Freezing your credit (also known as a security freeze) can be an invaluable tool in order to help keep your identity and credit score safe. Luckily for consumers, freezing your credit is free as required by a law passed by Congress following the 2017 data breach at Equifax. This data breach exposed sensitive information of nearly 150 million people and got people asking how best to keep their data safe. Here we show you one of the ways to do that by explaining in our step-by-step guide how you freeze your credit with Equifax.
Freeze Your Credit Online
The fastest and easiest way to freeze your credit with Equifax is to simply do it online at Equifax’s website. You will want to scroll down until you see the section entitled ‘Freeze Your Equifax Credit Report’ and then it will walk you step by step through the process of freezing your credit. You will be asked to set up a password-protected account and will need to have your name, address, and social security information so that you can verify your identity.
Freeze Your Credit by Phone
It is also possible to freeze your credit by phone by calling Equifax’s number at 800-349-9960. You will still need all the identifying information that you would need to freeze your credit online but this is a helpful option if you are trying to get in touch with another individual to help you through the process. Following the security freeze, you will have a PIN mailed to you. Keep this as you need it to unfreeze your credit later on.
Freeze Your Credit by Mail
The final method by which you can enact a security freeze is requesting it by mail. The address you will want to mail your security freeze request to is as follows:
Equifax Security Freeze
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348
As with the other two methods, you are going to want to include any identifying information. Equifax also requests that you make copies of documents verifying your address for this method including: driver’s license or government-issued ID, utility bills, your leasing arrangement, bank statement, etc. Your PIN will similarly arrive by mail after you make your request.
Requesting a Credit Freeze For Somone Else
If you are requesting this credit freeze on behalf of someone other than yourself (i.e. a minor or individual you have conservatorship over) you will need to have all the information of that person whose credit you are trying to freeze. Furthermore, you will need to provide additional documentation showing that you have the authority to initiate the security freeze on their behalf.
After You Freeze Your Credit With Equifax
After you freeze your credit with Equifax, make sure to also freeze your credit with the other two major credit unions – TransUnion and Experion – in order to offer yourself full protection. Our step-by-step guide will be available below so you can freeze your credit with all three. Remember that you will have to unfreeze your credit before applying for any new credit lines so make sure to keep your pin and password to make unfreezing your credit a quick and easy process!
How to Freeze Your Credit with TransUnion
How to Freeze Your Credit with Experian