Does a credit freeze affect my current credit cards?

No. A credit freeze only prevents new credit from being opened in your name. Your existing accounts work exactly as normal — you can still use your cards, make payments, and see your score change.

How do I temporarily lift a credit freeze?

Log in to each bureau's website (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) and select a temporary lift for a specific time window or for a specific lender. The lift takes effect within minutes online. You'll need the PIN or credentials you set when you froze.

Is a credit freeze the same as a fraud alert?

No. A fraud alert asks lenders to take extra steps to verify your identity — it doesn't block access. A credit freeze completely blocks new credit inquiries. A freeze is more protective; a fraud alert is easier to set up and doesn't require action at all three bureaus (it spreads automatically).

Does freezing your credit hurt your credit score?

No. A credit freeze has zero effect on your credit score. It doesn't show on your credit report and doesn't affect anything about your existing accounts or credit history.

Why You Should Freeze Your Credit Right Now (And How to Do It)

A Reddit user posted a screenshot of a credit denial letter. The application was for a credit card she'd never applied for. Her score had dropped. A stranger had tried to open a line of credit in her name.

Her score was protected. Her freeze had blocked the application before it could succeed.

"Freeze your credit," she wrote. "This is exactly why everyone should do it."

The post got 135 upvotes. The comments were unanimous. And she was right.

What Is a Credit Freeze?

A credit freeze (also called a security freeze) restricts access to your credit report. When your credit is frozen, lenders and creditors cannot pull your credit — which means they cannot approve new credit in your name.

If a thief has your Social Security Number, name, and address — which millions of Americans' data contains after numerous data breaches — they still cannot open a new credit card, loan, or line of credit in your name as long as your credit is frozen.

This is the most powerful identity protection tool available, and it's completely free.

Credit Freeze vs. Fraud Alert: What's the Difference?

Feature	Credit Freeze	Fraud Alert
Blocks new credit?	Yes, completely	No — lenders are asked to verify identity but not required
Duration	Until you lift it	1 year (7 years for extended fraud alert)
Cost	Free	Free
Requires identity verification?	To thaw, yes	To set, no
Best for	Maximum protection	Temporary concern

A fraud alert is like a yellow flag — it tells lenders to be careful, but they can still approve credit if they verify your identity. An alert is appropriate if you think you might have been exposed.

A credit freeze is a hard stop. No one can open new credit in your name without you first temporarily lifting the freeze. This is the right choice for most people most of the time.

How to Freeze Your Credit (Step-by-Step)

You must freeze your credit at all three major bureaus separately. This is free and takes about 10–15 minutes total.

1. Equifax

Website: equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/

Phone: 1-800-349-9960

Steps: Create an account → Security Freeze → Add Freeze → Confirm

You'll receive a PIN or be able to manage your freeze online. Save your login credentials.

2. Experian

Website: experian.com/freeze/center.html

Phone: 1-888-397-3742

Steps: Create an account → Security Freeze → Add Freeze → Confirm

Experian manages freezes through their online account system. No PIN required.

3. TransUnion

Website: transunion.com/credit-freeze

Phone: 1-888-909-8872

Steps: Create a myTransUnion account → Credit Freeze → Add Freeze → Confirm

What About the Fourth Bureau?

There are actually more than three credit reporting agencies. For comprehensive protection, also consider:

ChexSystems — Used by banks when you open checking and savings accounts. Freeze at chexsystems.com.

Innovis — A smaller bureau used by some lenders. Freeze at innovis.com/security-freeze.

NCTUE (National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange) — Used by telecom companies. Freeze at nctue.com.

Most people freeze the big three and stop there. Adding ChexSystems is worthwhile if you're concerned about someone opening a fake bank account in your name.

How to Temporarily Lift Your Freeze

When you need to apply for credit (mortgage, car loan, credit card), you'll need to temporarily "thaw" your freeze — either for a specific lender or for a specific window of time.

You control the thaw:

Log in to each bureau's website and select "Lift Freeze" or "Temporary Unfreeze"
Specify the lender (if you know which bureau they'll pull) or the time period (e.g., 5 days)
The freeze goes back into effect automatically

Ask the lender which bureau they pull. Most will tell you. Then you only need to lift the freeze at that one bureau. This keeps your other two frozen throughout the application process.

Processing time: Most thaws are instant online. Phone thaws can take 1 hour to 3 business days.

Pro tip: Before applying for a major loan, lift the freeze at all three bureaus for 1 week. Then re-freeze. This ensures the lender can pull whatever bureau they need.

Does a Credit Freeze Affect Your Credit Score?

No. A credit freeze has zero impact on your credit score. Your score continues to calculate normally. Existing accounts continue to report. Your payment history keeps accumulating.

The freeze only affects new credit applications by preventing lenders from pulling your report.

Who Can Still Access Your Frozen Credit?

A freeze doesn't block everyone. The following can still access your credit:

Your existing creditors — they can access your report for account management and regular reviews
Government agencies — for law enforcement purposes
Employers — if you've authorized them to check (and you would know about this)
You — you can always pull your own credit report for free

The freeze is specifically designed to block new credit inquiries from unknown parties — exactly what identity thieves need to open accounts in your name.

When You Already Have a Data Breach Alert

After major data breaches (Equifax 2017, T-Mobile, HealthJoy, etc.), the exposed data circulates on dark web marketplaces for years. If your information has been in a breach, a freeze is no longer optional — it's urgent.

Check if your data has been exposed at HaveIBeenPwned.com (free). If you find your email in a breach database, assume your data is out there.

Freeze immediately. Don't wait for someone to try to open a credit card in your name. Once frozen, pull your reports from AnnualCreditReport.com and check for collections or errors you can address.

The Bottom Line

Freezing your credit is the single highest-leverage protective action you can take for your financial identity. It's free. It's reversible. It takes 10 minutes. And it blocks the most common form of identity theft cold.

There is almost no situation where an adult American should not have their credit frozen. If you're not actively shopping for new credit, freeze it. If you are shopping for credit, unfreeze temporarily, apply, then refreeze.

Do this today. Your future self will thank you.

Want to dispute errors yourself? Our DIY Credit Repair Kit includes 25+ professional letter templates.

Want to learn more about protecting and building your credit? [Explore our free credit guides →]

Want to dispute errors yourself? Our DIY Credit Repair Kit includes 25+ professional letter templates — everything you need to dispute, escalate, and rebuild.

Get All 25+ Templates — $49.97