How to Place a Fraud Alert on Your Credit Report

A fraud alert is free, and one request to one bureau reaches all three. Here is how to place one today and what happens next.

Someone opened a card in your name, or you fear they are about to. You want protection today, not next week. A fraud alert is one of the fastest tools you can use, and it costs nothing.

What a fraud alert actually does

A fraud alert tells anyone who checks your credit report to take extra steps before opening a new account. The FTC says fraud alerts make lenders verify your identity before they grant new credit in your name. Experian says the alert asks creditors to verify your identity before granting credit.

Equifax says a fraud alert can make it harder for someone to open unauthorized accounts in your name.

A fraud alert does not lock everyone out. The FTC says a credit freeze blocks access to your report, while a fraud alert does not. Businesses can still view it. A lender checking your credit still gets to look. They just have to check that you are really you first.

Which type of fraud alert fits your situation

Experian says there are three types of fraud alerts, and you have the right to request any one that applies to you. TransUnion says a fraud alert is free.

Initial fraud alert. Experian says this one is for when you suspect you have been or may become a victim of identity theft. The FTC agrees. Anyone who is, or suspects they may be affected by identity theft, can place one. It lasts one year. If you are worried today but not sure anything has happened yet, this is your alert. Read more about the initial fraud alert.

Extended fraud alert. Equifax says this one can be placed if you are a victim of fraud or identity theft. It lasts 7 years. TransUnion says it requires proof that you are a victim of identity theft.

Active duty alert. Experian says this one is for an active duty service member who wants to protect their credit file.

Not sure which fits? Start with the initial alert. Suspicion is enough.

How to place a fraud alert: contact one bureau

Here is the part that surprises people. You only need to contact one of the three nationwide credit bureaus.

Equifax says you may contact any of the three bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, to request a fraud alert. Once you place an alert with one of them, that bureau will send your request to the other two. The FTC says the bureau you contact must tell the other two to place an initial fraud alert on your credit report.

So pick one bureau and place the alert there. Experian says an initial or active duty alert can go on your Experian credit file right away when you request it online. For more on that route, see Experian fraud alert.

The alert is free. Experian says placing one is completely free, with no credit card required. TransUnion says a fraud alert will show up on your credit report the same day you place it.

What happens after you place the alert

The bureau you contacted passes the word to the other two. Experian says the other two bureaus hear from the one you contacted once your alert goes live.

After that, lenders who get a credit application in your name must verify your identity first. TransUnion says lenders will call you to verify a credit application made in your name. Experian says your fraud alert phone number may be used by lenders for that check. Give a phone number you can actually answer.

The FTC says you can get another free report if you have a fraud alert on your credit file. Pull it and read it for accounts you do not recognize.

How long the alert lasts and how to renew it

Each type runs on its own clock. Experian says each fraud alert deactivates itself on a preset expiration date.

The initial fraud alert lasts one year. The CFPB says an initial fraud alert lasts up to one year unless you decide to remove it sooner.
The extended fraud alert lasts 7 years.
Experian says all three alert types can be renewed starting three months ahead of their end dates.

So mark the date. If you still want protection when the year is up, renew before the alert lapses.

How to remove a fraud alert when you no longer need it

Taking an alert off your report is the bigger job of the two. Experian says removal is possible, though every bureau has to hear from you on its own. One bureau spreads the word when an alert starts, but no bureau spreads it when an alert ends.

Experian says removal requests can go through by letter or by uploading them online. TransUnion says you can remove a fraud alert any time using its online Service Center, with no effect to your credit score. For the full walkthrough, see how to remove fraud alert from credit report.

What a fraud alert will not do

A fraud alert slows things down. It does not seal the door. Here is what it leaves uncovered.

It will not hide your credit report. The FTC says businesses can still see your file. Unlike a fraud alert, a credit freeze stops businesses from seeing it. The FTC says you can place a fraud alert even if you already have a credit freeze in place.

It will not hurt your credit. Experian says adding a fraud alert does not hurt your credit history or credit scores in any way. Experian also says a fraud alert can neither help nor hurt your ability to qualify for a loan or credit card. You can still apply for credit while the alert is on.

It will not stop misuse of accounts you already have. The FTC says credit freezes and fraud alerts can help stop someone who already stole your identity from misusing it again. But the alert only forces checks on new credit. Watch your existing statements too.

If you suspect identity theft, place the initial alert today. It is free, and the bureau you contact passes it to the other two.