Locking Down Your Credit Report

Here s how to lock your report with each of the major bureaus.

Locking down your credit report.

For example if you provide a telephone number the business must call you to verify whether you are the person making the credit request. A fraud alert allows creditors to get a copy of your credit report as long as they take steps to verify your identity. A credit freeze is something you can put in place to limit others from viewing your credit reports including lenders. Unlocking either or both reports is just as easy as locking them.

Until that happens you can use trustedid to lock and monitor. Freezing your credit is an extreme step but it s something that might be necessary if you re dealing with identity theft and other measures such as fraud alerts haven t been effective for you. You log in and lock your transunion and or equifax credit reports. Equifax offers lock alert for free.

Pros and cons of locking your credit. Requests to freeze your credit report must be made in writing and should include your name address date of birth social security number a copy of a valid id proof of address e g a copy of a utility bill and payment. Experian offers credit locks through a paid monthly service. You must freeze your credit report at each credit bureau individually since there s no way to freeze all three credit reports at once.

Locking your equifax credit report will prevent access to it by certain third parties. Credit report locks are mobile app enabled and allow you to lock and unlock your credit reports using identity verification techniques such as usernames passwords and touch id or face id technology. You must lock your credit reports separately at each nationwide credit bureau equifax experian and transunion. A credit lock also known as a security lock has the same result as a credit freeze but it s easier and quicker to lock and unlock your credit than to freeze and un freeze or thaw it.

Transunion offers credit locks through a free service as well as through paid products. You can lock and unlock your reports yourself at any time making it faster than a freeze if you need to authorize a legitimate credit check. If someone applies for credit in your name access is denied. Locking your equifax credit report will not prevent access to your credit report at any other credit reporting agency.

A credit lock can reduce your chances of becoming an identity theft victim since lenders can t check your credit reports while they re locked.