Protect Yourself Free Identity Theft Credit Freeze Guide

How a Credit Freeze Works

When you initiate a credit freeze, the major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—are notified to restrict access to your credit report. This means that even if a thief obtains your personal information, they cannot use it to open new credit accounts. Importantly, a credit freeze does not affect your credit score or existing accounts. You can still use your credit cards, apply for jobs, and rent apartments without any issues. If you need to lift the freeze temporarily, perhaps for a loan application, you can do so with a secure PIN or password provided by the credit bureau.