Since credit freezes are free and don’t affect your credit score, there isn’t much downside to taking the extra security measure. You can also get free fraud alert protection that lasts for one year, and victims of identity theft are protected for seven years.

When you freeze an account, all cards on that account will be frozen and your account cannot be used for cash advances, balance transfers, or new purchases anywhere online, in-store, or otherwise. Deactivating a card deactivates that one card and prevents you from purchasing items in-store at a POS terminal.

If you find yourself in a situation where your income no longer covers all of your usual outgoings and creditor repayments, you can negotiate with your credit card company and ask them to freeze interest charges. In order to do this you will need to write a letter to each of your credit card providers.

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.

Locking or freezing your credit file may help prevent criminals from opening fraudulent accounts in your name. If you don’t plan on applying for any new credit in the near future and your state doesn’t allow credit freezing fees, a freeze may be the way to go.

A credit freeze can help prevent identity thieves from opening new accounts in your name, but it does nothing to keep them from committing fraud with your existing accounts. That means fraudsters might make charges on a payment card in your wallet.

Credit freezes and credit locks both restrict access to your credit reports. But you can turn a credit lock on and off instantly, while adding or lifting a credit freeze requires making a request to the credit bureau.

If your credit report is not frozen, you will only hear options for freezing it. If it is frozen, you will hear only options for unfreezing. TransUnion: The fastest way to check is online at the TransUnion website if you have an account already set up.

A credit freeze is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your information, and stay safe online. You can feel more peace of mind knowing that if anyone tried to access your credit report, they couldn’t — and therefore, they couldn’t fraudulently use credit in your name.

How to unfreeze credit without a PIN

1. Online through myEquifax. Simply log into your myEquifax account with your username and password to lift your credit freeze.
2. Over the phone. Call 888-298-0045 to answer basic identity-verification questions and lift your credit freeze.
3. By mail.

Identity theft victims are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which last seven years. 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.

First, call 1-888-909-8872 to request your credit report freeze be lifted. If you mention you do not have access to your PIN, you will be prompted to answer several identifying questions related to your credit history.

You can also call TransUnion to unfreeze your credit report at 888-909-8872 and our interactive voice response system will guide you through the process.

How to unfreeze my TransUnion credit report? Call the consumer affairs department. Trans Union — 800-916-8800 You can do a permanent lift, or they can issue a PIN number, which will just lift the freeze for that one pull.

Call us at (888) 298-0045. You’ll be required to give certain information to verify your identity. You’ll also have the option to receive a one-time PIN by text message or answer questions based on information in your Equifax credit report for identity verification. By mail.

You can also manage your freeze by phone: call us at (888) 298-0045. You’ll be required to give certain information to verify your identity. You’ll also have the option to receive a one-time PIN by text message or answer questions based on information in your Equifax credit report for identity verification.

At Equifax, you can use your myEquifax account to lift a security freeze for a date range you specify. You can also lift a security freeze by phone by calling our automated line at (800) 349-9960 or calling Customer Care at (888) 298-0045. Afterward, your Equifax credit report will be frozen again.