Freezing locking or applying for fraud alerts on your credit reports are all options for protecting your credit history after confirmed or suspected identity theft or fraud.
Lock credit report free.
Last year as the free 12 month credit freezes it provided after its 2017 data breach were about to expire equifax announced that it would provide credit locks free to consumers starting this year.
Lock alert was created with a simple premise.
When you freeze your credit report creditors and lenders can t pull your credit report or credit score the numeric value given to your credit report unless you ve provided the credit bureau a password to unlock your credit report.
If a credit freeze is something you d like to apply to your credit reports and scores learn how to request one at the experian s security freeze center.
If someone applies for credit in your name access is denied.
If they can t see your report they may not extend the credit.
You log in and lock your transunion and or equifax credit reports.
Unlocking either or both reports is just as easy as locking them.
Until that happens you can use trustedid to lock and monitor.
We believe that credit responsibility is important and lock alert helps put you on track.
That you should be able to conveniently control access to your equifax credit report for life and for free.
If you want to apply for new credit or a new employer or landlord needs to run your credit you can temporarily unlock your credit report just as easily.
Also known as a security freeze this free tool lets you restrict access to your credit report which in turn makes it more difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name.
Our easy to use app puts control in your hands.
How does credit lock plus work.
However it has been widely reported that equifax will be offering a new credit lock service that is free for life from january 31st.
That s because most creditors need to see your credit report before they approve a new account.
It really is free.
How to lock your credit report at equifax.
Equifax s credit lock program is called lock alert and it s free.
Since most banks require a credit check an application for credit would likely be denied.