Credit Freeze vs. Credit Lock: Only One Is Guaranteed By Law

Most People Don’t Know the One Big Difference Between a Credit Freeze and a Lock

A credit lock and a credit freeze both do the same basic job: they stop new creditors from viewing your credit file so that no one can open an account in your name. But only one of them is a right guaranteed by federal law.

A credit freeze is protected under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). If a credit bureau mishandles it (for example, by missing the legal deadline to place or lift your freeze, or by releasing your report to a new creditor despite an active freeze), you have a legal right to sue. 

A credit lock, on the other hand, is a private contract with the bureau that provides it. If something goes wrong while you have a lock in place, your recourse is determined by the contract — not by law. 

This distinction — not just cost or convenience — is the one worth understanding before you pick which financial protection tool is right for you.

Here’s a more in-depth look at the differences between a credit freeze and credit lock: 

Is it better to freeze your credit or lock it? For most people, a freeze is the stronger choice, since it's free and backed by federal law — although it takes longer to place and lift. A lock is faster to toggle on and off, but you're trading that convenience for weaker legal protection.

When Should You Lock or Freeze Your Credit?

Regardless of whether you use a credit freeze or lock, securing your credit files against unauthorized access is a foundational step in identity theft protection. Unless you’re actively opening new credit accounts, there’s no reason not to proactively prevent access to your credit files. 

The number of new account fraud victims reached 5.4 million in 2025 — a 31% increase from the previous year, according to Javelin Strategy & Research.

If you’re planning to submit a credit application in the near future and want to keep your accounts open, there are specific events that should prompt you to freeze or lock your credit right away: 

• Data breach notifications. Receiving a data breach notification from a company you have an account with could signal that identity thieves have acquired your personal information. 
• Dark web alerts. If a dark web monitoring tool discovers that your Social Security number (SSN) and other sensitive details have been leaked on the dark web, you are at serious risk of fraud. 
• Fraudulent activity in your credit reports. Suspicious activity in your credit files, such as unfamiliar hard inquiries, loan applications you don’t recognize, or incorrect personal information, can signal misuse. Also, beware if debt collectors contact you about accounts you didn't open.
• Credit score issues. A sudden drop in credit score — or being denied credit, a loan, or even an apartment — is an indication that your account has been compromised. 
• Missing sensitive documents. If any of your bills, tax documents, or other sensitive mail go missing, consider this a red flag.

The bigger picture: A credit freeze or lock can’t protect your existing bank, credit card, or investment accounts. These tools only help prevent scammers from opening new fraudulent accounts in your name. Your existing financial accounts remain vulnerable. For robust financial account monitoring, plus three-bureau credit monitoring with the industry’s fastest fraud alerts, try Aura free for 14 days.

What Is a Credit Freeze?

A credit freeze (sometimes referred to as a security freeze) is a request that tells a credit bureau not to release your credit report to companies that are checking it to extend new credit. 

For example, if fraudsters find your SSN and other personal information on the dark web, they can use it to bypass identity verification and take out a loan in your name. With a credit freeze in place, that application should be denied. 

Freezes have been free nationwide since the 2018 federal Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act took effect. 

Does a credit freeze affect your credit score? No. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) both confirm a freeze has no impact on your credit score. It only restricts who can view your report in order to open new credit.

How To Freeze and Unfreeze Your Credit With All Three Bureaus

To place a credit freeze, you need to contact each of the three major credit bureaus individually — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. 

You’ll be asked to provide the following information to confirm your identity: 

• Full legal name
• Date of birth
• Address history (typically spanning the past two years)
• Social Security number

By federal statute 15 U.S.C. § 1681c-1, bureaus must place your freeze within one business day if you request it online or by phone, or three business days from when the bureau receives the request by mail. You’ll be given a PIN to use when lifting your credit freeze in the future. 

Here’s the contact information for each bureau’s credit freeze department:

Once placed, a freeze lasts indefinitely, with one confirmed exception: In Pennsylvania, a freeze automatically expires seven years after it's placed unless you renew it, per 73 Pa. Stat. § 2503(d). 

How to lift a credit freeze

You can lift a freeze permanently or temporarily, and for a specific date range, which is useful if you know exactly when a lender will pull your report. Federal law requires bureaus to lift a freeze within one hour if you request it online or by phone, and within three business days by mail.

What Is a Credit Lock?

A credit lock is a bureau-specific feature, usually accessed through an app, that lets you instantly switch access on and off to your credit file. 

Unlike a freeze, a lock isn't created by federal law. It's a service to which you agree through that bureau's terms of use.

This distinction matters if something goes wrong. If a bureau mishandles your freeze, the FCRA gives you a path to sue. If a bureau mishandles your credit lock, your recourse is whatever the bureau’s service agreement says, with some agreements including an arbitration clause that limits your options further.

How To Lock and Unlock Your Credit With All Three Bureaus

Locking and unlocking your credit is usually as easy as toggling a setting in an app or on a website. However, unlike a credit freeze, there’s no universal path to locking your credit with all three bureaus.

Only Equifax offers a free stand-alone credit lock directly to consumers. TransUnion has removed the credit lock feature from its own products (but still supports credit locks through some third-party apps). Experian bundles its credit lock with a paid membership (and is also accessible via some identity theft protection services, such as Aura). 

Here are the main methods for locking your credit with each bureau:

Note: Credit locks are often included with identity theft protection services. For example, every Aura plan includes access to Experian CreditLock, along with award-winning identity theft protection, three-bureau credit monitoring, and more. Try Aura free for 14 days to see if it’s right for you.

How to unlock your credit

To unlock your credit file, use the same method as you did for locking — usually within an app. 

One thing to flag: in most cases, you can't have an active lock and freeze on a credit bureau file at the same time. Equifax confirms that you'll need to remove a freeze before you can add a lock, and vice versa.

How long does a credit lock last compared to a credit freeze? A freeze lasts indefinitely until you remove it. A lock lasts as long as you keep it toggled on through the bureau's app or account.

The Downsides of Locking vs. Freezing Your Credit

The choice between a credit lock and a credit freeze comes down to convenience and cost. 

A credit freeze is free and protected by federal law but takes longer to enable, while a credit lock often costs money but is faster and more convenient to toggle on and off. 

However, there are downsides to both options that you should consider. 

Both a credit freeze and lock will block legitimate hard-pull applications until you disable them, so you’ll need to plan accordingly before applying for a mortgage, car loan, or new credit card. 

They also both require contacting each bureau separately (or using multiple apps and accounts) — making it a somewhat time-consuming process to enable and disable. 

Finally, both credit locks and freezes share the same blind spot: neither one protects your current accounts or warns you of other types of fraud. A freeze or lock only stops a new account from being opened. It does nothing if a thief already has your card number or has taken over an existing login.

If you’d rather keep your credit files open, consider a credit monitoring service to alert you to suspicious activity. 

When Should You Use a Fraud Alert Instead?

A fraud alert doesn't block your credit file the way a credit freeze or credit lock does. 

When you place a fraud alert on your credit files, it tells lenders that they should verify your identity before extending new credit — but not all lenders comply. 

The upside is that a fraud alert is much easier to enable. All you need to do is contact one of the three main credit bureaus and request a fraud alert. By law, the bureau you contact needs to reach out to the other two to inform them of your request. 

There are three types of fraud alerts for which you may be eligible — each with its own rules and requirements:

• Initial fraud alerts last for one year and can be renewed annually. Anyone can request one by contacting a single bureau; that bureau is required to notify the other two.
• Extended fraud alerts last for seven years, but require proof documenting that you've been a victim of identity theft, such as an affidavit from IdentityTheft.gov or a police report.
• Active duty alerts are for deployed service members and last for at least a year, renewable for as long as the service member is deployed.

The bottom line: A fraud alert makes sense if you want to keep applying for credit as you normally would while adding a layer of verification — for example, right after you suspect (but haven't confirmed) that your information was exposed. It's a lighter-touch option than a freeze or lock, and offers less protection.

Final Thoughts: A Credit Freeze Is Probably Stronger — But It’s Not Perfect

Regardless of your choice, neither a credit freeze or credit lock is a perfect tool. When deciding between these options, remember these key issues: 

• Can someone steal your identity if your credit is locked? Yes. A lock only blocks new creditors from viewing your file, but it doesn't stop someone from misusing information on an account you already have. Certain groups, like existing creditors and government agencies, can also still access a locked file.
• Does a credit freeze or lock prevent fraud? No. In fact, no service can guarantee to prevent all forms of fraud. You can, however, take advantage of all of the safety tools and features at your disposal — from credit locks and freezes to transaction monitoring, strong passwords, two-factor authentication (2FA), and dark web monitoring. 
• Can you have a credit freeze and a lock at the same time? Generally, no, not at the same bureau. You typically need to remove a freeze before you can add a lock, and vice versa.

With the FTC reporting that losses from identity fraud hit an all-time-high of $16.1 billion in 2025, it’s more important than ever to have proper financial fraud protections in place. While a credit freeze is a good (and free) starting point, Aura provides extensive monitoring and protection, plus 24/7 U.S.-based support and up to $5 million in identity theft insurance.