Should I file an Extended Fraud Alert or a Credit Freeze?
In addition to contacting EverSafe or the Identity Theft Resource Center, you should file a fraud alert or a credit or security freeze with credit reporting agencies.
Both a fraud alert and a credit or security freeze are free. But there are important differences between these two options:
- An extended fraud alert means that a business must verify your identity before it issues new credit. An extended fraud alert, lasting seven years, is available only to identity theft victims. To get an extended fraud alert, you’ll first need an Identity Theft Report, which you can create at IdentityTheft.gov.
- A credit freeze generally stops all access to your credit report, while a fraud alert permits creditors to get your report as long as they take steps to verify your identity. A freeze is available to anyone, whether or not you are a victim of identity theft.