How Do I Freeze My Credit with Equifax?

Many Equifax users do not understand what freezing their credit means. Many of them associate it with limiting their access to their credit cards. A credit freeze stops many businesses and others from checking your credit file. If you sign up for a voluntary credit freeze, you will be given a PIN. You may use the PIN when you want to unfreeze your credit file and apply for new credit. Lifting your freeze should not take more than an hour. Do not wait until you are a victim of ID theft to understand the benefits of a credit freeze.

Requesting a Freeze on Your Credit Report

If you wish to get a freeze for your Equifax credit report, fill in the Freeze Request Form and send it through the United States mail. Send the form along with copies of;

1. Your driver's license or state identification

2. Your Social security card

3. A pay stub with social security number

4. A W2 or 1099 form

5. Your rental lease agreement

6. Your pay stub with address

7. Your utility bill (water, gas, cable, electricity, electricity)

You may choose to place a temporary freeze, lift an existing one temporarily, or permanently remove it.

Placing a Security Freeze on Incapacitated Adults or Minors

If you wish to place a freeze for an incapacitated adult, you must fill a form with your information and that of the incapacitated person. After filling in the form, you can send it to Equifax through US mail. Submit the filled form along with copies of;

1. Your driver's license or any other form of identification issued by the government

2. Your social security card

3. Your birth certificate

4. The incapacitated adult's birth certificate

5. Your information including; Current address, former address, first name, and last name initial suffix

The information will be used to verify your address and personal information and that of the incapacitated adult. To prove that you are an authorized representative of the other adult, you must have a court order and a valid power of attorney.

If you want to place a security freeze for a minor (under the age of 16), you may fill in the freeze request form and send it to Equinox via US mail. Send the form along with copies of;

1. Your driver's license or any other form of identification offered by the government

2. Your birth certificate

3. Your social security card

4. The minor's social security card

5. The minor's birth certificate

To prove that you are the minor's authorized representative, you must provide the following;

1. Foster care certification

2. The birth certificate of the minor

3. A court order

4. A valid power of attorney

You do not need to pay anything to place, lift, or remove a security freeze on Equifax.

There are plenty of ways to contact Equifax if you need help freezing your credit. The best way to reach them is over the phone. When you call Equifax, you will be connected with the right representative in an average of 46 minutes. You may call them from Monday to Friday between 9 am and 5 pm EST.

Another option is to contact them in live chat. The current wait time when waiting to get help on live chat is three minutes. You may seek help on live chat from Monday to Friday between 10 am and 8 pm EST.

If your problem is not urgent, you may seek help via email. When you send an email, you may get a response in an average of three hours. The help desk is another great way to seek help.