Freeze your credit at all three bureaus (US)
It's free, it doesn't touch your credit score, and it's one of the most useful things you can do after a data breach. About half an hour for the three bureaus, plus a few minutes per kid.
The steps
- 10 min
Step 1: Freeze at Equifax
Online with a myEquifax account, or call (888) 298-0045. Placing and lifting it are both free.
- 10 min
Step 2: Freeze at Experian
Through a free Experian account, or 1-888-397-3742. Ignore CreditLock: that's their paid product, not the free freeze.
- 10 min
Step 3: Freeze at TransUnion
Online or by phone. Same deal: free, and it stays on until you lift it.
- 5 min
Step 4: Keep the logins somewhere you'll find them in two years
You'll need them the day you apply for a mortgage, a car loan or a new card, which is usually years from now.
- 30 min
Step 5: Freeze the kids' credit too
If they're under 16 you can freeze theirs for free. Each bureau has its own route for minors, and some of them are by mail, so give this one a little longer.
- 5 min
Step 6: When you apply for credit, thaw only the bureau the lender uses
Ask the lender which one they check, lift that one for a few days, then freeze it again. Online or by phone, a lift has to happen within an hour.
- 10 min
Step 7: Freeze ChexSystems if you're worried about bank accounts
ChexSystems is what banks look at when someone opens an account. You get a PIN; keep it with the bureau logins. Check their page for any fee where you live.
Written by people who have done it, not by Helg or any government. Check the official sites before you pay for anything.