How to freeze and unfreeze your credit with Equifax®
If you’re looking for a way to help protect yourself from identity theft, you could consider freezing your credit. A credit freeze prevents creditors from accessing your credit reports, which usually happens when you or someone else applies for a credit account in your name.
To freeze your credit, you’ll start by contacting the three major credit bureaus, including Equifax. The same goes if you want to unfreeze your credit, like when you’re ready to apply for credit.
What you’ll learn:
- Freezing your credit with Equifax is free, and it won’t affect your credit.
- You can freeze or unfreeze your credit with Equifax online, by phone or by mail.
- To freeze your credit with Equifax, you’ll need to prove your identity by answering questions or providing copies of documents, like your driver’s license or birth certificate.
Why freeze credit with Equifax?
To place a credit or security freeze and help protect your credit, you’ll have to contact the three major credit bureaus separately, and you could start by contacting Equifax.
Once you’ve set up an online Equifax account, you can also manage your credit freeze, get your Equifax credit report, add an active duty alert or fraud alert, or submit a dispute.
How does an Equifax credit freeze work?
Here’s how an Equifax credit freeze works:
- You can contact Equifax directly online, by phone or by mail to request a free credit freeze.
- Once your credit is frozen with Equifax, creditors can’t access your Equifax credit report. That can help prevent credit accounts from being opened in your name.
- You can manage your Equifax account online to do things like check the status of your credit freeze.
- If you’re ready to apply for a credit account, you can temporarily or permanently lift your credit freeze.
What information will you need to freeze credit with Equifax?
If you initiate a credit freeze with Equifax online or by phone, you may have to answer questions to verify your identity. And if you initiate a freeze by mail, you’ll need to provide copies of a document to prove your identity and your address.
Here are some of the documents you can use to prove your identity:
- Social Security card
- Pay stub with your Social Security number
- Valid driver’s license
- W-2 form
- Birth certificate
- Military ID
Some of the documents you can use to prove your address include your:
- Utility bill
- 1099 form
- Driver’s license
- Pay stub with your address
- Bank statement
How to freeze your credit with Equifax
To freeze your credit with Equifax, you can choose to contact the credit bureau directly online, by phone or by mail.
Freeze your Equifax credit report online
You can freeze your Equifax credit report online by creating a myEquifax account. You’ll provide personal information like your name, date of birth, Social Security number, phone number and address to set up the account. Once it’s set up, you can freeze your credit by selecting “place a freeze.”
Freeze your Equifax credit report by phone
To freeze your Equifax credit report by phone, call Equifax at 888-298-0045. Equifax will ask for information to confirm your identity and initiate the credit freeze.
Freeze your Equifax credit report by mail
If you want to request an Equifax credit freeze by mail, you can download and print Equifax’s security freeze request form and send it to:
Equifax Information Services LLC
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788
You’ll also need to provide copies of forms to prove your identity and address. Once Equifax receives the request and can verify your identity, it will confirm the credit freeze.
How to unfreeze your credit with Equifax
If you decide to apply for new credit accounts, like a credit card, you’ll need to unfreeze your credit. Unfreezing your credit with Equifax can be done in the same ways as freezing your credit: online, by phone or by mail. And you can decide whether you want to temporarily or permanently unfreeze your credit.
Equifax credit freeze FAQ
Here are some common questions about freezing or unfreezing your credit with Equifax.
Can you freeze or unfreeze Equifax credit reports for a child, spouse or incapacitated adult?
You can freeze or unfreeze the Equifax credit reports for a child, spouse or incapacitated adult, as long as you fill out an appropriate security freeze request form and have the paperwork to prove your identity, their identity and your guardianship. For your child under 16, along with the security freeze request form, you’ll need to provide their birth certificate, a court order or a foster care certification. For an incapacitated adult, you’ll need to provide a signed power of attorney or court order with the security freeze request form.
Does it cost money to freeze your credit with Equifax?
It’s free to freeze and unfreeze your credit report with Equifax.
Does a credit freeze hurt your credit?
Freezing your credit doesn’t affect your credit scores. It could help protect your credit by preventing creditors from accessing your credit reports. But even if your credit is frozen, you can still get copies of your credit reports.
Do you need to call all three credit bureaus to freeze or unfreeze your credit?
You need to contact Equifax, TransUnion® and Experian® separately to freeze or unfreeze your credit with all of them. All three credit bureaus allow you to request freezing or unfreezing your credit online, by phone or by mail.
Keep in mind, freezing your credit is different from a fraud alert, which only requires reaching out to one of the three major credit bureaus. That credit bureau will then notify the other two major credit bureaus.
Key takeaways: Equifax credit freezes
Freezing your credit can be a way to help protect yourself from fraud and identity theft. It’s easy to freeze or unfreeze your credit with Equifax by making a request online, by phone or by mail.
No matter what, it’s always important to regularly monitor your credit. One way to do that is with CreditWise from Capital One. It’s free for anyone, whether or not you’re a Capital One cardholder, and it won’t hurt your credit.
