How do i check if my credit is frozen

Creditors typically won't offer you credit if they can't access your credit reporting file, so a security freeze, also called a credit freeze, prevents you or others from opening accounts in your name. Security freezes can be useful in preventing an identity thief from opening a new credit account in your name.

Only a limited number of entities can see your file while a freeze is in place, including:

• Creditors of accounts you currently hold
• Certain government entities like child support agencies
• Companies that you've hired to monitor your credit file

Free Security Freezes

Under a federal law effective September 21, 2018, you can freeze and unfreeze your credit record for free at the three nationwide credit reporting companies – Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. The federal law requiring free security freezes does not apply to someone who requests your credit report for employment, tenant-screening, or insurance purposes. Other credit reporting companies, for example employment or tenant screening companies, might charge a fee to place and lift a security freeze based on your state laws.

You can place a "freeze" on your credit file at any time, but you must contact each credit reporting company. For more information, visit the nationwide credit reporting companies' websites or call the numbers below: 

Security Freeze Notice and Timing

• A nationwide credit reporting company must place a security freeze within 1 business day of your request if made by telephone or secure electronic means. If the request is made by mail, the security freeze must be placed no later than 3 business days after receiving the request.
  
• A nationwide credit reporting company must send you a written confirmation of the security freeze no later than 5 business days after the security freeze is placed. They must also tell you of how to remove the security freeze.
  
• The nationwide consumer reporting company’s webpage must also allow you to request a security freeze, an initial fraud alert, an extended fraud alert, and an active duty fraud alert.
  

Temporary Lift of Security Freeze

• Upon your request, the security freeze can be removed free of charge. The security freeze will be removed no later than:
  • 1 hour after receiving the request by toll-free telephone or secure electronic means 
  • 3 business days after receiving the request by mail
• You also have the option to lift the freeze temporarily for a period of time specified by you, free of charge. The same time periods above apply to a temporary removal of your security freeze.
  

Security Freeze for “Protected Consumers”

• Federal law provides protections related to credit records and identity theft for “protected consumers” under the age of 16 and incapacitated persons or persons for whom a guardian has been appointed. Persons with authority to act for these protected consumers can request a security freeze.
  
• Additionally, if the nationwide credit reporting company does not have a file on the protected consumer at the time the security freeze is requested by the parents or guardians, the company will create a record in order to freeze the record for the “protected consumer.”  This record of the “protected consumer” may not be used for credit purposes and may only be used to freeze the record to protect against identity theft.
  

Tip: If you think you may have been the victim of identity theft, you can also file a fraud alert. A fraud alert requires creditors who check your credit report to take steps to verify your identity before opening a new account, issuing an additional credit card, or increasing the credit limit on an existing account based on a consumer's request. An initial fraud alert lasts up to 1 year unless you decided to remove it sooner.

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Placing a credit freeze on your credit reports can help reduce your risk of identity theft, but sometimes you’ll need to lift the freeze for credit or job applications.

If your identity is stolen, an immediate action plan is essential to try to make yourself — not to mention your finances — whole again. You should probably place a credit freeze on your credit reports right away. And, to help keep your personal information secure, it’s a good idea to leave the freeze in place.

But at some point, you’ll probably want to open a new credit card, finance a car or even apply for a mortgage, which all require a credit check. And if you’re applying for a job, some employers will check your credit as part of the hiring process. In that case, you’ll need to learn how to lift a credit freeze. Read on for more.

• How to lift a credit freeze at each of the three major credit bureaus
• Credit scores vs. credit reports
• Temporary lift vs. permanent lift
• Timing and cost of lifting a credit freeze

How to lift a credit freeze at each of the three major credit bureaus

In order to place or remove a credit freeze on your credit reports, you must contact each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) individually. It might be worth asking your potential creditor or employer which bureau it uses for credit checks. That way you’ll only have to lift the freeze with a single bureau instead of all three.

You can request credit freezes and reversals by phone, mail or online. You’ll likely need to provide your name, address, birthdate and Social Security number in order to place a freeze.

Each credit bureau will give you a unique PIN when you place a freeze on your file. Depending on how you’re doing it, you may need the PIN to temporarily lift or permanently remove the credit freeze in the future, so be sure to find it before beginning the process of lifting your freeze.

Here’s a rundown of how it works at all three major credit bureaus:

Equifax

A credit freeze can be added, temporarily lifted or permanently removed by creating an account on myEquifax. This account is a one-stop shop to monitor the status of your credit report.

Here’s how to contact Equifax.

• Phone: 1-888-298-0045
• Mail: Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788
• Website: equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/

Experian

Experian guides its customers to use its online Freeze Center to make changes to their credit file. A credit freeze can also be lifted by phone or mail. Besides offering temporary and permanent lifts, Experian also offers a one-time PIN that can be provided to a single company or creditor. That way, the company can check your credit without your having to ask for a credit freeze lift.

Here’s how to contact Experian.

• Phone: 1-888-397-3742
• Mail: Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013
• Website: experian.com/freeze/center.html

An important note: When changing the status of your credit freeze, Experian requires the PIN that it originally provided you when instituting the credit freeze. You’ll need it no matter which method of contact is used.

TransUnion

TransUnion offers customers an online account to make changes to a credit freeze. You can also make changes through TransUnion’s mobile app, myTransUnion.

TransUnion allows you to schedule a credit freeze lift up to 15 days in advance. This scheduled lift differs from Experian’s single-use PIN in that it allows any creditor access to the credit report over the period of time that you choose.

A PIN is not required when you use the online account or myTransUnion mobile app, but it is required if you’re making the request via phone.

Here’s how to contact TransUnion.

• Phone: 1-888-909-8872
• Mail: TransUnion, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094
• Website: transunion.com/credit-freeze

Credit scores vs. credit reports

It’s important to note that a credit freeze only limits access to your credit reports — not your credit scores. You’ll still be able to access your scores without lifting the freeze, but you likely won’t be able to open any new accounts. Most creditors need access to your reports before giving you a line of credit.

Temporary lift vs. permanent lift

When lifting a credit freeze, you have a choice between a temporary lift and a permanent lift.

A temporary lift allows creditors or companies access to your credit reports within a specific date range, determined by you. This option is likely the smarter choice because you can set it and forget it. Once the temporary lift expires, the credit freeze is reinstituted without your having to do a thing, which can help keep you protected.

A permanent lift is a little bit of a bigger deal. Your once-frozen and secure credit reports are now more vulnerable. With the option of a temporary lift available, a permanent removal is not recommended if you have any reason to be concerned about the security of your information.

Timing and cost of lifting a credit freeze

The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires that both freezing your credit and lifting a freeze be free.

In terms of timing, a credit freeze must be removed no later than one hour after a credit bureau receives your request by phone or online. If you mail in a request to have a freeze lifted, credit bureaus have three business days after receiving it to lift the credit freeze.

What’s next?

If you know which credit bureau the company plans to run your credit through, you can save yourself time by lifting the freeze at that particular credit bureau rather than at all three. Not sure which credit bureau a certain creditor uses? Simply ask — creditors may be able to share that information with you. After all, they want your business!

Even if your credit is frozen, it’s always a good idea to continuously monitor your credit reports for unusual activity. You can brush up on signs of identity theft here.

It’s also good to know the differences between a credit freeze, credit lock and fraud alert so that you can be more prepared if you need to freeze you credit or remove a credit freeze in the future.

About the author: Sarah Schaut is a Canadian living in sunny Florida. She’s an economic crimes detective at a city police department and an expert in credit, fraud and mortgages. Read more.

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