Credit Freeze    

Log in to your TransUnion Service Center account and select "Temporarily Lift Freeze." Then enter the dates you want the lift to happen. It's free to temporarily lift a freeze.

To make things easy, you can plan and schedule your freeze removal up to 15 days in advance of when you want it to happen. If you want to unfreeze more than 15 days from today, please log in closer to the date you want your credit report unfrozen.

You can also call us to temporarily lift a freeze over the phone.

If you are a parent, guardian, conservator or legal representative of a minor or an incapacitated adult and would like to freeze their credit report, you can do this by adding a protected consumer freeze to their credit file. Here's what you'll need to provide:

1. A written request to place a “Protected Consumer Freeze” on the named individual’s file

2. AND a copy of one piece of documentation that provides “sufficient proof of authority” that you have authority to act on behalf of the person such as:

• An order issued by a court of law
• A lawfully executed and valid power of attorney
• A guardianship or conservator document that is current and not expired, includes the protected consumer’s name, and that the name of the person on the court document matches the name of the person submitting the request
• A document issued by a federal, state, or local government agency in the United States showing proof of parentage, including a birth certificate
• With respect to a protected consumer who has been placed in a foster care setting, a written communication from a county welfare department or its agent or designee, or a county probation department or its agent or designee, certifying that the protected consumer is in a foster care setting under its jurisdiction.

3. AND information or copies of documentation confirming your identity AND the identity of the minor/dependent or incapacitated adult. This information or documentation needs to provide “sufficient proof of identification” that you and the minor/dependent or incapacitated adult are who you really are, such as a:

• Social Security number or a copy of a Social Security card
• Certified or official copy of a birth certificate issued by the entity authorized to issue the birth certificate
• Copy of a driver’s license, an identification card issued by a state motor vehicle administration, or any other government issued identification

Please only send copies of documents, not original documents.

Send everything to the dedicated mailing address for protected consumer freezes at TransUnion:

TransUnion
P.O. Box 380
Woodlyn, PA 19094

Please note: Consumers are not able to place a protected consumer freeze via phone or online at this time due to the documentation requirements. We accept either standard or certified mail.

You’re in control of how long a freeze stays on your credit report. Your report will be frozen until you request its removal.

If you placed a freeze online, the quickest and easiest way to remove the freeze from your credit file is online through the TransUnion Service Center. You can also remove a freeze by phone or mail. It’s free to remove a freeze from your credit file.

Call TransUnion at 800-916-8800 or send a written request that includes your name, address and Social Security number to the dedicated mailing address for freezes at TransUnion, which you can find on the Freeze by Mail or Phone page.

The quickest and easiest way to freeze your credit file is online through the TransUnion Service Center.

You can also add a freeze to your credit report by phone or mail. Call TransUnion at 800-916-8800. To manage a freeze by mail, send a written request that includes your name, address and Social Security number to the dedicated mailing address for freezes at TransUnion, which you can find on the Freeze by Mail or Phone page.

Although not required, including one proof of identity and two proofs of your current address with your request can help us locate your record more efficiently. If you include documents with your request, all documents should reflect your current name and be unexpired. Please only submit photocopies of your documents. These can include:

Identity (Provide 1):

• Social Security card
• Letter from Social Security Administration
• Military ID
• Medicaid or Medicare card

Address (Provide 2):

• Driver's license with current address
• Utility bill
• Bank or credit union statement
• Canceled check
• Pay stub
• Signed homeless shelter letter
• Prison ID letter
• Stamped post office box receipt
• Government-issued ID
• State ID card

If you need to apply for credit but have a freeze in place, you can remove it or temporarily lift it before starting the application. Visit the TransUnion Service Center to remove or temporarily lift your freeze online. You can also remove a freeze by phone or mail. It’s free to remove a freeze from your credit file.

Call TransUnion at 800-916-8800 or send a written request that includes your name, address and Social Security number to:

TransUnion

P.O. Box 160

Woodlyn, PA 19094

Adding a freeze online or by phone typically takes effect almost immediately. Temporarily lifting a credit freeze can also be immediate; however, it’s advisable to wait a few minutes before a lender requests your TransUnion credit report.

If you request to add, lift or remove a freeze by mail, it may take up to three business days from the date TransUnion receives the request to go into effect.

If you want to remove a credit lock from your TransUnion credit report, you have options. If you have a credit monitoring, identity protection or breach product that includes TransUnion credit lock, you can log into your product to remove the lock. Or, you can do so in the TransUnion Service Center. First, create an account or log in. After you log in, go to the Credit Freeze page. From there, you’ll have the option to replace your lock with a freeze. Replace your lock with a freeze. Then, from the same page, you can remove your freeze as well, which will make your credit report available to third parties such as lenders or other companies.
 
If you want to add, temporarily lift or remove a credit freeze in the future, you can do so for free in the TransUnion Service Center. You can also add a freeze to your credit report for free by phone or mail. Call TransUnion at 800-916-8800 or send a written request that includes your name, address and Social Security number to the dedicated mailing address for freezes at TransUnion, which you can find on the Freeze by Mail or Phone page.
 
You can learn more about what else you need to send in with your mailed request in this FAQ.

Warning signs that might indicate your child’s identity has been stolen can include, but are not limited to:

• Your child begins to receive suspicious mail, like pre-approved credit cards and other financial offers normally sent to adults, in his or her own name.
• You try to open a financial account for him or her but find one already exists, or the application is denied because of a poor credit history.
• A credit file already exists in his or her name. If the child has one, he or she may have been targeted already, since only an application for credit, a credit account, or a public record starts the compilation of a consumer credit file.

TransUnion would be happy to check our records for a credit file under the child’s information. If you are interested in checking, please complete our secure online form.

Please note that sending a request to TransUnion to check for a credit file will NOT create a credit file.