The quickest and easiest way to remove (or "thaw") a credit freeze is to contact each credit bureau online or by phone. If you've frozen your credit at all three national bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax), you'll need to thaw it at each bureau separately.
The quickest and easiest way to unfreeze your credit report is to contact the credit bureau (or bureaus) you used to freeze your credit either online or by phone. But you also have the option to contact them by mail.
How do you unfreeze all three credit bureaus? You have to unfreeze your credit with each credit bureau individually. Experian requires a PIN to lift a credit freeze, while TransUnion and Equifax require that you set up online accounts.
If your Experian credit file is frozen and you need to apply for credit, you can lift the freeze at Experian's Freeze Center. Simply create an Experian account to log in to your Experian membership and untoggle your freeze.
Two of the three major credit bureaus have recently changed their policies related to security freezes and PINs. As of 2018, if you're unfreezing your credit reports online through Equifax or TransUnion, you won't need a PIN at all. You'll only need to enter your account username and password.
Timing and cost of lifting a credit freeze
In terms of timing, a credit freeze must be removed no later than one hour after a credit bureau receives your request by phone or online. If you mail in a request to have a freeze lifted, credit bureaus have three business days after receiving it to lift the credit freeze.
In most instances a week is usually enough time for a business, credit card issuer, or potential employer to check your report. If you can find out which credit bureau they use, you only need to lift your freeze with that particular credit bureau. If not, you will need to lift all three of your security freezes.
By phone: If you would prefer to lift the freeze by phone, you can call 888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742) and provide the required information. A written request should include: Your full name, including your middle initial. Your Social Security number.
However, if you want to lift the freeze through your TransUnion online account, you won't need to use your PIN; you can simply log in to your account using your username and password. If you'd rather unfreeze your credit over the phone, you will need your PIN. To contact TransUnion directly, call 888-909-8872.
A security freeze prevents prospective creditors from accessing your credit file. Creditors typically won't offer you credit if they can't access your credit reporting file, so a security freeze, also called a credit freeze, prevents you or others from opening accounts in your name.
Credit freezes and credit locks both restrict access to your credit reports. But credit freezes are free, while credit locks may be offered as part of expanded paid services.
Note that you must limit access to your credit files at all three national credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax). Locking your credit file at one bureau does not automatically lock it at the others.
To unfreeze your Experian credit report, log in to your Experian account or create one for free. After you log in, you can navigate to the Help Center, where you can find quick actions to manage your freeze and toggle your freeze status to "Unfrozen."
If you froze your credit reports at all three bureaus, you would need to temporarily remove all of them before opening an account. Another question you should ask is whether your bank uses a soft or hard pull to check your credit. A soft pull won't affect your credit score.
While a credit freeze can protect you in the case of a stolen identity or other stolen personal information, it will also prevent legitimate lenders, like your mortgage lender, from accessing your credit report to complete a mortgage application for a new home purchase or mortgage refinance.
If you already have a credit freeze, you'll need to lift it. A credit freeze can take anywhere from 15 minutes to three days to lift/thaw. Even soft credit pulls -- ones that don't always impact your credit score-- require a credit lift.
How Do You Unfreeze Your TransUnion Credit Report By Phone? All you need to do is call 888-909-8872. An interactive voice response system will guide you through the process of unfreezing your credit report.
At Equifax, you can use your myEquifax account to lift a security freeze for a date range you specify. You can also lift a security freeze by phone by calling our automated line at (800) 349-9960 or calling Customer Care at (888) 298-0045.
With a frozen credit report, it is likely you will have to file paper returns with the IRS. This can slow down the processing of your return, delay a refund, and possibly increase your risk of being the victim of tax fraud.
Perhaps the biggest downside to credit freezes is that all of the hassle might not stop identity thieves. While a freeze will most likely prevent them from opening new accounts in your name, it cannot prevent fraud on your existing accounts.
The major downside to having a credit lock is that it generally comes with a fee. Plus, your credit file can still be accessed for the same reasons as a freeze. Credit agencies charge about $20 per month to maintain your lock service, which may include daily alerts, dark web monitoring and free credit reports.
There are three credit agencies: TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. When you apply for a loan, request an increase on your credit limit or even apply for a new job, your credit report will likely come into play.
If you send your request to thaw your report by mail, we recommend you allow up to three days for it to be thawed once Experian receives your request. Equifax and TransUnion, the two other national credit reporting companies, may have different processes and policies for requesting a credit file thaw.