You can place an initial 90-day alert for any reason, but to extend it you will need to provide documentation that you are a victim of identity theft and supply additional supporting documentation such as a police report, you can extend that alert. When you place the alert they should notify the other two agencies for you. You can place an initial fraud alert on your credit reports for free by contacting one of the three major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian or TransUnion. They will be instructed to contact you using the contact information you’ve provided to verify your identity before they approve new credit applications. It will alert creditors who request your credit data that your information may have been compromised. Credit Freeze: What’s the Difference?Ī fraud alert is another option. Place a credit freeze with TransUnion here.īuild business credit history, see your business credit-building impact, and secure new funding options - only with Nav Prime.Place a credit freeze with Experian here.Place a credit freeze with Equifax here.You should still be able to monitor your own credit reports with a freeze in place, and your existing creditors won’t be affected. There may be a charge for this service, depending on your state’s laws. You can place a freeze directly with the three major consumer credit reporting agencies.
You’ll do that by providing verification of your identity and your PIN or password. If someone (including you) applies for credit or other services that involve a credit check, you will have to provide permission for them to review it by “unlocking” your data or “lifting” the freeze. When you place a freeze with one or more of the major consumer credit reporting agencies, you will get a Personal Identification Number (PIN) or password. What Is a Credit Freeze?Ī credit report freeze (or “security alert”) is designed to protect your credit data so it is less likely to be accessed by an identity thief. If you are wondering the same thing, here’s a guide to credit freezes that can help you make that decision. News of a massive data breach of one of the three major consumer credit reporting agencies, Equifax, has many individuals wondering if they should “freeze” their credit reports to protect themselves from identity theft.