Each one is separate.
A credit freeze stops lenders from seeing your credit report, which makes it much harder for anyone to open an account in your name. Freezing and unfreezing are free, and a freeze doesn’t affect your credit score or your existing accounts.
Start on Equifax’s Security Freeze page (equifax.com)
Create a free myEquifax account, then place the freeze.
Sign in to myEquifax and choose a temporary lift (with an end date) or a permanent removal.
By phone: (888) 298-0045
Start on Experian’s Freeze your credit file for free page (experian.com)
Create a free Experian account, then place the freeze.
Sign in and choose a temporary lift (with a start and end date) or a permanent removal.
By phone: (888) 397-3742
Start on TransUnion’s Credit Freeze page (transunion.com)
Create a free TransUnion account, then place the freeze.
Sign in to the TransUnion Service Center and choose a temporary lift (with an end date) or a permanent removal.
By phone: (888) 909-8872
Don’t forget to unfreeze your credit first. A lender can’t check a frozen credit report, so an application can be held up or declined until you lift the freeze. Ask the lender which bureau it uses and lift only that one, or lift all three if you aren’t sure. If you’re applying online, the application often names the bureau. A temporary lift turns the freeze back on by itself when it ends.
A parent or guardian can freeze a child’s credit. Each bureau has its own process: