Placing, lifting, and removing a security freeze is free. Security freezes must be placed on your credit reports separately at each nationwide credit bureau (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion). This means if you’re applying for credit – buying a car or requesting a loan, for instance – you’ll need to temporarily lift or permanently remove your security freeze to allow a credit check. Once a freeze is placed on one of your credit reports, it prevents access to it by certain third parties, like lenders and creditors you’re requesting new credit from. Fill out the form and follow the instructions to mail it to Equifax along with any required documents.Ī security freeze, also known as a credit freeze, is a tool that can help prevent unauthorized access to your credit reports.
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To request an extended fraud alert, download a copy of the Equifax Extended Fraud Alert Request Form. Download this form for instructions and mailing address. You can also call Equifax at (800) 525-6285 or send a request by mail to place a fraud alert or active duty alert. Once you have placed a fraud alert or active duty alert, you'll be able to verify its status through your myEquifax account. If you’d like to place an initial one-year fraud alert or an active duty alert on your Equifax credit report, you can do so online by creating a myEquifax ™ account.
An active duty alert lasts for one year, and your name is removed from pre-screened credit card or insurance offers for 2 years. The active duty alert is similar to an initial fraud alert: companies must take reasonable steps to verify your identity before opening new accounts in your name or modifying existing ones. If you are on active military duty and want to help minimize your risk of fraud or identity theft while you are deployed, an active duty alert is available to you. In addition, your name is removed from pre-screened credit card or insurance offers for 5 years.
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If you have an extended fraud alert on your credit reports, you are allowed to request two free credit reports every 12 months from the three nationwide credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion). With an extended fraud alert, a lender or creditor is required to verify your identity in person or by phone at a number you provide before opening new accounts or making changes to existing accounts. It requires a copy of a valid police or law enforcement agency report, or a Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft Report. An extended fraud alert is similar to an initial fraud alert, but lasts for 7 years. Placing an initial fraud alert also allows you to request a free copy of your credit reports every 12 months from the three nationwide credit bureaus, in addition to the one free copy from each credit bureau you're entitled to under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.Īn extended fraud alert can be placed if you are a victim of fraud or identity theft. When you or someone else attempts to open an account in your name or make changes on an existing account, such as increasing the credit limit, the lender or creditor must take reasonable steps to confirm you are who you say you are, such as contacting you by phone at a number you provide, before completing the request. If you want to keep it active on your credit reports, you'll need to renew it after that time. Once you place an alert with one of the bureaus, that bureau will send your request to the other two.įraud alerts can be placed on your credit reports for free, and there are two different types:Īn initial (one-year) fraud alert can be placed if you believe you are or may become a victim of fraud or identity theft.
You may contact any of the three nationwide credit bureaus - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion - to request a fraud alert. Think of it as a “red flag” that makes companies take steps to verify your identity before extending credit in your name. What is a Fraud Alert?Ī fraud alert is a notice that is placed on your credit reports that alerts credit card companies and others who may extend you credit that you may have been a victim of fraud, including identity theft. When it comes to your credit, you may hear terms like “fraud alert,” “security freeze,” and “credit report lock.” While each one is designed to help you better protect your personal information, they do so in different ways.
Fraud alerts encourage lenders and creditors to take extra steps to confirm your identity before issuing you credit.
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