How to Freeze Your Credit After Identity Theft: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion Steps

Why a credit freeze should be one of your first moves

A credit freeze will not undo identity theft, but it is one of the fastest ways to stop a thief from opening new loans or credit cards in your name. After identity theft, the goal is to shut down new-credit fraud, document what happened, and keep a clean record of every recovery step. The FTC says credit freezes are free, do not affect your credit score, and must be placed separately with Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.

A freeze is especially useful when your Social Security number, date of birth, or other core identity data may be in someone else’s hands. It does not stop misuse on accounts that already exist, so you still need to contact your bank, card issuers, and any company where fraud already happened. Think of the freeze as the barrier that helps prevent the next round of damage.

What to gather before you start

• A government-issued ID and your Social Security number
• Your current address and any recent prior addresses
• A utility bill, bank statement, or other proof of address if online verification fails
• Your FTC identity theft report from IdentityTheft.gov
• A notes file where you save confirmation emails, screenshots, dates, and reference numbers

If you are helping a spouse, child, or incapacitated adult, the process can require additional proof of authority. For most adults handling their own freeze, the online route is the fastest.

Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion contact table

Step-by-step credit freeze guide after identity theft

• Secure compromised accounts and create an identity theft report.
• Freeze your Experian credit report.
• Freeze your Equifax credit report.
• Freeze your TransUnion credit report.
• Save confirmations and review your credit reports.
• Add a fraud alert and keep monitoring your accounts.

Step 1: Secure compromised accounts and create an identity theft report

Before you start freezing files, change passwords on your email, banking, card, and payment accounts. Turn on multi-factor authentication anywhere you can. If a card, loan, or bank account was already misused, contact that company’s fraud department immediately and ask them to close, replace, or flag the account.

Then create a report at IdentityTheft.gov. This gives you a formal recovery record and a personalized action plan. Keep a PDF copy. Some creditors or bureaus may also ask for supporting documents later, especially if you dispute fraudulent accounts or request an extended fraud alert.

Step 2: Freeze your Experian credit report

Experian’s current process is built around a free account. Create or sign in to your account, place the freeze, and verify that your status shows frozen. Experian says you can freeze and unfreeze online in real time, which is why the online route is usually best after identity theft.

• Online: Create a free Experian account and place the freeze from the security freeze page.
• Phone: Call 1-888-397-3742 if you cannot complete the request online.
• Mail: Send your request to Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013.

If you mail the request, include your full name, Social Security number, date of birth, complete addresses for the past two years, a government-issued ID, and a utility bill or bank statement. Save the confirmation email or screenshot when the freeze is active.

Step 3: Freeze your Equifax credit report

Equifax handles freezes through a myEquifax account, by phone, or by mail. If you use the phone option, Equifax says it may verify you by sending a one-time PIN to your phone or by asking knowledge-based questions from your credit history.

• Online: Sign in or create an account at myEquifax and place the freeze.
• Phone: Call 1-888-298-0045.
• Mail: Use the Equifax freeze request form and mail it to Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 105788, Atlanta, GA 30348-5788.

If you already know fraud is in your file, do not stop at the freeze. Make a separate list of every suspicious inquiry or account you need to dispute with Equifax and the lender involved.

Step 4: Freeze your TransUnion credit report

TransUnion lets you manage a freeze through its Service Center account, by automated phone line, through consumer relations, or by mail. Online is the most convenient option if you want to check status later without calling back.

• Online: Create or sign in to your TransUnion Service Center account and add the freeze.
• Phone: Use the automated line at 888-909-8872, or call 800-916-8800 if you need help.
• Mail: Send a written request with your name, address, and Social Security number to TransUnion, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094.

TransUnion says that while extra documents are not always required by mail, including one proof of identity and two proofs of current address can help them locate your record faster. Keep copies of anything you send.

Step 5: Save confirmations and review your credit reports

Once all three freezes are in place, save everything in one folder: screenshots, confirmation emails, call notes, dates, and mail receipts. Then pull your free reports from AnnualCreditReport.com and review them line by line. Mark unfamiliar accounts, addresses, hard inquiries, and collection entries.

If you find fraudulent items, dispute them with the credit bureau and the business that reported them. The freeze helps prevent new accounts, but it does not clean up fraudulent information that is already on your report.

Step 6: Add a fraud alert and keep monitoring

After identity theft, many people use both a freeze and a fraud alert. Unlike a freeze, you only need to contact one bureau to place a one-year initial fraud alert, and that bureau must notify the other two. A fraud alert tells lenders to take extra steps to verify identity before opening new credit.

Keep watching your existing accounts, tax records, mail, and insurance statements. If the theft involved your Social Security number, stay alert for new-account mail, debt notices, or benefits fraud. Recovery is easier when your documentation is organized from day one.

What a credit freeze does and does not do

• It does: make it much harder for someone to open a new credit account in your name.
• It does: stay in place until you lift or remove it.
• It does not: lower or raise your credit score.
• It does not: stop fraud on current cards, bank accounts, or loans you already have.
• It does not: automatically carry over from one bureau to the other two.

How to temporarily lift a freeze later

When you need a car loan, mortgage, apartment screening, insurance quote, or sometimes even a job-related credit check, ask which bureau the company will use. Then lift the freeze only at that bureau and only for the shortest practical window. Experian lets you remove the freeze or schedule a thaw, Equifax lets you manage it through myEquifax, and TransUnion allows a temporary lift through the Service Center.

This is the best way to stay protected while still using your credit when you need to.

FAQ

Do I really need to freeze all three bureaus?

Yes. A freeze at one bureau does not automatically freeze the others. A lender may check Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion depending on its process, so identity theft protection is incomplete unless all three are handled.

Will a credit freeze hurt my credit score or block my current credit cards?

No. A freeze does not affect your credit score, and you can still use existing credit cards and loans. It mainly blocks most new-credit access until you lift it. Some parties, such as current lenders or certain legally allowed users, may still access your file in limited situations.

What is the difference between a credit freeze and a fraud alert?

A credit freeze restricts access to your report so new creditors usually cannot open accounts in your name. A fraud alert does not lock the report, but tells businesses to verify identity before granting credit. After identity theft, using both can make sense: the freeze is the stronger barrier, and the alert adds another verification step.

Official resources

• FTC guide to credit freezes and fraud alerts
• FTC IdentityTheft.gov recovery center
• Experian security freeze instructions
• Equifax security freeze instructions
• TransUnion freeze by mail or phone instructions