Credit Freeze (Security Freeze)

A credit freeze instructs credit bureaux not to release your credit report to prospective lenders. Because most lenders require a credit check before opening new accounts, a frozen credit file makes it essentially impossible for a fraudster to take out credit in your name — even if they have your full name, date of birth, address, and Social Security number.

In the United States, credit freezes are free and can be placed and lifted online at each of the three major credit bureaux (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) and at additional bureaux such as ChexSystems (for bank accounts). Freezes can be temporarily lifted for a specific lender and then refrozen. Children's credit can also be frozen, which is recommended since their numbers are prime targets for synthetic identity fraud.

A credit freeze does not affect your existing accounts, your credit score, or your ability to use existing cards. It is widely considered the most effective single step available to consumers to prevent new-account fraud following a data breach or identity theft. Placing a freeze proactively — before any theft occurs — is increasingly recommended as a baseline precaution.