Credit freeze or fraud alert after a breach?
Understand two U.S. credit protections and the limits of each.
Know what a freeze does
A credit freeze restricts access to your credit report and helps impede new-account fraud. It does not erase leaked data, fix an existing fraudulent account, or monitor every use of your identity. The FTC explains the U.S. process and limitations.
Contact each bureau
Use the official channels listed by the FTC for Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. A freeze must be placed with each bureau separately. Keep access credentials securely; you may need to lift a freeze when you apply for credit.
Compare a fraud alert
A fraud alert asks a business to verify your identity before opening new credit. Contacting one of the three bureaus starts the alert process across all three. Eligibility and duration depend on the type of alert; check the current FTC instructions.
Respond to actual misuse
Review your credit reports for accounts you do not recognize. If your identity has been misused, IdentityTheft.gov offers a reporting and recovery process. These are U.S. resources; other countries have different credit and identity systems.