Is freezing my credit free?

Yes. Since 2018, federal law makes credit freezes free at all three nationwide bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Placing one, lifting it temporarily, and removing it are all free, every time.

Does a credit freeze hurt my credit score?

No. A freeze only restricts who can open new credit in your name; it does not lower your score or affect your existing accounts. You can keep using your current cards and loans normally, and lift the freeze for a few days when you actually apply for new credit.

What is a port-out PIN, and how do I set one?

It is a separate code your carrier requires before your number can be moved to another SIM or company — distinct from your everyday account PIN. You set it in your carrier's app or account security settings, often labeled Number Lock, Wireless Account Lock, or Account Takeover Protection. It is free and takes a couple of minutes.

Freeze Credit & Lock Your SIM: Two Free Shields

All articles·7 min read·June 29, 2026

Two free locks almost nobody sets

Two of the most effective protections against identity theft and phone-number hijacking are free, take about ten minutes total, and most people never turn them on: a credit freeze at the three bureaus, and a carrier port-out PINon your phone line. Between them they block the two main ways an attacker cashes in — opening new credit in your name, and stealing your number to intercept text codes. Here is how to set both.

Shield 1: Freeze your credit

A credit freeze restricts access to your credit file, so a thief cannot open new accounts in your name even if they have your details. It has been free at all three bureaus since 2018, and it does not affect your credit score or your existing accounts. The one thing to know: unlike a fraud alert, you must set a freeze at each bureau separately.

Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion— freeze with each one, online or by phone. Save the credentials or PIN each gives you.
When you genuinely apply for new credit, temporarily liftthe freeze and re-apply it after — also free.

Do not confuse three similar tools. A freeze is the statutory, free, strongest option. A lock is a paid or app-based product some bureaus market that does something similar by contract. A fraud alert is a one-bureau, one-year flag that asks lenders to verify your identity but does not block new credit. For most people, the free freeze is the one to use.

Shield 2: Lock your phone number

The second shield stops a SIM swap— an attacker moving your number to their device to steal your text codes. Every major US carrier now offers a free account lock or port-out PIN, a code required before your number can be ported or moved to a new SIM. Note that this is separate from your regular account PIN.

Verizon — turn on Number Lock in the app or account security settings.
AT&T — enable Wireless Account Lock. It is the newest of the three, launched in July 2025, so check that it is switched on.
T-Mobile — turn on Account Takeover Protection.

If you want to understand the attack these locks defend against, see what a SIM swap is and how to spot one, and SIM-swap attack recovery if a number has already been hijacked.

Why these two, together

These shields cover the two big money vectors. The credit freeze stops new-credit fraud; the carrier lockstops the SIM swap that hijacks your SMS two-factor codes. Both are free, reversible, and take minutes — and they are most useful before anything goes wrong. If you are already dealing with theft, work through your first 48 hours after identity theft and consider a professional identity-theft investigation.

Your 10-minute setup checklist

Freeze your credit at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion (each separately).
Turn on your carrier's account lock or port-out PIN.
Move your most important accounts off SMS codes to an authenticator app or security key.
Store every PIN and credential in a password manager so lifting a freeze later is painless.