How to Lock or Freeze Your TransUnion Credit: Online, Phone, or Mail

To freeze your TransUnion credit, go to transunion.com/credit-freeze, create a Service Center account, and click “Add Freeze,” or call 800-916-8800 to place the freeze by phone. It’s free under federal law, stays in place until you lift it, and blocks most new lenders from pulling your TransUnion report so nobody can open a new account in your name there.¹²

Freezing Your TransUnion Credit Online

TransUnion runs freezes through its Service Center at transunion.com/credit-freeze.¹ To create an account, you’ll enter your full legal name, current address, Social Security number, and date of birth. TransUnion uses those details to match you to your file, then asks identity verification questions drawn from your credit history, such as past creditors or previous addresses. You’ll also set a username and password.

Once you’re logged in, open the Credit Freeze section and click “Add Freeze,” then confirm on the next screen.³ Federal law gives TransUnion one business day to place the freeze after an online request.² Your dashboard will update to a locked status and you’ll get an email confirmation with the date and time. Save it. You no longer need a PIN to manage the freeze; TransUnion retired the old 6-digit PIN, and everything runs through your Service Center login.⁴

If verification fails or a confirmation code never arrives, call TransUnion’s support line at 833-543-4353.⁵

Freezing by Phone or Mail

If you’d rather not set up an online account, call TransUnion at 800-916-8800 to place a freeze by phone.¹ You can also mail a written request with your name, address, and Social Security number; the mailing address is on TransUnion’s freeze FAQ page.

Online and phone requests have to be processed within one business day. Mail requests can take up to three business days. Whichever route you use, TransUnion has to send written confirmation within five business days.²

Lifting the Freeze When You Apply for Credit

A freeze stays on until you lift it, so when you apply for a loan, credit card, or apartment, you’ll need to unfreeze your file first. Log into the Service Center, choose “Temporarily Lift Freeze,” and enter the dates you want the lift active.¹ You can schedule a lift up to 15 days in advance. When the dates end, the freeze snaps back into place automatically.

Lifts take effect almost immediately, though it’s worth waiting a few minutes before telling the lender to pull your report.⁴ By law, online and phone requests to lift or remove a freeze must be processed within one hour.² Ask the lender which bureau they plan to check so you only need to lift the freeze at the one they’ll use.

Freeze or Credit Lock: Which One Are You Turning On?

TransUnion offers two features that look similar. A credit freeze is the free, federally protected restriction described above. A credit lock is a paid feature bundled with TransUnion Credit Premium; it blocks new inquiries in practice, but it runs on TransUnion’s service agreement rather than federal law.⁶⁷

The main practical difference shows up on your phone. TransUnion’s mobile app (Credit Essentials or Credit Premium) doesn’t let you manage a freeze from inside the app; tapping freeze settings sends you to the web Service Center in your phone’s browser. The paid Credit Premium subscription does include an in-app one-tap credit lock. If you had a lock through the older TrueIdentity or TransUnion Credit Monitoring services, those have been shut down; a free freeze replaces them.⁸

Who Can Still See Your Report While It’s Frozen

A freeze stops new creditors from pulling your file, but some access continues because it doesn’t involve opening new credit in your name.⁴ Parties who can still see the file include:

Existing creditors, for account maintenance, credit line changes, or collections
Federal, state, and local agencies acting under a court order, subpoena, or in fraud or tax matters
Child support agencies
Companies sending prescreened credit offers (you can opt out of these separately)
Insurance underwriters
Employers and landlords running background checks with your consent
Companies verifying your identity for purposes other than granting new credit
Credit monitoring services you’ve signed up for

None of these exceptions let a stranger open a new account in your name; the freeze specifically blocks new-account applications from unfamiliar creditors.⁹

Freeze the Other Two Bureaus Too

A TransUnion freeze only covers your TransUnion report. Lenders often pull from Equifax or Experian instead, so a single freeze leaves gaps. Each bureau has to be contacted separately, and all three freezes are free:

Equifax: equifax.com or 888-298-0045
Experian: experian.com or 888-397-3742
TransUnion: transunion.com/credit-freeze or 800-916-8800¹

Adding a Fraud Alert

A fraud alert is a separate, optional layer. It doesn’t block access to your report; it flags your file so creditors take extra steps to verify identity before issuing new credit. An initial fraud alert is free, lasts one year, and only needs to be placed at one bureau, which must notify the other two.² If you’ve filed an identity theft report, you can request an extended alert that lasts seven years. A freeze plus a fraud alert is the strongest combination if your information has already been exposed.⁹

1
TransUnion. Credit Freeze | Freeze My Credit
2
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681c-1 – Identity Theft Prevention; Fraud Alerts and Active Duty Alerts
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TransUnion. How to Place a Credit Freeze On Your Credit Report
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TransUnion. Freeze Support Center | Credit Freeze FAQs
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TransUnion. Technical Help and Login Support FAQs
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Federal Trade Commission. Initial Fraud Alerts, Credit Freezes, and Credit Locks: What’s the Difference?
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TransUnion. Credit Freeze vs Lock: What’s the Difference?
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TransUnion. TransUnion Credit Memberships Help Center
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Federal Trade Commission. Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts