- 1). Submit a police report copy to the three credit bureaus if you are an identity theft victim. There is a fee of about $10 for a credit freeze in most states, but it is waived if you freeze your credit because your identity was stolen. You are required to submit a police report to Equifax, Experian and TransUnion as proof of the crime before putting a freeze on your records.
- 2). Review the credit freeze information from your state on one of the credit bureau websites. You must place a separate freeze with all three bureaus to completely stop inquiries. Each state has its own rules and allowable fees. Each bureau's credit freeze web page has links so you can easily find the information for your home state.
- 3). Follow the process outlined for your state for each of the three credit bureaus. You may be able to place the freeze over the telephone, or you may be required to do it online or through postal mail. Each bureau will ask for specific information to prove your identity.
- 4). Store the password information provided by each credit bureau in a safe place. You will need it to thaw your credit when you wish to open new accounts, consumer radio show host Clark Howard explains. Otherwise companies cannot process your credit card applications because they cannot review frozen records.