How to Lock Credit Reports
A credit lock is a feature offered by each national credit reporting company, usually toggled on and off in its app or website under that company's terms of service. A security freeze is a separate right under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, must be placed at each company individually, and is free by federal law.
The terms sound interchangeable, but they describe different things. A security freeze, also called a credit freeze, is a statutory right under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. It blocks most creditors from accessing your credit report at a given credit reporting company until you lift it, and federal law sets the rules for placing and removing it. A credit lock is a commercial feature that a credit reporting company offers through its app or website. The company's own contract, not federal statute, defines how a lock works, what it costs, and how quickly it can be turned on or off.
Freezes are placed separately at each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies. Requests can be made online, by phone, or by mail, and each company requires identifying information. Under federal law, a company must place a freeze within one business day when the request comes online or by phone, and within three business days for a mailed request. Lifting a freeze follows the same channels, with a one-hour deadline for online or phone requests and three business days for mail. The company issues a personal identification number or password, and without it removal takes longer. Freezes are free, and placing one does not by itself change any credit score.
Locking typically happens through a company's mobile app or account dashboard. The process is generally to create an account, verify identity with personal data or a one-time code, then toggle the lock on. The action can be reversed in the same interface, and a lock is often marketed as faster or more convenient than a freeze. Because a lock is contractual, the terms of service control the details, including whether there is a fee, whether the tool covers one nationwide company or all three, and what remedies exist if the feature fails.
Both tools sit alongside other protections. Federal law entitles consumers to a free report from each nationwide company through AnnualCreditReport.com, and inaccurate information can be disputed there or directly with the company. If identity theft has already occurred, IdentityTheft.gov produces a recovery plan and an identity theft report, which supports an extended fraud alert and can block fraudulent information from appearing on reports. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission publish current details on freeze timelines, alert durations, and the differences between a statutory freeze and a contractual lock. A freeze is enforceable under federal law. A lock is a feature of a company's product, and it does not replace a freeze.