not cover credit checks for employment, tenant screening or insurance, so the CFPB notes those checks may be treated differently. - Parents, guardians or others with authority can freeze the file of a protected consumer, such as a child under 16 or an incapacitated person. The FTC notes the process differs from an adult's, so check each bureau's instructions. ### Timing The CFPB says a freeze requested by phone or secure electronic means takes effect within one business day, and a mailed request within three business days. You get written confirmation within five business days, including instructions for removing the freeze. Lifting a freeze, temporarily or permanently, is processed within one hour for phone or secure electronic requests and within three business days for mail. ## Before you start Gather what the bureaus commonly ask for. Experian's page, for example, lists for mail requests: - Full name - Social Security number - Complete addresses for the past two years - Date of birth - A legible copy of a government-issued ID such as a driver's license - A copy of a utility bill or bank statement showing your name and current mailing address Online, expect to create a free account at each bureau and to answer identity verification questions. Use the bureau's real website, typed or bookmarked, and never a link from a text or email. If a breach notice invited you to "freeze your credit" through a link, go to the bureau directly instead. Our guide to [fake package delivery texts](https://www.epifive.com/blog/package-delivery-text-scam-usps-ups-fedex) shows how scammers use urgent links of this kind. ## Place a freeze at each bureau You must contact each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies separately. The USA.gov page on credit freezes links to each bureau's own instructions: - Equifax: https://www.equifax.com/personal/help/article-list/-/h/a/place-lift-remove-security-freeze/ - Experian: https://www.experian.com/help/credit-freeze/ - TransUnion: https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze/credit-freeze-faq ### Experian 1. Create a free Experian account, then place, remove or schedule a thaw of your freeze online. Experian says changes happen in real time. 2. By phone, call 1-888-397-3742 to add or remove a freeze. 3. By mail, send your request to Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 with the items listed above. 4. Experian says you no longer need a PIN to manage the freeze. A free account is enough. ### Equifax Equifax manages freezes through a myEquifax account online, and offers phone and mail routes. Follow the steps on its freeze page linked above. Equifax phone numbers differ across its own pages, so use the number shown on the current freeze page, not one from a third-party article. ### TransUnion TransUnion accepts freezes online through its service center, by phone and by mail. Follow the steps on its freeze FAQ linked above and use the contact details shown there. ### After placing each freeze 1. Save the confirmation and any PIN or account login the bureau gives you in a password manager. 2. Confirm the freeze appears active in your account at each bureau. 3. Record the date you placed it. ## Place a fraud alert A fraud alert needs one request. The FTC says you contact one bureau, which must notify the other two. Equifax's page confirms this: you can contact any one of the three nationwide bureaus and it sends the request to the other two. ### Types, per Equifax and the FTC - **Initial fraud alert:** one year, renewable, free. For people who are or may become fraud victims. - **Extended fraud alert:** seven years, free. You need a police report or an FTC identity theft report. It also removes you from prescreened credit card and insurance offers for five years. - **Active duty alert:** one year, with removal from prescreened offers for two years, for service members on active duty. ### At Equifax Online, create or sign in to a myEquifax account to place an initial or active duty alert. You must be 18 to create an account and you need an active Equifax credit report on file. By phone, Equifax lists an automated line at 888-836-6351. By mail, use its Alert Request form for initial or active duty alerts, or the Extended Fraud Alert Request form for extended alerts, with identity theft documentation. ### At Experian or TransUnion Experian offers a Fraud Alert Center online and TransUnion accepts fraud alerts online and by phone. Use whichever bureau's process you find easiest, and confirm the alert appears at the others after a few days. ### Reporting identity theft for an extended alert An extended alert needs an identity theft report. Create one at IdentityTheft.gov, the federal government's one-stop resource for identity theft victims, which also builds a recovery plan. If the theft involves a tax return, see our guide on [IRS impersonation scams](https://www.epifive.com/blog/irs-impersonation-scam-text-email-call). ## Lift or thaw a freeze when you need credit Apply for credit, a mortgage, a phone plan, a rental or sometimes a utility? The lender will pull your report from one or more bureaus. The FTC advises lifting the freeze ideally only at the bureau the lender will check. 1. Ask the lender which bureau it uses. 2. Log in to that bureau's account, or call it, and lift the freeze temporarily for the dates you choose, or remove it entirely. 3. Apply. 4. Confirm the freeze is back on afterward if you chose a temporary lift. Online or phone requests are processed within one hour, per the CFPB, so you can do this the same day. Experian also lets you schedule a thaw. ## Troubleshooting - **A bureau cannot verify you online:** use the phone or mail option. Mail requires the ID and proof-of-address copies described above. - **You lost the account login or PIN:** use the bureau's account recovery. Experian says a PIN is no longer needed; for the other bureaus, follow the recovery steps on their sites. - **A lender says your file is frozen:** that is the freeze working. Lift it at the bureau the lender checks. - **You froze at only one bureau:** thieves may apply wherever a file is unfrozen. Complete all three. - **Credit monitoring offers:** a breached company may offer free monitoring. Monitoring detects problems; it does not block new accounts the way a freeze does. ## Checklist - Decide: freeze (strongest, three bureaus) or fraud alert (one request), or both. - Use the bureaus' real sites, not links from messages. - Save confirmations and logins securely. - Lift a freeze only at the bureau a lender will check, then re-freeze. - Review your credit reports and existing accounts regularly. ## References - FTC, What to Know About Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-credit-freezes-and-fraud-alerts - CFPB, What is a credit freeze or security freeze on my credit report?: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-credit-freeze-or-security-freeze-on-my-credit-report-en-1341/ - USA.gov, Credit freeze: https://www.usa.gov/credit-freeze - Experian, Freeze or Unfreeze Your Credit File: https://www.experian.com/help/credit-freeze/ - Equifax, Place a Fraud Alert or Active Duty Alert: https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-fraud-alerts/ - IdentityTheft.gov: https://www.identitytheft.gov ## Frequently asked questions ### Is a credit freeze or a fraud alert better after a data breach? A freeze is stronger because it blocks lenders from accessing your credit file, so new accounts generally cannot be opened until you lift it. A fraud alert only requires lenders to verify your identity. You can use both together, according to the FTC. ### Do I have to contact all three credit bureaus? For a credit freeze, yes: contact Equifax, Experian and TransUnion separately. For a fraud alert, contact one bureau and it must notify the other two. ### Does a credit freeze cost money or hurt my credit score? Freezing and unfreezing are free at all three bureaus, and the CFPB says a freeze does not affect your credit scores. Credit locks sold for a fee are no more effective than free security freezes. ### How long does a fraud alert last? An initial fraud alert lasts one year and can be renewed. An extended fraud alert lasts seven years and requires an FTC identity theft report or a police report. A freeze lasts until you lift it.