In the United States one leaked Social Security number can let someone open cards and loans in your name. Two tools stand in the way — a credit freeze and a fraud alert. Both are free, but they do different things and are requested differently. We read the consumer guidance from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
1. A credit freeze stops new credit accounts being opened in your name. It is free, lasts until you lift it, and does not affect your credit score.
2. A freeze goes to all three bureaus; a fraud alert to just one. The bureau you contact must tell the other two.
3. A fraud alert lasts 1 year, an extended one 7 years. The extended alert is for people who have actually suffered identity theft and reported it.
The four side by side
| Tool | What it does | Duration and who |
|---|---|---|
| Credit freeze | While in place, nobody can open a new credit account in your name | Until you lift it; anyone, for any reason |
| Initial fraud alert | Tells businesses to verify your identity before opening a new account | 1 year, renewable; anyone who has been or suspects being a victim of identity theft |
| Extended fraud alert | Identity verification, plus removal from marketing lists for unsolicited credit and insurance offers for 5 years | 7 years; people who experienced identity theft and completed an FTC report at IdentityTheft.gov or filed a police report |
| Active duty alert | Identity verification, plus removal from marketing lists for 2 years | 1 year, renewable; active duty servicemembers |
The FTC describes all four as free. The main difference is blocking versus checking — a freeze blocks new accounts outright, while an alert asks businesses to verify identity and does not stop a credit report being viewed.
They are requested differently
| Tool | Whom to contact | Ending it |
|---|---|---|
| Credit freeze | All three bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion | Ask the relevant bureau for a temporary lift when a lender needs to check |
| Fraud alerts (all three kinds) | One bureau — it must tell the other two | Ends when the period runs out (the 1-year alerts can be renewed) |
A freeze at only one bureau leaves the other two reports open — hence all three (our gloss). How soon a freeze or lift takes effect after a request is not stated on this page and is not carried over. If you plan to buy a home or car, lift the freeze with time to spare before applying (our view — underwriting is in the US mortgage guide).
Which to choose (our summary)
- No borrowing planned and worried about a leaked number → a credit freeze. Anyone can place one for any reason, and it leaves the score alone.
- Lost wallet or a suspicious contact → a fraud alert first. One call covers all three, and you can get a free report from each bureau.
- An account has actually been opened in your name → report at IdentityTheft.gov and place an extended fraud alert (7 years).
The three arrows apply the FTC's stated eligibility and effects to situations; they are ours, not FTC recommendations. Whether a freeze and an alert can be held together was not checked on this page.
A child can have one too
The FTC advises requesting a free credit freeze for a child under 16, to make it harder for someone to open new accounts in the child's name. A child's freeze stays until you ask the bureaus to remove it, and the process differs from an adult's — instructions are on the three bureaus' websites.
If you have a US-born child with an SSN, it is worth doing once (our view).
What a freeze does not do
- It does not change your credit score — the FTC says so.
- It does not stop misuse of accounts you already have — a freeze guards against new accounts, which is how we read it. Fraud on an existing card still needs statements checked.
Whether existing creditors can still view your report during a freeze, and how a freeze differs from the "credit lock" bureaus sell, are not on this page and were not checked. Free reports and dispute deadlines are in US credit scores.
Checklist
- ☐ Freeze placed at all three: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion
- ☐ The account details needed to lift it kept for each
- ☐ A date set to lift before a loan, card or rental application
- ☐ A freeze requested for any child under 16
- ☐ An IdentityTheft.gov report created if identity theft has happened
Questions that remain
Can it stay in place after I move back to Korea?
The FTC says a freeze lasts until you lift it. We did not check the process for placing or lifting one from abroad without a US address or phone number — placing it before leaving is likely to be easier (our view).
What if I have an ITIN and no SSN?
This page does not address it. We did not check.
Is it really free?
The FTC describes the freeze and all three alerts as free. The cost of other products the bureaus sell was not checked on this page.
Sources
- FTC Consumer Advice, Credit Freeze or Fraud Alert: What's Right for Your Credit Report? — original (checked 7 October 2026). The effect of a freeze, free, no effect on score, all three bureaus; initial fraud alert 1 year and one bureau; extended alert 7 years and 5 years; active duty alert 1 year and 2 years; freeze for a child under 16.
- Not read. Deadlines for placing and lifting, credit locks, access by existing creditors, the process for residents abroad or ITIN holders, each bureau's request pages.
- Our summary and views. The three situational choices, when to lift, the point on existing accounts, placing before leaving the US.
Where to check further
- IdentityTheft.gov — reporting identity theft and a recovery plan.
- The Equifax, Experian and TransUnion websites — placing and lifting a freeze.
Written on 7 October 2026. The effects and durations are set out from the FTC original; the situational summary and views are ours. This is not legal advice.
