How To Help a Relative Freeze Their Credit

Understand what a freeze does and does not do

A credit freeze works by locking your relative's credit file so that lenders cannot view it to approve a new application — so if a fraudster tries to open a store card, a phone contract, or a loan in your relative's name using stolen details, the lender hits a locked file and automatically declines it. It does not touch accounts already open, does not lower a credit score, and does not stop your relative using their existing debit or credit cards as normal. Freezes are free and reversible: your relative can lift or 'thaw' theirs temporarily whenever they genuinely need to apply for new credit themselves.

• Existing accounts remain fully usable
• The freeze can be lifted temporarily when your relative genuinely needs new credit
• It does not prevent all fraud — existing-account fraud still requires other protections
• Each credit reference agency must be contacted separately

Gather what is needed before contacting the agencies

Before you start, sit down with your relative and gather everything the agencies will ask for in one go, since each one verifies identity strictly to stop a fraudster requesting the freeze — or later removing it — on someone else's behalf. You will typically need your relative's full legal name, date of birth, current and previous addresses from recent years, their national insurance or social security number, and a copy of photo ID alongside a recent utility bill or bank statement. Having these ready before the first call or online form prevents the frustrating back-and-forth of hunting for a document mid-conversation, which is often where people give up.

• Full legal name, date of birth, and current address
• Recent address history if they have moved in the last two years
• A form of government-issued ID
• A note of any PIN or reference number received — store it safely

Contact each credit reference agency

A freeze must be placed separately with every credit reference agency, because different lenders check different bureaus and a freeze with only one leaves the others wide open. In the UK the three to contact are Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, each with its own online form or phone line; in the US the equivalents are the same three agencies, while other countries have their own national bureaus, so check your consumer protection regulator's website for the correct list if your relative lives elsewhere. Work through them one at a time together, and keep the confirmation reference number or letter each agency sends, stored somewhere your relative can find again later.

• Request a freeze online, by phone, or by post — all options are available
• Keep a written record of the date and any confirmation reference
• Set a calendar reminder to lift the freeze if your relative plans to apply for credit soon
• Check back after 30 days to confirm the freeze is still active

Keep the process collaborative

It can be tempting to just take the phone or laptop and do the whole thing yourself while your relative watches, but doing this together — rather than to them — keeps them informed, capable, and in control of their own protection. Sit beside them, explain what each question on the form or call is actually asking for, and let them read out their own details or type them in with your guidance rather than you doing it out of sight. If something goes wrong later, or they need to temporarily lift the freeze to apply for a loan themselves, they will already understand the process instead of having to call you every time.

• Explain each step before you take it
• Let your relative make the calls or clicks where they are comfortable
• Store any PINs somewhere your relative can access independently

Conversation script

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• FTC — Family Emergency Scams
• FTC — How To Avoid a Government Impersonation Scam
• AARP — Grandparent Scams
• FCC — 'Grandparent' Scams Get More Sophisticated