A credit freeze, also known as a security freeze, is the best way to help prevent new accounts from being opened in your name. It’s absolutely free to freeze, unfreeze and temporarily lift a freeze on your credit, and it won’t affect your credit score.
How to Freeze and Unfreeze Your Credit
When you use a credit freeze, you're in control of who can access your credit information and when. It's always free, easy and a great way to protect yourself from identity theft.
Learn More About Credit Freeze
Protected Consumer Freeze: How to Protect a Minor or Incapacitated Adult
A Protected Consumer Freeze is a freeze that a parent, guardian or person with a valid power of attorney can place for a minor or incapacitated adult. When a Protected Consumer Freeze is placed, it will remain on a credit file until you request its removal. A minor can also request its removal themselves once they are 16 years old or older.
To place a Protected Consumer Freeze for a minor or incapacitated adult, mail TransUnion a request with documents proving you have the authority to act on their behalf. A parent or guardian can place a Protected Consumer Freeze for children aged 15 and younger. Learn more about what to provide and where to send everything below.
Spouses can add or remove freezes for each other by phone at 888-909-8872. You can learn more about the process here.
While you can’t freeze a deceased family member’s credit report, you can update their credit report to show as deceased. Learn more about the steps to make that update here.
Typically, minors won’t have a credit file. They might if you’ve added your child as an authorized user on one of your credit accounts. However, if they have a credit report but you never added them as an authorized user, it may be a sign of fraud.
Learn more about child identity theft. If you suspect your child’s identity has been compromised, use our secure Child Identity Theft Inquiry Form to find out if a credit file exists in their name.
Get started with freeze for free through our TransUnion Service Center, where you can:
- Add, temporarily lift or remove a credit freeze from your credit report. A freeze can help protect you from identity theft by preventing fraudsters from opening a new account in your name.
- Submit a dispute if you find any inaccuracies on your credit report.
- Place a fraud alert on your credit report to notify creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before extending credit.
- Get a free copy of your credit report; add an optional consumer statement if you want to provide context about your financial situation to anyone who views your credit report.
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