In almost all states, a credit freeze lasts until you temporarily lift or permanently remove it. In a few states, it expires after seven years.

A credit freeze won’t have any impact on your credit score, nor will it impact your current credit accounts. While a credit freeze won’t affect your credit score in any way, it will impact your ability to qualify for a loan or credit card unless you thaw your credit before submitting your application.

A credit freeze, also known as a security freeze, is the surest way to keep a criminal from establishing a new account in your name. A credit freeze does not affect your credit score, but it can keep identity thieves from using your credit records to create a new credit account.

A credit freeze does not damage your credit score. It won’t affect your credit score in any way. It’s free to lift the freeze and free to place it again when you’re done accessing your credit. Prevent a thief from making charges to your existing accounts.

After placing real freezes for real people through all four of the major credit bureaus, I’m recommending that folks freeze their files by phone, not online.

Equifax: Online at https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/ or by phone at 800-685-1111. Experian: Online at https://www.experian.com/freeze/center.html or by phone at 888-397-3742. TransUnion: Online at https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze or by phone at 888-909-8872.

It’s absolutely free to freeze and unfreeze your credit, and it won’t affect your credit score.

Contact each of the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — individually to freeze your credit:

1. Equifax: Call 800-349-9960 or go online. Check out our step-by-step Equifax credit freeze guide.
2. Experian: Call 888‑397‑3742 or go online.
3. TransUnion: Call 888-909-8872 or go online.