Fraud Alert vs. Credit Freeze: Which One to Use

A fraud alert makes lenders check who you are. A freeze locks your credit file shut. Here is how they differ and how to choose.

You think someone has your personal details. Two tools can help, and they work in different ways. A fraud alert tells lenders to slow down and check who you are. A credit freeze locks your file so almost no one can look at it. Here is how the two compare.

What a fraud alert does

A fraud alert is a note on your credit file. The FTC says it tells businesses to check with you before opening a new credit account in your name. Equifax says it encourages companies to take steps to verify your identity first.

It does not block anyone from pulling your report. The FTC says that unlike a credit freeze, a fraud alert does not prevent businesses from seeing your credit report. It just asks them to make sure the person applying is really you.

Equifax says a fraud alert can make it harder for someone to open unauthorized accounts in your name. TransUnion says it tells creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before extending credit.

What a credit freeze does

A freeze is a harder stop. The CFPB says a credit freeze stops prospective creditors from accessing your credit file. Experian says it stops a consumer reporting agency from releasing your credit report information without your permission.

That lock works on you too. The CFPB says a security freeze also stops you or others from opening accounts in your name. TransUnion says a freeze puts you in control of who can access your credit information and when.

The CFPB says a freeze can help stop an identity thief from opening a new credit account in your name. The FTC says freezes and alerts can also help stop someone who already stole your identity from misusing it again.

Fraud alert vs. freeze: the key differences side by side

Here is the short version.

What it does. An alert asks lenders to verify your identity. A freeze blocks access to your file.
Who can see your report. With an alert, businesses can still see your report, the FTC says. With a freeze, Experian says new credit inquiries on your file are blocked.
How many calls it takes. Equifax says you can contact any one bureau for an alert, and it will tell the other two. For a freeze, the CFPB says you must contact each of the three companies separately.
How long it lasts. An initial alert lasts one year. A freeze lasts until you lift it.
Your own credit. An alert does not get in your way. A freeze blocks you too, until you lift it.

Both tools are free.

The CFPB says security freezes are free and you have a right to them by law. Equifax says placing, lifting or removing a freeze is free. TransUnion says freezing, unfreezing and lifting a freeze is free.

Alerts are free too. Equifax says both types of fraud alerts are free. Experian says placing one is completely free. TransUnion says you can add or remove an alert at any time for free.

On timing, an initial fraud alert lasts up to one year, the CFPB says, and Equifax says it can be renewed. Experian says you can renew an alert up to three months before it expires. An extended fraud alert lasts 7 years, Equifax says. TransUnion says the extended alert requires proof that you are a victim of identity theft.

A freeze lasts permanently, Experian says, until you unfreeze it. Neither tool hurts your credit. The CFPB says freezes do not impact your credit scores in any way. Experian says alerts do not hurt your credit history or scores either.

How to place each one (and how to undo it)

For an alert, Equifax says you can contact any of the three bureaus. Once you place it with one, that bureau sends your request to the other two. For more help, see our guides to the Equifax fraud alert, the Experian fraud alert, and how to place fraud alert notices.

For a freeze, the CFPB says you must contact each bureau separately by visiting their websites. Experian says a freeze is not shared with other bureaus, so you have to start one at each. Equifax says freezing your Equifax report does not block access at the other bureaus.

Undoing them works differently too. Experian says each alert deactivates itself on a preset expiration date. To remove one early, Experian says you must contact each bureau individually, because the bureaus do not notify one another when an alert is removed.

For a freeze, the CFPB says you can lift it temporarily for a period you choose, free of charge. TransUnion says adding or removing a freeze online or by phone typically takes effect almost immediately. If you remove one by mail, the CFPB says it must come off no later than three business days after your request.

Can you have both at the same time?

Yes. The FTC says that even if you already have a credit freeze in place, you can also place a fraud alert.

Which one should you choose?

There is no single right answer, but the facts point to a pattern. An alert is lighter. It is one contact, and it shares itself with the other bureaus. Experian says an alert can neither help nor hurt your ability to qualify for a loan or credit card.

A freeze is stronger. Experian says it blocks credit inquiries for new credit applications, at each bureau where you place it. The tradeoff is that you must place it three times, and you must remember to lift it when you apply for credit yourself.

If you suspect identity theft, the CFPB says you can file a fraud alert. If you want the stronger lock, place the freeze at all three bureaus. For more on the wider set of tools, see our page on identity fraud protection.