If someone has your Social Security number, card details or account passwords, a few free steps can stop new accounts in your name and help you recover. This guide follows the steps the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) gives. General information only, not legal advice. Facts checked November 3, 2026.
Credit freeze or fraud alert: what is the difference?
| What it does | How long | How to get it | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit freeze | Lenders cannot see your credit report, so no one can open a new credit account in your name. | Until you lift it | Contact each of the three bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. |
| Initial fraud alert | Businesses must try to check that it is really you before opening new credit. | 1 year, can be renewed | Contact one bureau; it must tell the other two. |
| Extended fraud alert | The same, for identity theft victims. | 7 years | Needs an FTC identity theft report (from IdentityTheft.gov) or a police report. |
| Active duty alert | For servicemembers on active duty. | 1 year | Contact one bureau. |
Placing and lifting a credit freeze is free, and neither a freeze nor a fraud alert affects your credit score (FTC).
How to freeze your credit
- Go to each bureau's site: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. A freeze at one bureau does not freeze the other two.
- Keep the PIN or the account login each bureau gives you: you need it to lift the freeze.
- When you apply for a loan, a credit card or an apartment, lift the freeze for a short time (or only at the bureau the lender uses), then put it back.
A parent or guardian can ask for a free freeze for a child under 16. It stays until you ask the bureaus to remove it. Each bureau has its own steps for children.
If someone stole your identity: step by step
- Report it at IdentityTheft.gov (in Spanish: RobodeIdentidad.gov; other languages: call 877-438-4338 and press 3). You get a free personal recovery plan, and you can print letters and forms already filled in for the credit bureaus, businesses and debt collectors.
- Call the companies where the fraud happened: ask them to close or freeze the accounts and change your passwords and PINs.
- Place a fraud alert with one bureau, and think about a credit freeze at all three.
- Get your credit reports and look for accounts you do not know (see below).
- Fix the errors: use your FTC identity theft report to ask the bureaus and businesses to remove the fraudulent accounts and debts.
Warning signs the FTC lists include a bill that stops arriving (your address may have been changed), charges or withdrawals you did not make, an unexpected new bill, and accounts on your credit report that you do not recognize (FTC).
Free credit reports every week
The three nationwide bureaus have permanently made a free credit report available from each of them once a week. Order them only at AnnualCreditReport.com, the only site authorized to fill free annual credit report orders, or call 1-877-322-8228 (reports ordered by phone are mailed within 15 days) (FTC).
Tax identity theft and the IRS IP PIN
An Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) is a six-digit number that stops someone else from filing a tax return with your Social Security number or ITIN. Anyone with an SSN or ITIN who can verify their identity can get one, and parents can ask for one for their dependents. The fastest way is your IRS online account or the IRS app. An IP PIN is valid for one calendar year, and a new one is made each year (IRS). If a tax return was already filed in your name, follow the steps at IRS Identity Theft Central.
Frequently asked questions
Does a credit freeze hurt my credit score?
No. A freeze does not affect your credit score, and it is free to place and lift.
Do I have to freeze my credit at all three bureaus?
Yes. A freeze only works at the bureau where you place it, so contact Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. A fraud alert is different: contact one bureau and it tells the other two.
How long does a credit freeze last?
Until you lift it. You can lift it for a short time when you apply for credit.
Can I freeze my child's credit?
Yes. A parent or guardian can ask for a free credit freeze for a child under 16. It stays until you ask the bureaus to remove it.
What is the difference between an initial and an extended fraud alert?
An initial fraud alert lasts one year and can be renewed. An extended fraud alert is for identity theft victims, lasts seven years and needs an FTC identity theft report or a police report.
Where do I report identity theft?
At IdentityTheft.gov, the FTC's site. It gives you a free recovery plan and an identity theft report.